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	<title>Orijin Culture &#187; on stand by culture</title>
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	<description>A unique &#34;Brand&#34; connecting all African descendants together through culture; Fashion, Music &#38; Lifestyle. Keep the culture Alive.</description>
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		<title>Masculinisation or Dehumanization? The Sambia Tribe of Papua New Guinea</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/masculinisation-dehumanization-sambia-tribe-papua-guinea/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=masculinisation-dehumanization-sambia-tribe-papua-guinea</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/masculinisation-dehumanization-sambia-tribe-papua-guinea/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:02:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culturally Misunderstood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roots & Culture Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Masculinisation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Papua New Guinea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sambia Tribe]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=4927</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
In today’s society, we have to be careful about how we view and portray cultural practices as due to our own ignorance and conditioning as inhabitants of the West, which are heavy influenced by Eurocentric theories, we are prone to condemn things that are unfamiliar to us or might deem them to be “barbaric.” As we have seen with the practice of female genital circumcision, there continues to be discord between what many of us might consider inhumane practices and what might be viewed as by some as “sacred cultural practices.” The difficulty comes in when we as individuals have to assess and judge for ourselves what practices should be protected and respected for their cultural significance and which practices should be deemed inhumane regardless of their cultural importance.
Such is the case of the practice of masculinisation as it is conducted by the Sambia Tribe in Papua New Guinea. This ritual, which is a symbol of a young boy’s rite of passage to manhood, starts when a boy is between the ages of 6 to 10 and comprises of 6 stages. Imperative to the processes and teaching of the initial ceremony is the notion that women can be dangerous to men.  To become a man, and in essence a “warrior,” these young men are taught how to detach themselves from their mothers and the women around them as a means of showing that they can live without them and prove their masculinity.

The six stage process of affirming one’s manhood can take anywhere from 10 to 15 years until these young men give birth to a child. Much of the initiation and training is characterizes by what some have deemed to be highly eroticized and sexual. In the first stages, a sharp stick of cane is inserted deeply into the young boy’s nostrils until he bleeds profusely. The young boys are also introduced to older warriors who are told that bachelors are going to “copulate” with them to make them grow. Throughout much of the 6 stages, the act of having the stick of cane inserted into the nostrils and the performance of “fallatio”  are integral to the process of becoming a man. While the former practice is often derided by many as “inhumane” and the latter is often referred to as “homosexual” behaviour, the Sambia’s understanding and purpose behind these two processes differs from our conventional understanding.

While many of us might view the practice of inserting the cane stick into the nostrils as being “inhumane,” because of the obvious infliction of pain and injury to the body, for the Sambia it is a symbol of strength and his ability to sustain pain, which is a needed requirement of a warrior. Additionally, the act of performing fellatio and the act of ingesting semen is seen as an integral part of manhood because boys are unable to mature into men unless they ingest semen and they adhere to the notion that all men have, “eaten the penis”. According to Sambia belief, the [...]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tambú: The Music &amp; Dance of Afro- Curaçao</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/tamb-music-dance-afro-curaao/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=tamb-music-dance-afro-curaao</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/tamb-music-dance-afro-curaao/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:23:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roots & Culture Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[African culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afro- Curaçao]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tambú]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=4692</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[

