Blacks on Saipan
My blogs
| Location | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands |
|---|---|
| Introduction | This is the place to discover the people of the African diaspora living on the pacific islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota. When we say "Blacks" (capital "B") on Saipan, we're not referring to a color but a diverse cultural identity. Because of the unique history of Blacks throughout the world as a result of forced and voluntary migration from Africa, many Blacks now identify culturally and ethnically with countries and regions other than the motherland. As a result of the identity-robbing effects of slavery, many Blacks can no longer trace their origins to any specific country in Africa. As a result, when people of the transplanted Black community worldwide refer to themselves as "Black," it is with the tacit understanding that it is more than just a color, but a nod to an often-times lost African origin, diluted through years of migration and mixing. Therefore, when you see someone who appears "Black" on Saipan, they may well be from one of any number of countries on the African continent--Ghana, Kenya--the Caribbean-- Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados--South America (Brazil) or the US mainland. |