WHAT IS AFRICA TO ME?
Heritage by Countee Cullen poses the question, "What is Africa to me?" During the Harlem Renaissance, this was a term that many African Americans could relate to. Despite their lack of knowledge of the continent, they felt a connection to it. The poetry satisfied the want for a spiritual bond by depicting Africa as a lost Eden.
Growing up, I always looked at Africa to be poor, small, and a foreign place. However, as I have grown into the young woman that I am today, I see Africa for what it truly is. Africa is the motherland of my roots. It is a place of deep ancestral history. Africa is where my bloodline is rooted and where generations of my family has come from. I am a proud African American who is constantly learning more about their roots and where their history originated. As I grow older, I am becoming more in touch with my roots as well as broadening my perspective pertaining to my connections with the African culture. Africa is a symbolization of strength, courage, bravery, and beauty. I start to think back and come to the realization that without Africa, I would not be the young woman that I am today. I would not have the ability to understand who I am in today's society and I would fail to realize that my ancestral history has a major impact on my life in today's world. Africa is the root of many things in which I am familiar with today. A few of these things include the food that I eat, dances, hairstyles, etc. Reading this poem has allowed for me to realize the importance of knowing the history of where I come from. I now have a deeper appreciation for Africa from what I once known before. This is what Africa means to me.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts on what Africa means to you. It is a reflection that I think we all are feeling these days. As African Americans we need to look into where we come from, not the south or north, or the west or east, but look deeper into where our culture and beliefs actually were born. I like how you chose to speak about what you thought about Africa when you were young and immature and how as you have grown, so has your understanding and wish for more knowledge. You compared it to Eden and that was new and surprising but thought provoking. Thank you for your insight.
I enjoyed reading this piece. I'm glad you were able to make such a comparison of acknowledgement. Not many can openly do such a thing. It is unfortunately depicted in such a poorer light in the media, so simply, it wasn't just your own. There are many alike because without given the chance to branch away, we are a product of what they give us. I was able to take more note of the Eden comparison as you brought it up because I went back and reread it. I noted the biblical references and slight stanzas speaking of Jesus and it became a bit deeper. The beginning stanzas did make sure to bring light on how beautiful Africa is and…