Located in the southern Caribbean sea, the island of Curaçao is the largest island of the lesser Antilles and is comprised of many ethnicities including Arawak, Dutch, Spanish, West Indian, Latin, and African. Although Dutch is the Curacao official language, and English and Spanish are also widely spoken, many residents speak Papiamentu — a Creole mixture of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, English, and Arawak Indian. The main language, Papiamentu, is encompassing many African influences and was once used to bridge the gap between the slaves and owners.
Being the dominant group on the island, African descendant have ensured that many of their ancestral cultural practices and traditions were preserved. The in influence of their African orijin is pronounced in many aspect of life, including music, dance and language. Brought to the island as slaves by the Ducth in the 17th century, Africans in Curaçao have managed to maintain their connection to their ancestral homeland through dances such as the tambú. A product of the slave knit communities on the island, tambú served as the cultural expression of an oppressed people.
Using the basic instruments of a drum (also known as the tambú ), the chapi (hoe) and heru, an iron idiophone, which are beaten into rhytemic patterns, he tambú dance requires isolation of body parts with elaborate hip gyrations. While the moves of the tambú are often referred to as “suggestive,” it follows a strict etiquette of no physical touching, which is said to add to the eroticism and sexual appeal of the dance. Due to the suggestive nature of the dance, it was long banned and persecuted for many years by the Catholic Church and government. However, despite colonial efforts to cub an abolish aspects of their African ancestry and orijin, African descendants in Curaçao developed creative ways to evade persecution and remain connected to their African ancestry.
Taking from the practice of their African ancestors, tambú is almost always accompanied by singing which follow a call and response pattern. Dubbed the “Curaçao blues,” tambú music provided as a means for slaves in Curaçao to express their sarrows and hardships on plantations.
Today, tambú music and dance serves not only as a means of entertainment, but also as a representation of African culture, ancestry and history in Curaçao.



]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Are Africans and Caribbean Descendants Morally Superior?</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/africans-caribbean-descendants-morally-superior/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=africans-caribbean-descendants-morally-superior</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/africans-caribbean-descendants-morally-superior/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:24:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fresh Off the Boat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roots & Culture Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caribbean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moral]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roots]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=3657</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
A few months ago I had the gall to suggest that porn should be legalized in Africa and the Caribbean. My suggestion was in response to a recent publication that showed that the porn industry was gaining strength in many African countries, yet it remains illegal in most. Porn is one of the biggest industries in North America and it always manages to sustain and thrive in the worse of economic conditions. So why should Africa and the Caribbean not have access to the revenue the porn industry has to offer? In addition, the issue of porn being illegal in most countries means that those who chose to partake in the industry are doing so illegally and as a result, are more susceptible to exploitation. Additionally, not have legal repercussions and regulations in place in an industry that is obviously thriving despite being illegal, means that participant have no point of recourse for when they are taken advantage of and a lack of regulations means the likely spread of sexually transmitted diseases. While personally, I am not a supporter of legalizing pornography, I always like to ‘rock the boat’ by making sure that all perspectives are taken into consideration.
He responded to my argument by stating:
‘I don’t know about the whole legalizing porn stuff (umm, why do u think Africa needs to adopt Babylon&#8217;s culture?). I don’t want to sound too pious or anything, but porn would break down values that sustain families in Africa. Remember, a porn star is someone&#8217;s daughter, aunt, niece or cousin first and foremost. Would you want your niece to become a porn star? And while the cheque they get might be nice and the movie itself enjoyable (as I&#8217;ve &#8216;heard&#8217;), at the end of the day, it’s just sex for hire&#8230;..The bad does not outweigh the good.’
While I must admit that I take pleasure in provoking the most passionate of reactions in people and he makes some very valid points, his response made me think of another question. Why are we as Africans and African descendants expected to adhere to higher moral standards? The success of North America provides as an indication of its acceptance in society. Does that mean that North Americans are morally corrupt and lack values? What satisfaction do we get and what benefits are there to be gained for being morally superior? Are these North American porn stars not someone’s daughter, niece, or aunt?
As a child and even into my later teenage years I was prohibited from watching the Simpsons. My grandmother and aunt expressed that the subject matters covered in the show and the lack of respect Bart had for his father were inappropriate for my young impressionable mind. When I asked how come I was not allowed to watch these shows even though all my friends at school could, she responded, “you nah see how rude these kids are in Canada and the US? Next thing you know, you will be watching these shows and think it’s OK to [...]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tracing African&#8217;s (&#8216;Sidis’) in South Asia [INDIA]: Connecting the Diaspora</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/tracing-africans-sidis-south-asia-india-connecting-diaspora/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=tracing-africans-sidis-south-asia-india-connecting-diaspora</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/tracing-africans-sidis-south-asia-india-connecting-diaspora/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:45:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fresh Off the Boat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afro-Indians]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afro-South Asian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sidis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Asia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=3487</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
While it is communally known that many African countries, including South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania have large populations of people who are of South Asian descent, there has been limited documentation about African descendants in South Asia. Africans arrived in South Asia under various circumstances. Although a significant amount of South Asians of African descent can trace their arrival back to slavery, many are also descendants of seafarers, sailors and merchants.
Today, there are notable people of African descent residing in Gujarat and Karnataka. Referred to as Sidis, Afro-Indians/South Asians have been an integral part of South Asian society for many centuries and are well interrogated into everyday South Asian life and culture.  The history of Afro-South Asians has also been very diverse. Africans once ruled certain regions in South Asia (they ruled island of Janjira from 1618 for about 31/2centuries and the state Sachin from 1791) and as a result, some Afro-South Asian descendants have been able to maintain the respect of the members in the communities in which they currently reside. Other Afro-South Asian descendants, such as the Sidis in Gujarat and Karnataka, live a life of marginalization.
Most Afro-South Asians were born and raised in the region and as a result; consider it to be their home and place of orijin.  However, many of them have managed to maintain certain distinct cultural expressions and practices that are inherently African. Through their languages, religious beliefs and practices, music and dance forms, Afro-South Asians have been able to hold on to their historical roots and culture. For example, Afro-Gujaratis have been presenting their music to the international world since 2002 and perform dhamal which they call goma, a word derived from the Swahili word ngoma meaning ‘drum’ and also ‘dance.’  Another example of the preservation of African culture and tradition amount Afro-South Asians are demonstrated by the Sidi in Andhra Pradesh, India. Referring to themselves as ‘Chaush’ dance with their drums and sing the song thought to them by their forefathers. While many of those who refer to themselves as ‘Chaush’ often do not understand the words they are singing, the lyrics are in their ancestral Bantu language. Many of the dances performed by Afro-South Asians also incorporate call and response chants used at various rituals by their African ancestors.
While the presence of Afro South-Asians is generally unbeknownst to many South Asians themselves because it is often assumed that they are tourist visiting the area, they have managed to not only assimilate with the general South Asian population but also preserve their African heritage. While most Afro-South Asians accept and are proud to call the region their home, they are still very much aware of and celebrate their African orijin.
Watch video here: http://youtu.be/oiA9QiAnA8I






