University of Nottingham

Nottingham

''Are you from Africa?'' harmless ignorance or unjustified prejudice?

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I think it's a bit odd - kind of depends where you are, though. If you were in the middle of Siberia, you'd get people stopping you on the street and taking photos. People did that to me, when they heard me speaking English and I look more Russian than I do English - though I was once mistaken for an american BOY and I was a bit pissed off.

But yeah, it's odd, but probably just harmless ignorance. If you get annoyed, just make sure to speak first, so they hear your Londonness?

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Reply 41

Cesar Lecat

Original post by The Cornerstone

I don't really care since it's obvious I haven't been around here for long and that I'm not British.

Don't get too excited though every Somali has distant cousins that might or might not be a celebrity because of our complicated but detailed family trees. Heck I've been told that one of my ancestors was a king!

I was told one of my ancestors was a prince :rolleyes:

Original post by In2deep

It's true, family trees are extremely detailed in Somalia, I can name about 40 generations of my forefathers :colondollar:

Somali population (the ethnicity not the nationality) around the world is about 20-30million so everyone is related somehow or another.

I am a distant relative of a few Presidents :rofl:

20-30 Million? :lolwut:

It's actually between 15-17 million.

Reply 42

JOR2010

Original post by COSMICDOLPHIN

Whay makes you assume, in that clip, that the woman is Asian?!

I couldn't remember the clip exactly, turns out she was black, so probably had African roots. What's wrong with that?

Reply 43

Cesar Lecat

Original post by dungeonkeepr

Sorry, but how? :laugh:

Reply 44

Somethingundecided

Why on earth would you consider this prejudice? If you look African, then I can understand why they would ask you are from Africa.

Of the 2, harmless ignorance. They're clearly not trying to insult you.

Reply 45

kerily

Original post by The Cornerstone

Sorry but unless they're first or second cousins (or maybe third considering our attitude with family bonds) you're not going to meet David Bowie anytime soon :teehee:

Don't do this to me :emo:

... although I know, don't worry. The man's retired and doesn't seem to go out any more anyway; he's never sighted in public and doesn't have any albums planned, let alone meeting random fans. If only I had a TARDIS :frown:

Reply 46

Intriguing Alias

Original post by Reformed2010

Let me get to the point. Has any British students with ethnic origins been asked, not ''where are you from?'' but ''where are you from?'' or ''how long are you here for?'' kind of questions by staff and fellow hall residents?

I have and the first time i was brushed it aside. But literally more than at least twenty people since the start of University either thought I was ''that Nigerian student in halls''. On University exchange, was put in a certain block because I was ''one of those international students''. One staff member began conversation by asking with a smile, ''hello love how long are you here for?''. In a pre-lash a girl who I literally just met me put her hands into a fist and 'touched' hello me.

:facepalm2:

I don't even get a chance to open my mouth for them to hear my slang free south-west London accent. One girl over dinner embarrassed herself asking across the table, am I from Africa, for me to speak back ''aren't your parents from Israel? mine aren't''.

Is this really harmless ignorance or unjustified prejudice? why am I not hearing those of White British origin being wrongly asked if they are from Russia or Poland?

:curious:

I don't see it as a big deal. Happens to me all the time but I think they're just being/acting interested - not trying to offend.

Though it was funny, I was talking to a man in a home for people with dementia and after asking where I was originally from etc he asked me how long I'm here. I mistook him to mean in the home and I said 'until lunchtime' and then he replied 'oh right that's soon, I hope you have a nice flight'.

Reply 47

Octohedral

Original post by babygirl110

I don't think it's ignorance though.

Really? I can't imagine someone going up to someone and asking them if they're foreign as an insult. It's not really effective for one thing, and for another any time I've seen it happen the asker has been really embarrassed when they find out.

I don't know the truth, but that's the impression I get. :s-smilie:

Reply 48

babygirl110

Original post by Octohedral

Yes, I don't think it's ignorance, neither do I think it's an insult nor prejudice. It's just a question that arises out of curiosity and making conversation that's all.

I think people with a strong sense of identity are able to perceive and handle such questions more positively.

Reply 49

NaomiMadison

I get it so so so much. I was born here and so were my parents and grand parents. Most of the time, when someone asks me I just reply with the truth, "I was born here, in England, same as my parents and grandparents. If you're asking about my origins, my mother is Ghanian and my father is Jamaican".

If i'm in a bad mood i'll normally just be sarcastic and if my friends ask i normally promise that i'd tell them if they promise not to inform immigration.

It's annoying that some people assume if you're black you're not from here, and tbh i've got no idea why seeing as England is quite mixed nowadays, but I've never experienced someone asking maliciously.

One thing that really annoys me is when people call me chinky because I have eyes that are that kind of shape but not as thin and stuff. I think it's because my dad is 1/16 chinese but I hate when people call me chinky. It's so annoying..

Reply 50

FunkeyMunkey

Original post by kerily

She is indeed. And thus, by extension, related to David Bowie. :sexface:

I was exceptionally, exceptionally excited by this knowledge.

She's not met Iman though (it's a very distant relation, through a distant cousin of her aunt's) but still :tongue:

Thats weird... I also know a girl who is distantly related to Iman. Might be the same person XD

Reply 51

kerily

Original post by FunkeyMunkey

Thats weird... I also know a girl who is distantly related to Iman. Might be the same person XD

Are you at UCL? :holmes:

... or did Iman's family just get around? :sexface:

Reply 52

dungeonkeepr

Original post by Cesar Lecat

Sorry, but how? :laugh:

Well, I have quite short hair and it was bloody cold, so I was all hunched up in my coat. As for the american? Well, in the geographical centre of Russia, hearing any English at all is weird and strange - same as (unless we knew a LOT better) any Russian speech sounds the same.

Reply 53

Cesar Lecat

Original post by dungeonkeepr

Fair enough.

Reply 54

somethingbeautiful

Let me get this straight - you're black and when you meet new people they straight out ask you if you're from Africa before you've even said 'hello' to them? Erm, what kinda people are you hanging about with? Honestly, most people just don't do that.

Reply 55

drbluebox

When I was in Europe people kept asking me what part of England I was from and I was like "I'm Scottish" and people either thought I was being rude or genuinely said "oh is that near London"

That and I kept on getting jokes about drinking tea, and when I went to a pizza restuarant they seriously apologised(they werent joking) for not serving tea and said they could serve soft drinks or alcohol.

So If what you experienced was racist then what I experienced was half worse.

Reply 56

In2deep

Original post by Cesar Lecat

20-30 Million? :lolwut:

It's actually between 15-17 million.

It isn't, remind me to explain at a later date :shh:

Reply 57

TheEssence

i've never experienced this, i tell people im from london, and there is no problem...

It does coincide with what my father taught me, (he's quite racist btw), which is that no matter how long you stay here there will always be at least one person who does not consider you british because you are black, and as such you must know your roots... he also says i'm not british i'm just here to get education and live, that only if i were white could i be british

I don't agree with him 100% but he has got a point, whether you like it or not

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 58

Ayah

This girl once said if i was Asian...ie Pakistani??! I got so shocked, and when i ask her what made you say that? The silly girl said that because i wore a headscarf, she presumed i was muslim, which in her brain meant asian! I had such a longggg talk with her afterwards. I'm proud african from Somaliland :wink: