Later this year, the government of Zimbabwe will be hosting the “8th Pan African Congress Part 1 (8PAC1)”. On Saturday, March 25, The Fifth Preparatory Meeting for the 8PAC1 discussed the agenda item, Defining the African Diaspora. To contribute your input on the definition of the African Diaspora for the Zero Draft Resolutions working document for the 8PAC1 Harare Declaration, please complete the form below.
INPUTS FOR THE DEFINITION OF THE DIASPORA
(to submit your input, please scroll to the very bottom of this post)
From Council of Pan African Diaspora Elder Baba Baya:
“The issue of who is defined as Diaspora for those African people who were taken from the Motherland has a certain level of reparations to it that is not shared by those African people who have, voluntarily, migrated outside of Africa. This something that should always be brought to the attention of African heads-of-state, their ministers of state institutions, the political parties of the nation and even those who are African royalty and chiefs of indigenous societies. All have been educated in the west and the majority of which have never been students of the Maafa. Not being students of the Maafa and never having had been obligated to learn its brutal history, there is a tendency to toss the history of this diaspora to the side in the same kind of way that their ex-colonial masters threw the brutality of colonialism away. It is essential for African people who will form the 6th region, and who will, more than likely, form the majority of structure ensure that the definition of Diaspora make this clear in the process of working towards dual citizenship. Most Africans who have migrated outside of the Motherland still have African citizenships and those who don't have rejected that citizenship in favor of U.S., Canadian, British, French, etc. citizenship. And because most European countries do not permit application to citizenship until African migrants are 18 or older, no matter even if they grew up in the European country, those African people really have no desire to return to the Motherland because of a desire to have a better life that African nations could not give them. The diaspora that has a desire to return to Africa, for the most part, are some of those African people who have experienced enslavement in the western hemisphere. These will be the few, not the many because many African people of the Diaspora still carry resentments for the Motherland, not having any head-of-state (outside of Kwame Nkrumah) who have called for them to come home and who has spoken truth to power about their conditions at the U.N., in the U.S. or any other nation where they have remained the human door mat minority populations. Africans of the Diaspora should become knowledgeable about the legal steps needed for dual citizenship as the hoops we need to jump through to ensure dual citizenship as an option however it is also incumbent for African heads-of-state to understand that return is not just about providing them to compensate them for the mismanagement of their brain drain. It is also about them developing empathy for the psychological, spiritual, and social trauma that the enslaved have had to endure because of their political neglect of them over the decaded after having received independence.“
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora can be considered as any one or all of the following: It should be inclusive of ANY one or all of the following:
Any individual born on the continent of Africa who has willingly or forcefully migrated and now resides outside of the continent;
Any individual born outside the continent of Africa with ties to any country on the continent;
Any individual born outside the continent of Africa with parents [living or dead] from any African country in Africa;
Any African descendant who was forcefully transported as a result of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade into the Americas.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: The diaspora is any location originating outside the geographical location of the main African continent [54/55 countries in including the islands surrounding the continent.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: African Diaspora means Africans scattered outside their country of origin in Africa or anywhere outside Africa.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: Diaspora refers to the dispersion or scattering of a group of people who share a common origin or cultural background, typically due to forced migration, geopolitical conflicts, or economic reasons. The term originated from the Greek word "diaspeirein," which means "to scatter." The concept of Diaspora usually implies a shared sense of identity, history, culture, and traditions among the dispersed population, which may continue to maintain connections and engage in activities that promote social and economic ties across geographical borders. Examples of Diaspora communities include African Diaspora, Jewish Diaspora, Indian Diaspora, and Armenian Diaspora, among others.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora consists of those people that have indigenous African descent and heritage that live, or were born, outside of the continent of Africa.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: My concern is that the definition must include all those that were forced to leave the continent and those that willingly left the continent, while finding a way to exclude those that may claim all mankind descend from Africa and exclude white supremacists that may have some African DNA due to an ancestor that was a former slave but passed as white.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora consists of peoples of indigenous African origin, descent, and heritage born or living outside of the continent regardless of citizenship or nationality.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: We must ensure that we approach the definition with duality, both integrative and segregative. We need an integrative expression and definition which is utilized as the overriding, overarching framework. We need a segregative approach which addresses the different positions and need-bases for the different groups that make up the whole.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora consists of peoples of verifiable African origin, descent and heritage residing outside of the Continent as nationals, assylum seekers or immigrants abroad as a result of forced or voluntary migration, or birth.
This definition expresses the inalieniable status of Africans abroad in relationship to the home continent irregardless of the degree to which they currently accord value to this status. In practice, it is recognised that it is only those within the African diaspora who are willing to contribute to the re-estabishment of the African worldview, African- centred realities, global status, presence and power who are the visible and functioning members of the African diaspora aka 6th region.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: Concern: The ties that exist between the diaspora and home continent needs to read as a statement of Truth, indisputable Facts.