]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Before Facebook was the &#8220;Talking Drum&#8221;. Bring back the Drums of Africa</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/facebook-talking-drum-bring-drums-africa/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=facebook-talking-drum-bring-drums-africa</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/facebook-talking-drum-bring-drums-africa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:21:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roots & Culture Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[African Diaspora]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brazil]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Djembe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guinea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mali]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rituals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[talking drum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tradition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[West Africa]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=3421</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
A Drum is not just a Drum.
For most Africans, music and dance are the ultimate expressions of life, culture, history and tradition. The drum, the main musical instrument, creates infectious sounds and rhythms inhibits ever single fiber in your body and transcends you to the spiritual world.  While many people view the drum as merely being a musical instrument, it is a symbolic and integral part of African society.
Before there were telephones, high end smart phones like iphones, social media like facebook, twitter  and other electronic forms of communication, in Africa, the drum served as the dominant means of communication among tribes.  The ‘talking drum’, the popular West African hourglass shaped drum, was and in some parts of West Africa still is, the preferred means of communication since its pitch can be controlled to mimic the rhythm and tone of human speech.
Drums are always present at any ceremonial ritual in African culture.  Whether one is celebrating the birth of a child, the coming of a young girl into womanhood, marriage or death, drums, accompanied by dance, help to not only tell the story of each ritual but it also allows the participants to physically feel and enjoy the significance of the moment.

