Going Back to Ghana
by Latoya Peterson
The Wichita Eagle ran an article on May 12, detailing the story of Shukura Sentwali, a native of Kansas who has decided to participate in an interesting program:
Shukura Sentwali is going home — to Ghana, West Africa.
Sentwali, a Wichitan and longtime community activist, said she’s moving to Africa next year because two Ghanaian chiefs are offering free land to descendants of slaves.
The gesture means to atone for Ghana’s participation in the African slave trade, but the land holds deeper meaning for Sentwali because it provides her a way to fulfill a lifelong mission to improve life for black people.
Sentwali has a long record of accomplishment as a community activist, specializing in black issues. However, she has grown disillusioned with the idea that the US will change:
But lately, Sentwali said she has wondered what she accomplished in the past 30 years.
She now concludes that the wrongs against African-Americans can’t be corrected because the nation won’t fully acknowledge them — even as a black man moves closer than ever before to the White House.
So she’s heading home.
She acquired her land in 2006, after attending a conference in Philadelphia presented by Fihankra International, which is overseeing the development.
“We shouldn’t waste any more time, energy or resources trying to convince the United States government or white people of what is wrong, and what has been wrong,” she said, her voice in staccato. “We need to use all of our energy and resources on building our own economic, political and social base.”
I enjoyed this article, written by Christina M. Woods, because of the way it presented a lot of the issues involved when African-Americans make the choice to move back to some part of Africa. Far from painting the experience with the idea that black nationalists hate whites or hate America, Woods explains the circumstances that lead to African-Americans making this kind of decision:
Sentwali grew up among 1960s activists — members of the Black United Front, the Northeast Area Patrol, the Kansas-City based Black Panther Party and, in the 1970s, the African People’s Socialist Party.
Those activists imparted to her the beauty of blackness, called her “African,” and affectionately discussed Africa as “the motherland.”
Sentwali doesn’t consider those groups radical, especially since she boarded one of the first school buses across town in the 1970s to integrate Hadley Middle School.
Sentwali said she and her neighborhood friends were taunted just for being black.
She hungrily read books that challenged the inferiority of Africans. She identified with the writings and lives of civil rights activists Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey.
She homed in on Garvey, who pushed for repatriation and independence in Africa.
Through those books and through these people, she developed a strong black identity — an identity that allows her to evaluate the experiences of black Americans against the Declaration of Independence’s guarantee of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
Those experiences include 200-plus years of free labor by African slaves. The 35 blocks of Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street” being burned down in 1921. The federal government wiretapping and undermining black political leaders of the 1960s and 1970s through the Counter Intelligence Program, also called Cointel Pro.
And she points to how some white people are angry or afraid at the thought of someone other than a white man running the country. Exit polls in several states’ 2008 primaries showed that the majority of voters who considered race a factor in their vote supported a white candidate.
“The attack against African people has been comprehensive,” Sentwali said. “It has been physical, emotional and psychological.”
For such a short article, this piece covered a lot of ground. The program discussed in the piece is called Fihankra International. Their mission statement is found here – and the land is promised to those who are willing to work toward achieving pan-African unity and helping to develop and rebuild the continent. Ghana hopes to attract those with “technical expertise, political insight” and who are interested in “long term equity investment.”
Fascinating.
(Thanks to reader Kimajor for passing this on!)
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Abu Sinan wrote:
I wonder on the experience of African Americans who have moved to Africa.
As a Muslim convert I wonder if their experience is often like the experience of Muslim converts who move to Muslim majority countries?
The countries and the expected experience is idealised, but when reality sets in, it often becomes much different.
Africa has a whole set of it’s own issues. When someone moves from the USA to Africa they will be trading one set of issues for another.
In a sense, this reality can often be more devistating than that of where they left. I have seen this happen many times in Muslim converts who had built up an idea in their heads only to have it crash down on them.
This lady wants to do something to help Africans, but she’ll have to relearn the ropes in a completely new country, with new sets of rules and new problems.
Is there anything out there that chronicals the experience of people who have made this move?
Posted 21 May 2008 at 8:54 am ¶
Bored Kidz!!!! wrote:
that’s so cool. I wish her all the luck.
the USA is declining steadily in terms of world domination, global politics, entertainment and everything else. while Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are improving steadily.
It’s time for Africa to rise.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 8:59 am ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
Abu -
You know, I don’t know.
I understand your first point, about how countries are not utopias. I have several friends who talk about how they can’t wait to leave the US in pursuit of a different experience abroad, but I told them you’ll just be dealing with the specific problems of that country.
