Embracing Cultural Differences

AFRICANS AND AMERICANS

Embracing Cultural Differences

By Joseph Mbele

When it comes to culture, there has long been a matter of perception of Americans and those who are African-born. As a native of Tanzania who has lived in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Joseph Mbele offers his personal version of a guide to this ongoing matter in Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences.

Step by step, he deconstructs the areas of the two cultures that so often lead to misunderstanding, miscommunication, and/or judgment. One of the first topics is the difference between African Americans and African-born, since the African-born haven’t lived under the legacy of slavery and American racial politics. East Africans used the term mzungu when referring to a white person, something that has its roots in colonialism. However, because of the belief that Americans are all rich, the term is also used for African Americans.

Cultural differences show up the most in social interactions. Where the African-born are highly social and quick to engage in lengthy conversations, Americans are perceived as standoffish with strangers unless introduced. Where in African cultures people come and go to other people’s homes and there are always lots of family and neighbors around to interact with, Americans value privacy and set up boundaries to protect it. Parties in America would be considered boring in Africa. Where Americans insist on direct eye contact when speaking to someone, Africans avoid eye contact as a sign of respect.

Mbele takes note of the differing concepts of time and money, the relationship of businesses to the community, matters of hospitality, health, the symbolic and social meaning of food, and personal space. Unlike American culture, African culture is far more comfortable with diversity of body image; plus-sized women are highly desirable, since this denotes “prosperity and general happiness.” Where America is youth-obsessed, old age is valued in Africa.

Mbele makes it clear by the way he writes that there are many cultures on the continent of Africa, just as there are in America, and rather than judge a culture, the best thing to do is to broaden our scope by learning about a culture that is different from our own, which in turn leads to a better understanding for all. Of course, this would be a mutual exchange.

Africans and Americans is available through Amazon and Minnesota Black Authors Expo.

Thank you, Joseph, for sharing a story that stimulates conversation. We can always learn something from everyone we meet.