The djembe or jembe drum is one of the most popular and oldest of African drums. While the exact orijin of the djembe is unclear, it has been documented that it was developed in the 12th or  13th century with the formation of the Mali Empire by the Malinke and Susu people (today Mali and Guinea). The ‘numu’, a professional class of blacksmiths, were the first carvers of the djemde which is made of wood and is covered with a ‘membrane’ consisting of rawhide (goatskin) leather. Orijinally created as a sacred drum to be used in most important African ceremonies such as rites of passage, ancestral worship, warrior rituals, as well as social dances, the djembe has become the main choice of drum in many West African societies.
The importance and significance of the djembe drum has been expressed by the ‘best djembe drummer’ as voted in Africa by the Pan-African Festival in Alders Mamady Keita who stated that &#8220;For us personally it&#8217;s a way for us to share our own thoughts about the world. It helps us show through music that all our problems are not needed, and that we can come together as people because we can come together to play music.&#8221;
Today, the rythms of the African drum continues to play an important role in Africa and throughout the African Diaspora.  Brazil’s most popular music, the samba, entails the usage of various African drums, beats and rhythms.  In the Caribbean, culture music (otherwise known as conscious reggae) also incorporates the use of African drums. African drums and the dances that accompany them help to display the beauty African culture and its people and they continue to serve as a preserver of history, life and tradition.
Sometimes I fear that our future generation will loose the culture behind drumming to technology, if [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>&#8220;Marimba&#8221;: History, Culture and Discrimination in Ecuador. Afro-Descendants In Latin America Part 3</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/marimba-dance-freedom-ultimate-expression-historyculture-discrimination-ecuador-afrodescendants-latin-america-part-3/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=marimba-dance-freedom-ultimate-expression-historyculture-discrimination-ecuador-afrodescendants-latin-america-part-3</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/marimba-dance-freedom-ultimate-expression-historyculture-discrimination-ecuador-afrodescendants-latin-america-part-3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:45:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fresh Off the Boat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[african]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Afro Ecuadorian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[criollo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ecuador]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Latin America]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marimba]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mestiza]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spanish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[West Africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zambo Republic]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=3348</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Despite the advent of colonialism and having to endure constant discrimination by the dominant mestizo and criollo populations, Afro Ecuadorians have managed to maintain a distinct identity, deeply embedded with their African culture and traditions for nearly four and a half centuries. Unlike the Garifuna who strongly associates with and maintains a rather equal identification with both their African and Carib/indigenous ancestry, Afro Ecuadorians are descendants of Black slaves who overpowered and intermarried with the local indigenous population. However, due to deeply-rooted racism, they have been unable to integrate with the larger Ecuadorian society and as a result, have chosen to create and maintain a strong association with their Black/African ancestry.

