THE AFRICAN QUEEN  Peter Eric Adotey Addo Bio Books by Peter Addo    The Dignity of Vision   FOR KWAME NKRUMAH   GHANA - A YEAR AGO   How a Black African Views His American Black Brothers  Mojos in Africa & Other Poems Origins Of African American Spiritualism  The Sax Player At The Green Door   This Is Your Day Some Things Never Change Related files: African Folktales Still Influence Modern Thought The African World  African American Faiths Ashanti Chronology    Ashanti Empire  A Critique of the book Out of America  Dark Tourism in Ghana Disadvantaged by race, set back by language Fathia Nkrumah The Funny Side of Racism Ghana and The Right to Abode God Save His Majesty The Joseph Principle Enacted  Kwame Nkrumah, Kenyatta, and the Old Order  Osagyefo on African Renaissance Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Photos of Burial Service of Fathia Nkrumah Randolph Visits Ghana Responsibility of a Pan-African Socialist Staying in Touch with Ghana   The story peddled by imperial apologists is a poisonous fairytale   This WeekGhana         Where the White Man Cant Win

*   *   *   *   *

Then there is this problem: recently I helped some 50 black American students to prepare for a summer visit to Africa. On their return I was shocked to find that most of them were much more fascinated with what they called "primitive Africa" than with the big cities and towns, the industrial part of Africa. this is understandable, but the African does not really want American blacks to return home full of ideas and impressions of "primitive people" running around naked in the rude villages. Not all Africans live in villages and not all Africans walk around naked or barefoot. What I am saying is that the black American who goes to Africa tends to find there the things and places that affirm his own subconscious negative impression of Africa. perhaps this is due to brainwashing.

The African is a well mannered person, and there are certain things he will not do in public. Let us name just one thing that created a problem for a group of visiting students. The Africans were shocked to see them holding hands and even kissing in public may be all right in the United States, but it is wholly unacceptable in Africa, especially if students do it. The African student tends to be a little more secretive about displaying his affections. Education is a great privilege in Africa, and it is taken seriously.

I could cite many more reasons why the black American is not embraced as a brother immediately. I do believe, however, that when the two get to know each other and understand the problems inherent in each culture, they will finally appreciate each other and be able to live together. How a Black African Views

*   *   *   *   *

The desecration of Africa in the past by the Western European powers seriously and adversely affected the traditional cultures of the indigenous African people and in consequence many traditional beliefs, social values, customs, and rituals were demeaned or disvalued as “pagan” or “superstitious.” True culture is the what and the how of a peoples’ creative survival, and the introduction of European Christianity separated the indigenous Africans from the ancient roots of their traditions and their identity. 

Traditional African religion is centered around the existence of one Supreme High God. However, the Europeans who spread Christianity in Africa never understood or properly appreciated the African’s own conception of the Great Creator. They saw no similarity between the God they preached and the African’s own belief in the One Supreme God and creator who was king, Omnipotent, Omniscient, the Great Judge, Compassionate, Holy and Invisible, Immortal and Transcendent. Origins Of African American Spiritualism