However, with black nationalists, particularly older nationalists, a lot of them do feel a very deep connection with the continent of Africa, and many with the means to do so have made their homes there. I think it is a way to reset the self – if you feel at odd with your black self in this country, going to a place where your blackness wouldn’t (or shouldn’t, I should say) matter is kind of a relief.
People have very mixed emotions on this one. So for me, personally, I feel a lot of kinship with America – even with all it’s flaws and history – other people I know feel no ties here. They would rather invest in creating a homeland to go to and build anew.
Does that make sense?
Posted 21 May 2008 at 9:30 am ¶
f wrote:
I wonder the same as Abu, but in a slightly different way. Africa (and I think it’s even really incorrect to talk of Africa as if the whole continent is the same), has unique problems and needs. Building African unity is no easy task – there is a great deal of prejudice amongst Africans too (as there is anywhere). And while Africa’s future is certainly in the hands of Africans, who are completely capable of shaping it on their own terms (despite what the West seems to think), the West has to play a role too just by virtue of the impact it has and continues to have in Africa. So maybe African Americans who move to Africa will find that rather than needing to deal with the American government, they will at some point have to deal with a whole set of Western powers whose influence Africa is under to some extent for better or worse. I don’t know if that makes sense?
But I very much admire this lady’s goal of working to rebuild and develop the continent – Africa suffers from a serious brain drain , and if it can attract educated, skilled, devoted individuals to it who see themselves as African, this will definitely be a positive thing.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 9:49 am ¶
Maria_Elena wrote:
My heart’s first reaction was to grab her arm and say “no, don’t go. You can be the change that you want to see!” But she’s 52, so I’m guessing she’s got the wisdom of her years to back her up on this one. It may be a naively emotional reaction of me, but, in my heart I don’t want people to leave this country for perceived greener pastures or because there is no sense of home or belonging.
Furthermore, this reaction was very surprising to me, because I happen to think about becoming an expat all the time. Because for me being a real American is something I am supposed to daily prove, and not simply be. I have always resented the alienation that I live every single day by being a person of color. It has undeniably wizened me, and I’m only 26.
I suppose, aside from romanticizing a foreign place, if I immigrated to another country, and I was treated as a foreigner – that’d be OK. Because it would be true. Here I’m treated as the other, when the only island home my family’s ever had was the island of Manhattan.
But… I have to thank you for this piece. In talking about it…I don’t know. I don’t think I’m going to be fantasizing about going abroad anymore.
In the end though, I wish her all the happiness and satisfaction that she’s never found here.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 10:00 am ¶
WestEndGirl wrote:
My partner is South African and has a very defined understanding of, and link to, the specific culture of his part of Johannesburg in particular, Johannesburg in general and South Africa as a country. The diversity in terms of culture, traditions, language, tribe etc just within his city, let alone country is quite amazing and awe-inspiring to experience.
This experience is why I feel a little uncomfortable with the idea of people identifying or having a connection with ‘the continent of Africa’ as a whole. It makes me feel that, Africa is being treated like some kind of catch-all for a ‘place where being black is normal’.
African people often do have in common darker skin pigmentation (although this in itself doesn’t pay enough heed to their beautiful physical diversity). But to me, this commonality is minimal when compared to the diversity between the Tuareg, the Afar and the San to name just three tribal groups in terms of language and custom etc. Then there is the diversity between their (colonial or not) history and their economic (or not) success. South Africa is not Benin is not Congo is not Eritrea!
I have huge amounts of sympathy for Shukura Sentwali and other African-Americans who feel disengaged and disenfranchised from America such that they want to leave. It’s a damning indictement of America to fail to be a real home for all its citizens.
But at the same time, I do feel that the pan-African approach in some way, is just as sweeping in its way: ‘they’re black like me, so we have things in common’. Sadly, the recent violence in SA and other tribal and country conflicts show that it’s just not true.
Privilege exists there too, and it really doesn’t rest on skin colour, it rests on power and money – identifying as ‘black’ in that context just doesn’t work!
Frankly, the idea of pan-African unity to me in and of itself denies difference and is in a way racist. Why should Libya have unity with Congo? Surely it should be about recognising and supporting each country or national grouping to achieve their desired development in their own way? Would we say that Italy and Albania should show pan-European unity? Or Japan and China show pan-Asian unity? It just feels slightly odd to me…
Posted 21 May 2008 at 10:24 am ¶
Abu Sinan wrote:
Latoya,
I understand what you are saying. I have just seen so many issues in the Muslim community between Africans and African Americans that I think for most African Americans going to Africa would be a real shock.
When African Americans are looked down by Africans here in America, how is it going to be different when someone is actually in Africa?
The stereotypes of African Americans are not just held by some white Americans, they are often held by Africans themselves.
I guess you could do a whole new post on the friction betweeen Africans and African Americans here in the USA. I think a lot of the stereotyping of African Americans probably extends to Africa itself.
The way Africans look down on American blacks is a constant refrain I hear from black Americans who are involved in the Africa community here in the US.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 10:42 am ¶
eh wrote:
@ Abu Sinan, it goes both ways, I have encountered a lot of African Americans that look down on Africans too, I am not trying to play the blame game or anything but at least present the full picture.
I am also very skeptical about Ghana offering land to African Americans, call me cynical but I think it’s a well orchestrated tourism effort. Ghana has gone a long way to sell itself as THE vacation destination, even to other African countries. So I see this as a way to boost tourism and I do feel a little sorry for the woman because she will be in for a shock. People tend to dismiss the cultural differences until it’s too late.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 10:57 am ¶
maia wrote:
my family and i have considered seriously moving to east africa. we were there for three months a couple of years ago and fell in love with it.
when i went i did not have many idealistic views of ‘returning to the motherland’ even though i was raised with black radical politics as a backdrop to my childhood. but i also had friends who were african and saw african-immigrant cultures were in many ways quite different from my southern black culture. i assumed that east african communities that we visited would see from a 100 yards away that i was from the other side of the world.
i was amazed in the ways that my black skin/and female gender were read by the communities.
on the one hand people read me as ‘african’ until i opened my mouth. although they also clearly that i wasnt from their community. i.e. when i was in burundi people assumed i was from uganda or kenya. when i was in eastern congo, they assumed i was from kinshasa. etc.
but this reading of ‘belonging’ was a double edged sword. it was a regular occurance that the congolese ngo men workers with whom we met would shake hands with and acknowledge the three white people(two white men and a white woman) i traveled with and would not give me a glance. even after i had been introduced as the highest ranking member of the delegation. pretty quickly i understood that this was internalized racism plus sexism.
but to be perfectly honest i have traveled in the americas, middle east, and europe as well, and dealt with various racist and sexist constructions toward this black womanhood. i loved in east africa not being exoticized, loved being able to blend in a crowd, and being surrounded by so many variations of black and brown skin.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 11:10 am ¶
maia wrote:
i also spoke with a few congolese people who looked down on black americans. although i cam quickly to realize that these congolese had spent not much time with black american communities but a lot of time with white folks. most people i spoke assumed that my parents or grandparents were african immigrants to the states.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 11:19 am ¶
Yvette wrote:
I read this a while ago and almost blogged about it, but then a few thoughts gave me pause. Chief among them was my own lack of knowledge (and inability to find out more) regarding who this land belonged to before it was being offered to African Americans. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we flock to the motherland with our good intentions (and relatively strong dollars) and end up displacing the Africans to whom we wish to feel such a connection?
Posted 21 May 2008 at 11:44 am ¶
Celeste wrote:
I find it hard to feel allegiance for a country that puts you at the bottom of a racial totem pole. I’ve never lived anywhere else and I don’t look to the African continent as “home”.
However, I just don’t agree with so, so, sooo many things that we’re doing. Unfortunately, you can’t opt out of the bad consequences of certain decisions your country makes just because you never agreed with them. Everybody pays the consequences.
Therefore, my plan is to live here as long it doesn’t seem like there’s a better option. If a better living opportunity presents itself I would go for it. My ancestors worked for free so I don’t feel obligated to stay in a place that isn’t best for me and my family.
If I were a more selfless person, I would dedicate my life to making this country a better place but I guess I’m too selfish. The way I figure, every great civilization has its day in the sun and then declines. I don’t think the US is an exception. If people are happier making their lives somewhere else, even if that means dealing with a whole set of other problems that maybe don’t bother them as much, then good for them.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 11:44 am ¶
Cynthia wrote:
I wish this lady luck. I hope, she gets what she wants.
I’m all about traveling and living abroad…settling into some place permanently…well, that’s a whole other can of worms.
I think (whether she likes it or not) is going to receive a culture shock. There are some good things about Ghana but there are some things that could still rub her the wrong way and this go round, it’ll be black people doing it to each other.
But that change might suit her. Who knows?
I do know some Africans do look down on Americans but most do change their minds once they get to know you. I think it depends mostly on age and mindset. I know that I have been confused as an Americanized African (right, buddy) before because I don’t seem “typical” (whatever that means).
It’s all about both parties being open to the experience.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 11:46 am ¶
livininphilly wrote:
why do people sound cynical in their replies to this post? I don’t see anything wrong with her moving somewhere she feels like she may have a deeper connection to. She stated that she already feels alienated in her country of birth so why not spend the rest of her life in a community where she will be surrounded by like minded people. I actually wouldn’t mind going there to have a look at their community. After visiting the website I can see a lot of the good ideas that the organizers have and I hope that they are able to succeed.
At the very least this will be an interesting experiment on the part of Fihankra Intl. They say it’s a community for all ppl of the diaspora but I noticed the website is not translated to Spanish, French or Portuguese which are languages that a lot of African diasporic people speak. It seems to be predominantly aimed at English speaking (read U.S. based) people.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 2:58 pm ¶
Cara wrote:
well, i have mixed feelings on this issue. eh had a good poin about the tourism aspect…..I studied approad in Ghana, and I loved it! However, the tourist industry is their economy’s key (almost sole) money maker. We (my fellwo soujourners and I) were all shocked by the overwhelming dependency on tourism, that provides income for most of Ghana, especially in the capital of Accra.
I know of one person who owns land in Ghana, and a few others who are buying land in ghana to participate in programs similar to this one. The only difference is that they are “buying” property themselves, the nation is not giving it to them. And they will build property their. I even have a friend who owns two apartment houses in Ghana, and she is also helping to fund a school and scholarship program their. So I see how support form African Americans (whether residents of Ghana or not) can truely help develop this region. My friend is only 28 years old and she’s been able to do a lot for the village she works with w/o expatriating.
As for the intra-racial dynamics at play….like eh said, it goes both ways. However, I don’t believe that the issue b/t AAm and Africans is a unique one. Similar issues are present with other racial groups as well. (i.e. AsAm and Asians, LatAm and Latins – for lack of a better term, etc.)
Posted 21 May 2008 at 3:07 pm ¶
Cara wrote:
*point
*abroad
*fellow
my bad…:o)
Posted 21 May 2008 at 3:09 pm ¶
juju wrote:
@Abu Sinan
“Is there anything out there that chronicals the experience of people who have made this move?”
Yes, “Lose Your Mother : a Journey along the Atlantic Slave Route” by Saidiya Hartman describes her time spent in Ghana, and discusses many of these very issues. A good read.
http://www.amazon.com/Lose-Your-Mother-Journey-Atlantic/dp/0374270821
Posted 21 May 2008 at 3:10 pm ¶
sey03 wrote:
Interesting post as always. I recently found myself at odds with members of a genealogy site. One of the things I noticed was an idealized idea of Africa.
As someone who has traveled to East Africa and can relate to Maia’s experience, I always say the connection to Africa means different things to different people.
I wish Sentwali the best and hope that Ghana is all she hopes it will be and if it isn’t I am sure she will be just fine.
Posted 21 May 2008 at 4:05 pm ¶
eric daniels wrote:
I wish her luckin pursuing wahtever peace she an find in this complicated world. And Abu Sian stop trying to be an “WHITE expert” on issues according to African- Americans. There’s nothing worse than White Americans trying to lecture African- Americans ON WHAT’S BEST FOR THEM !!! Randall Robinson left the U.S. and like many other Black expats found inner peace like Nina Simone, James Baldwin and W.E.B. DuBois.
Good Luck Ms. Sentwali
Posted 21 May 2008 at 11:21 pm ¶
sfsinger wrote:
Wherever you go….there you are.
I lived in the UK for about a year. There was so much I enjoyed about it but ultimately I realized just how ‘American’ I am. Particularly with relation to Black culture, the gospel tradition, Negro spirituals, soul food, music, etc I would not have been able to divorce myself completely from living in the US and this was in 2003 when Iraq first started and I was so pissed off at the gov’t and people for being complacent.
Posted 22 May 2008 at 2:51 am ¶
wendimuse wrote:
thi is interesting…it reminds me of the programs in israel that invite jews from around the world to come to israel and settle there as it is there cultural homeland in a way
but when i consider this woman´s decision as as well as the israel issue (esp in light of all the tensions between israel and palestine), i wonder if it´s a good idea or just a case of global gentrification?
Posted 22 May 2008 at 4:40 am ¶
atlasien wrote:
@Cara: There are two different parallels I can think of to this situation.
There are special work visas set for nikkeijin (diaspora Japanese) in Japan. Many nikkeijin come from countries that are substantially poorer than Japan, mainly Brazil and Peru (their ancestors emigrated way before Japan’s economic boom). Most don’t speak any Japanese and many are mixed race, and they don’t have an easy time of it in Japan.
Mexican-Americans returning to Mexico to visit or live face different issues. First of all, they’re relatively privileged compared to Mexican nationals, in terms of money. But they’re often stereotyped in Mexico for having “lost their culture” and picked up un-Mexican traits like stinginess; also, young Mexican-Americans are blamed for bringing in American gang culture.
Posted 22 May 2008 at 7:33 am ¶
Sewere wrote:
@ Abu Sinan,
I’m starting to find your opinions of “Africans” extremely problematic. I can definitely see how your opinions are formed from your experiences but where you fail is in your generalizations. Prejudices of both communities, as eh said goes both ways and that is often as a result of colonialism portrayed through all sorts of media channels. Certainly lousy media representations of Africans and African-Americans is part of this problem but so is the usual differences that arise from people from different ethnicities. But when you present your lop-sided opinion you show a certain kind of white privilege that is unwilling to examine an undeveloped analysis.
To the topic at hand.
In all honesty, I don’t know what I think quite yet. Truth be told a lot of what is driving Fihankra International appears to be more economic than it is cultural re-unification and I fear that will lead to a certain type of privileged class (in addition to the privilege AfrAms have as U.S. citizens) as well as what Wendi said, global gentrification.
My worry is that people intending to return to Africa are not willing to check those privileges and understand how seeking a supportive environment might be creating an un-supportive one for other black folks. Freedom should never come at the price of enslaving others.
Posted 23 May 2008 at 6:43 pm ¶
Sewere wrote:
I also wanted to add the history of Sierra Leone and Liberia bears out evidence of how enslaved and descendants of enslaved Africans amassed privileges to oppress their compatriots.
Posted 24 May 2008 at 6:05 pm ¶
llchavez wrote:
Am I the only one here who thinks this is a stupid idea? And this woman, Ms. Suntwali, has no problem with moving to a country with which she has very little connection–if any? No shades of colonialism or imperialism or privigledge at all, really? Is the nation of Ghana also giving away free land to non-land owning Ghanaians who want to fight for Pan-African unity or whatever?
Posted 24 May 2008 at 8:26 pm ¶
muslimahlocs wrote:
my AfrA sister lived in ghana for @ 10 years. she would still be there today but for the challenge of making enough money to support a family. and i have no doubt that she will go back as soon as she is financially able to do so.
overall, her experience was 99.9% positive, especially when contrasted with dealing with racism here in the states.
the free land is real. however, an individual never really “owns” land but has occupancy/usage rights that may transfer upon death. land belongs to the community (”tribe”) and is administered by the chief/elders. and even when not free, i have met plenty of few african-americans in ghana who are leasing land at rates that would be considered “free” given the exhange rate.
@abu sinan
i have travelled quite a bit in africa and never felt looked down upon or up to. i have found that the treatment one receives when travelling abroad in africa or elsewhere depends in large part on the attitude or lack thereof that you bring with you.
Posted 12 Jun 2008 at 12:42 am ¶
Brittany wrote:
WestEndGirl, i have to disagree with what you are saying. i personally don’t feel connected to the united states at all. and it’s sad because i live in the DC area. i should of all the places. but this disconnection came with time. and with this time came me as a black female being pushed out, alienated and reminded everyday that it’s horrible to be black. but it doesn’t stop there, when i first went to college, i went to hampton university in hopes that i would be around more people like myself. instead i found that there was racism within my own people as well. i was told on many occasions that ” what guy is going to like you…you’re dark skinned!” so next summer, i’m going to ghana myself. not to connect with my ancestry or anything of the such, but to volunteer and help a country that needs some help. And eventually one day i would love to live in africa. not because they are “black like me” so i’d fit in better…i think most people who go to africa realize that they will not fit in. there is tradition, culture, and tribes. something that african americans lack because of slavery. I think that sentwali just has a good heart. every country has it’s problems. I think it’s good that she goes over there and show them that not all African Americans are like what is seen on TV. because as a global perspective, African Americans have the worst reputation in my opinion.
Posted 20 Jun 2008 at 7:31 am ¶
junior wrote:
can u send me more information of moveing to gahna ,im in the building trade ,would love to help build
Mod Note – The information is on the website I linked. – LDP
Posted 21 Aug 2008 at 4:19 pm ¶
Navaf wrote:
Moving back to Africa is a great idea as i see it for both parties involved. The well educated Africans be it from the States, Europe and the Caribbean can help build a stronger African infrastructure, and contribute anew to their culture and genetic material. The sub-Saharan African countries can rise up to be great Nations with extraordinary people.
best of luck to ya all
from Asia
Posted 25 Aug 2008 at 11:48 pm ¶