The history of Afro Ecuadorians has been one of defined by resilience. The slave boat carrying their forefathers shipwrecked off the coast of the Esmeraldas in 1553 and they were able to create a distinct identity for themselves by preserving aspects of their African roots and culture by successfully fending off the constant onslaught of Spanish colonizers. They were also able to create what is known as the “Zambo Republic”, which became the preferred destination for escaped slaves throughout the region.
Today, Afro Ecuadorians predominantly occupying the coastal Esmeraldas and Valle del Chota regions and they have used music, in the form of the marimba dance, to create a distinct identity within the larger Ecuadorian society and to preserve their African roots and culture. The marimba is a musical instrument, which consists of wooden bars and metal mallets. It closely resembles the xylophone and was derived from the West African balafon. Music among Afro Ecuadorians corresponds with the currulao, or marimba dance. This too has strong roots in the Bantu and Mande heritages in West Africa.
For many Afro Ecuadorians, marimba dances served as the ultimate expression of freedom. To some extent they operated as an autonomous state since they were able to fend off the Spanish colonizers.  However, due to the encroachment of the dominant mestizo on the Esmeraldas due to the regions bountiful mineral wealth, restriction were placed on Afro Ecuadorians and for a large portion of the 20th century, marimba dances were regulated and were prohibited unless one possessed a permit. While this greatly affected the prevalence of marimba music and by default Afro Ecuadorian’s African roots and culture, in the early to mid 20th century, Afro-Ecuadorians would once again display their resilient spirit by resurrecting their beloved musical dances and traditions.
In the 1970s, the elder Afro Ecuadorians embarked on a mission to revive their African heritage and tradition by creating folklore schools and dance troops to teach and perform marimba music and dance. This not only helped to foster strong relationships between the younger and older generations but it also enable the younger generations to develop a strong understanding of their roots and culture. Today, marimba music and dance is used in combination with theatre to tell the story of the strong resilient history Afro Ecuadorians possess and also to help foster a sense of pride. Afro Ecuadorians [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Why are we so Willing to Leave our Homelands Behind?</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/leave-homelands/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=leave-homelands</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/leave-homelands/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2011 19:09:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nekita</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roots & Culture Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caribbean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Exodus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homeland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcu Garvey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus Garvey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[St. Vincent]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=3181</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I remember how special I felt when at the age of 12, I was told that I will be moving to Toronto, Canada. I was one of the lucky few who had the opportunity to go ‘ah foreign’ and live a life of luxury! I would get to eat all the fancy foods and cereals I saw on TV.  My mouth watered at the very thought of having cornflakes with strawberries (Imagine my disappointment when I realized that cornflakes did not come with the strawberries already inside!) Forget having fried plantain, mango, coconut water and scalded goat milk for breakfast! Instead, I wanted to have apples, grapes, KFC and all those other fancy foods and fruits I saw on TV.  While I was more occupied with the superficiality and materiality of moving to Canada, my aunt explained that by moving, I would have access to a world class education and thus, the opportunity to create a better life for myself.
For the first 5-10 years of my life, I embraced Canada and accepted it as my new homeland. Thoughts about ‘back home’ were few and far in between. My expectations and aspirations followed those of the ordinary Canadian teenager.  I would go to university, get a well paying job with good benefits and a nice retirement package. My life was planned and as long as things panned out like they were suppose to, I would be set! Eventually I would achieve all of my goals.  I completed my undergrad at one of Canada’s top universities; secured an indeterminate position with the government where the benefit and retirement packages are the best in the entire country and yet, I was not satisfied.
The things that once made me happy; the food, the luxuries of automobiles, TV and designer clothing no longer filled that void. I began to hate the food because I learned that most of it is bad for me and yearned so desperately for a sweet grafted mango and some coconut juice. I cherished the taste of some ground provisions, coconut dumplings and saltfish. I wanted to be able to release all inhibitions without fear or judgement when I &#8216;wuk up me waist&#8217; to the sweet sounds of soca music. To be kissed by the warmth of the sun on a daily basis and feel the warm sand sifting through my toes was more pleasant than heaving to live through the cold and trek through the snow.

