African viewpoint: Mugabe and the Jamaicans

[Sir X]

African viewpoint: Mugabe and the Jamaicans

Comments (23)

Continue reading the main story African Viewpoint

• The Rhodesia Syndrome
• Sporting blues
• Deaths on the continent
• Grassroot convictions

In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, film-maker and columnist Farai Sevenzo on how one man's wise words became a proverbial faux pas.
An interesting news story this month was the diplomatic tiff between Zimbabwe and Jamaica, two countries thousands of miles apart and yet somehow forever linked by cultural bonds.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

In Jamaica... Men want to sing and do not go to colleges”

End Quote Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe's president
For those of us of a certain age, in fact anyone 20 years or so younger than the president of Zimbabwe - Robert Mugabe is now 88 - and below, would be acutely aware of the strong cultural ties that exist between that Caribbean island and much of Africa.
It is impossible to visit Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Namibia or any country south of the Sahara, stay off the beaten track of game parks and sunbathing, and not discover some of Africa's young who are imbued with a kind of Jamaican subculture in their music and even their speech patterns.
For patois, after reggae music is a major Jamaican cultural export to Africa.
Caribbean citizens, since the great crime of slavery, have been settling on the continent and are a part of Africa in their professions, while there are many links through marriage and other personal connections.
Jamaican musicians played their part in no small measure in raising the

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-19742309

[Reggaedoc]

I have been following the Mugabe/Jamaican men thing from day 1, and I don't understand why so many people are getting exercised over it. Is it because he made a general statement i.e stereotyping, or did he tell a lie?. I personally think that there is some truth in his statement, and am more ashamed than angry.

[Assasin]

He has no right as a diplomat. There maybe some truth to it but as the leader of a "friendly country" it was going to anger Jamaica.

[Reggaedoc]

Nothing wrong with the man telling the truth. If we are that offended, we should protest outside their embassy, and our government should recall our ambassador. The point is, for anyone looking from the outside, with no day to day experience with the lives of Jamaican men, and just going by popular images/reports, it is hard for that person to not conclude that Jamaican men are mostly shiftless, drug heads(ganja heads), easily taken to violence and drug peddling, oversexed and undereducated, and love to dance. That would not be an unreasonable conclusion. Let's stop pretending. Even tourists with minimal interaction with Jamaican men, may be forced to come to that conclusion, from their observations. The whole point is, whether we like it or not, we need an image makeover. Plain and simple.

[Assasin]

Again as the head of a country you don't say that about another. I don't know why our government don't protest but they should in some show of public support for the Jamaican men, because dispite how it may look we are not all pot head, drug head or rum head. There are many names we could call people from their country too. Not because it seems like true you have to go that far. Are the musicians and "high men" a true represenatation of Jamaican men?

[Willi]

He had no right to be calling up our name. Poor form.

Run the Razz klath fly from wi food.

[Gamma]

he told the truth? that generalization is the truth?

are you a jamaican man?

[MdmeX]

He had no right to be calling up our name. Poor form.

Run the Razz klath fly from wi food.

Real Talk Willi - no p-u-$-$ footing the matter

[Reggaedoc]

Yes he did tell the truth. We all did sociology 101 and know the drawbacks of stereotyping but it still has a valid place in social assessment, in my view. Our men intentionally created that image, so what are we complaining about. Beats me.

[Muadib]

There is a valid place ?

Soo.. the KKK and such have an argument den ?

The stats on Black Males in America are not very attractive...

[Reggaedoc]

Who ever said that the stats on black males were attractive?. Look, we are discussing drug usage and alcoholism among Jamaican men, and the statement of Mugabe. In fact, the level of both alcohol usage and drug usage(marijuana) among Jamaican men makes Magabe's statement not even being close to being a stereotype. The levels are indeed epidemic. Mugabe is on point. We should feel a sense of shame rather than being angry at the man. He is simply telling the truth.

[Willi]

Can we do both?

Yuh miss Muadib's point of time and place...
If Romney get up and talk all kinda things about black American men, yuh woulda react the same way too?

Steeeeuuupps.

[Reggaedoc]

Look Will, the concept of political correctness is not one that i slavishly follow. The truth is far more important to me. In fact an increasing number of people are saying to hell with PC, and even risking being called racists in order to make clear and honest analyses and social commentary. It is not sufficient to go along simply to get along. That is 60s concept. Serves no useful purpose.

[Muadib]

yuh have a point doh.. Mugabe just late..

Lee Kuan Yew tell we how it guh over 30 years ago..

[Willi]

Politicians dont have a choice in being correct.

Plus the man has been given a Jakan award. Him nuh have nuh decorum...using our plight to score domestic political points??

Nah man. Low bite behaviour dat!