The final agreed definition should therefore as its first and primary function recognise all who fall under the definition, embracing all whether or not as an individual they are Conscious of the unbreakable ties- their birthright and inheritance- this is why iin my humble opinion it should be verifiable- becuase we are speaking about birthright and inheritance. (When in time these things are valued by us we will see the importance of verifiability- the non Africans- particularly Eurasians know the value, hence the lengths they are prepared to go to create counterfeits; also the jews verify through blood tests)…I think that the current definition that requires something of the diaspora is a secondary (important) sub-clause, that defines something slightly different and should not be a qualifier to their birthright status- However we do need to reference as a subclause what is to be the relationship going forwards (in time within the context of OurStory) between the continent and the diaspora. This is slightly different to who is the diaspora- this function of the diaspora will change according to the changing needs of the times going forwards.
This is expressed in the definition current form as those who are willing... Concern: to be willing is a beginning, but( African scholars have identified that )we need to be willing to operate through our African place of Being if we are to manifest change- we must be willing to re-establish the African worldview/ African world order that links all Africans to their origin, descent and heritage, if we are to do more than simply reinforce Eurocentric realities and worldview- this is the nature of the ongoing challenge... to make African's inumerable contributions to the world COUNT IN OUR FAVOUR- work in support of African upliftment and African created realities, rather than in support of the present reality created by former exploiters, thieves, rapists, colonisers and enslavers
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: Africans and Afrodescends living outside the mother continent Africa
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: Diaspora is group of Peoples force to live their country and continent to another or who live their continent free wiling
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora is any person who can biologically trace their origin to the continent of Africa.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: My concern is giving equal rights to those from successive duel heritage backgrounds.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: An addendum to an earlier post by a previous contributor:: Any DNA proven (what %-age would this be and patri and or matri?) individual born on the continent of Africa who has willingly or was forced to migrate and now resides outside of the continent;
Any (what %-age would this be and patri and or matri?) individual born outside the continent of Africa with ties to any country on the continent;
Any individual (what %-age would this be and patri and or matri?) born outside the continent of Africa with parents [living or dead] from any African country in Africa;
Any African descendant (what %-age would this be and patri and or matri?) who was forcefully transported as a result of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade into the Americas (what of the victims of the Arab Slave Trade transported hundreds of years ago before there were recognized African countries from long dead tribes and kingdoms? - a lot of those old kingdoms were wiped out or decimated but their descendants are minorities in certain Middle Eastern countries eg. Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia etc.). Is there a way or ways whereby the descendants of non-African invader peoples (Boers, Arabs, Europeans etc.) could be legally excluded and defined? And is this something we want to do given the rapidly changing state of technology and DNA methods? Which agency, entity, organization etc has the right or authority to define and broach this topic and topics?
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: This needs to be defined before any discussion on matters relevant to the 6th Region, and or the Diaspora is undertaken.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora consists of peoples of African origin, descent and heritage who willingly or by force migrated to live outside the continent, but irrespective of their citizenship or nationality, are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: A person's current citizenship or nationality outside of the continent may be the result of imposed restrictions from the Atlantic trading in slavery, colonialism, or neocolonialism imposed by western imperialism. Consequently, importance should focus on the willingness of African Descendants to contribute to the development of the continent and building of the African Union in the definition.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: I agree with the definitions given!
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: I feel confident that the definition given is more than sufficient for the Committee and goals of the 8th Pan African Conference.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: Thé African Diaspora consist of people of African origin and heritage, and their descendants living outside of the continent of Africa as well as the descendants of the formally enslaved Africans who live within and outside of the African continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: Two distinct groups of Diasporans
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora can be considered as any one or all of the following: It should be inclusive of ANY one or all of the following:
Any individual born on the continent of Africa who has willingly or forcefully migrated and now resides outside of the continent;
Any individual born outside the continent of Africa with ties to any country on the continent;
Any individual born outside the continent of Africa with parents [living or dead] from any African country in Africa;
Any African descendant who was forcefully transported as a result of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade into the Americas, Europe, or Asia.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: The ties that exist between the diaspora and the home continent need to be read as a statement of Truth, indisputable Facts.
The final agreed definition should therefore as its first and primary function recognize all who fall under the definition, embracing all whether or not as an individual they are Conscious of the unbreakable ties- their birthright and inheritance- this is why in my humble opinion it should be verifiable- because we are speaking about birthright and inheritance. (When in time these things are valued by us we will see the importance of verifiability- the non-Africans- particularly Eurasians know the value, hence the lengths they are prepared to go to create counterfeits; also the Jews verify through blood tests)…I think that the current definition that requires something of the diaspora is a secondary (important) sub-clause, that defines something slightly different and should not be a qualifier to their birthright status- However, we do need to reference as a subclause of what is to be the relationship going forwards (in time within the context of OurStory) between the continent and the diaspora. This is slightly different from who is the diaspora- this function of the diaspora will change according to the changing needs of the times going forwards.
This is expressed in the definition current form as those who are willing... Concern: to be willing is a beginning, but( African scholars have identified that )we need to be willing to operate through our African place of Being if we are to manifest change- we must be willing to re-establish the African worldview/ African world order that links all Africans to their origin, descent, and heritage if we are to do more than simply reinforce Eurocentric realities and worldview- this is the nature of the ongoing challenge... to make African's innumerable contributions to the world COUNT IN OUR FAVOUR- work in support of African upliftment and African created realities, rather than in support of the present reality created by former exploiters, thieves, rapists, colonizers, and enslavers.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The definition of African DIASPORA should be Africans who are now not residing in Africa. A sub- category should be for the stolen DESCENDANTS of African Slaves. These are the ones that are due REPARATIONS.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: Yes!
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: Black people globally living outside of Africa
Who are decent of Black Africans
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: Who we discussing
The Red, Black and Green
Red blood
Black people
Green land
KEMIT
diaspora
Black is our consciousness
Identity recognition?
Kemit Land of the Black
Which our great historians often refer to what’s in a name.
Ethiopia, a black man
Classical African civilization
Our Black African descent culture is different from White Arab African descent culture or Creek culture African descent.
We have as a people often referred to living the Black experiences
the key factors as included distinguishing us from other ethical historical facts from others all over the world, and no matter what continent, no matter the name, tribe, clan, city, state, country or continent
The description Black people,
is recognized and accepted, we all can recognize ourselves as Black people which is embedded from the beginning of time in our memories as experiences.
If we only use the name Africa, which is good name. We refer to Africa as a land mass not a people. Africa is a land which for over 1000 years, has not all been Black peoples,
was it always Blacks, what about Arab Africans or Arabs in Africa or Arabs in Egypt,(united republic of Arabs) Algeria, Morocco, Libya, or Tunis. We see that over 1000 years or so, they leave Africa or do we say return back and are they considered the same as us out of Africa
African experience most everyone today has experiences that no matter where we live, which language we speak, we know dark skin to be part in the proper understanding being black there is power in the tongue which ever language is used there is power in the thought- fullness that talks as a Black peoples experience.
to a term referred to as classical African civilization wish we all can recognize.
There’s power in the description of the Black Panther Party
Kemit the Black land or Black people.
There’s powerful vibrations in the knowledge chemistry that can be demonstrated.
A large number of us do know what it is or means on a global historical scale what it means to think or know what it means to say I am a African on the other hand a large number can say I am part of the Black experiences globally I decent from Africa.
Energy force, power, push, pull Black Powder call and respond rally shout Black Powder, rally rally, call to action Black Africa descents to
Powder
Calls you to Action
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: The African Diaspora is any African person who was born and residing out the continent of Africa. African diaspora can be identifying as the Descendants of African Slaves, born and residing out of the African continent not excluding the African immigrants.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: The Diaspora is any person who was born out the African Continent and have biological ties with the African Continent
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: This is my take on the subject.
The word diaspora can have a different meaning depending on the context.
Location, historical experience, culture, etc. are needed to contextualize; for it is about how and when this reality became our experience to this day.
From my point of view, the diaspora is composed of 2 distinct categories (which in my humble opinion, for more efficiency and ease must be treated from specific angles).
1) First use according to the biblical story - ref Christine Chevillon CNRS France : Diaspora are the dispersed, deported, exiled (or sent into captivity) this in fact refers to our Ancestors and us their descendants because today we are still in the Land of our captivity.
Our ancestors throught generation were cut off from all ties with our mother Land due to the artificial separation created with systematic mechanisms by the slave masters...
We have been stripped of our kingdoms, lands, names, cultures, traditions, spiritualities and we are still in the land of our captivity.
See traditional definition/Chevillon Christine/CNRS :
“...The etymology of the word dates back to the Septuagint Bible, a known Greek translation of biblical texts in Hebrew and Aramaic written by Greek-speaking Jewish clerics. The word “diaspora” is formed from the Greek verb speiren (to sow) and more precisely from the compound verb diaspirein (to disseminate). According to sources, it concerns either the exile from Babylon and the dispersion of the Jews after the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem (Bruneau 2004: 8), or the threat of dispersion as divine punishment for Jews who do not respect the Law of God. (Dufoix 2011: 64). »
2) The diaspora: expatriates, migrants
Voluntary choice = + or - decision related to the economic situation, education
Choice of foreign host country = + or - choice of geographical freedom (often linked to the language of the colonizing countries)
Ties maintained or not with Mother Land... = free decision
Return or visit = free decision
Country, region, kingdom, village/families, friends ect: identified and tangible
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: I'm not sure, working on it.
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What is your definition of the African Diaspora?: All descendants of African descent that have either been forcibly removed, or voluntarily relocated, outside geographical Africa, this should also include "African Americans" who have yet a viable government in which to represent them in the international community.
Please share any thoughts or concerns about the definition of the Diaspora: "African Americans" are part of the Diaspora.