After 13 long years, I returned &#8216;back home.&#8217; Ironically, my return only took place because my planned trip to Tanzania fell through. Before I arrived, I thought about how bad my country would look. Rampant poverty, people bathing in the rivers and cooking outside on wooden stoves.  I didn&#8217;t know if I could adapt to such an atmosphere having lived in Canada for all of these years.
As I stepped off the plane, I was greeted by the soothing melodic sounds of the steel pan. It was carnival season and the steel pan players were at the airport to greet incoming visitors. This was only [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Proud to be a Rwandan</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/proud-rwandan-2/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=proud-rwandan-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/proud-rwandan-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:29:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Angelique</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Culturally Misunderstood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roots & Culture Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bantu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Belgium]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Black African]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chishona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kinyarwanda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Louvain-la-Neuve]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ntag’aruw’iwacu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proud to be a Rwandan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rwanda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UK]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[uyu numuzungu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zimbabwe]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=2466</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I remember my mother once saying in a disgruntled voice that all she had been doing since she arrived in the UK was complete application forms. Everyone wanted to know who you were, what nationality you were, where you lived, how much you earned, the tick boxes and dotted lines were endless. I find myself mindlessly dropping a black ball pen in my bag every time I leave the house, because I never know who might shove an application form in my hand. But the true hell of application forms dawned on me recently as I completed the 2011 Census pushed under my door by the student hall cleaner.
Place of Birth: Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Country of Origin: Rwanda
Nationality: British
Ethnicity: Black African
 First language: English
I have been using these same answers in every application form, without ever stopping to think for a minute what it meant. From looking at the information above, what is my identity? I was born in Belgium but left before I could identify myself as a Belgian, I did not live in Rwanda for more than six months of my life even though my parents are from there and to makes matters worse I have not been back to Rwanda for almost two decades. Thus far, the country I have lived in for the longest time is the UK. But apart from my red passport and an occasional South London accent, nothing else about me tells you I am British. Even those who know me will tell you that my accent is so interchangeable that I could be from anywhere – I only speak the Queen’s English at job interviews.
According to the Cambridge Online Dictionary, ‘a person’s first language is the language they learn from their parents as they are growing up.’ Well I grew up speaking French and Kinyarwanda*, but I don’t think in French or Kinyarwanda nor can I communicate as freely and confidently in either of the languages without casually injecting some English words in my sentences. Because of my Bachelor’s degree in French, my reading and writing skills in the language are better than my speaking skills. However, with Kinyarwanda, even though I can read and write it with some level of confidence, if you were to give me a children’s story book written in Kinyarwanda, I would struggle to make sense of the words and sentences I did not use on a day to day basis. In the end I am forced to write English, even though it was the fourth language I learned to speak after French, Kinyarwanda and Shona*.
For some years I was ashamed to tell people I was Rwandan because most of the times, they would ask me if I was born there to which I would shake my head and walk away before anyone asked me anything else. I remember a few years ago, when I revealed to a group of Rwandan peers that I was born in Belgium, one of them let out a chortle and said, ‘uyu numuzungu, ntag’aruw’iwacu!’ or in English, [...]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Who is this Fastest African Rapper that could stand toe to toe with Twista&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/fastest-african-rapper-stand-toe-toe-twista/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=fastest-african-rapper-stand-toe-toe-twista</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2011/fastest-african-rapper-stand-toe-toe-twista/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:53:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>cadmin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fresh Off the Boat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fastest ghanaian rapper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fastest hiphop rapper]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ghana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sarkodie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twista]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=2237</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many people that are tuned into African Hip-hop might know about Sarkodie, the fastest Ghanaian rapper that could stand toe to toe with Twista as to who is the fastest. We look forward to the day where there will be a Twista and Sarkodie collaboration, it might be Guinness book of records as &#8220;the fastest tongue twisting hip-hop collaboration&#8221; ever made.

SARKODIE:

TWISTA:

]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>2010 WORLDCUP will stay in Africa-THE FEVER HAS JUST BEGUN!!!</title>
		<link>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2010/teams-representing-africa-2010-worldcup/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=teams-representing-africa-2010-worldcup</link>
		<comments>http://www.orijinculture.com/community/2010/teams-representing-africa-2010-worldcup/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>cadmin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[on stand by culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Algeria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Angola]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cameroon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Côte d'Ivoire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diouf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Esssien]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ghana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides and Directories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jay Jay Okocha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jj okocha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nigeria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Okocha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Petroleum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roger Milla]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rogger miller]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Senegal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Society and Culture]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.orijinculture.com/community/?p=734</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here are the teams representing Africa for the 2010 world cup:
Ghana

Cameroon

Cote d&#8217;Ivoire(Ivory Coast)

Algeria

Nigeria

South Africa


]]></description>
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		</item>
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</rss>

