<<BACK TO MAIN PAGE <<chat <<discussion forum <<Store

Now, usually, admitting my ethnicity wouldn't be that hard to acknowledge, but if you asked me four years ago, I would without a doubt have claimed only Eritrea. It's been a battle of mine for some time. You see, I was raised solely by my single Eritrean mom (my parents got divorced when I was 3), and never understood the point of claiming the "other side."

When I was in first grade, I used to imitate my aunt speaking Tigrinya. She always daintily held her cigarette on one hand, bun(coffee) on the other, while gossiping with my mother. I never understood a word, but I could surely emulate every movement, and expression. I would take a crayon on one hand (pretending it was my cigarette), my milk carton on the other, and repeated "kameylahee" "dehan," and my personal favorite "ati." My classmates thought I was so cool, exclaiming "Eritria could speak African, ya'll." I loved the attention I was getting. I felt so unique, and liked being labeled that way.

By the time I approached high school, the "unique" label wasn't so cool anymore... "Eritria, I saw your people on t.v the other day . . . ya'll get a lot of flies, huh?" Despite the usual stereotypes of flies, and "starving Marvin's," I never concealed my Eritrean identity. In fact, I appreciated it more and more. Every time someone asked about my name, I had to inform him/her the historical background of Eritrea, and I would like to think I'm the cause of the people in New Orleans knowledgeable of Eritrea.

Obviously "Pitts" is not an Eritrean name, and that was always a battle when trying to conceal my identity. But when you're a kid with an amorphous skill of fabricating the truth, it wasn't too much of a conflict. My problem wasn't anything against black-Americans, it was more so being against my "father". My dislike of my father, and not wanting to have any connection with him brought this detachment between me and claiming being black.

Now, that I'm 20 years old, and have a better understanding of who I am, I can proudly say "I'm Eritria Pitts, and I'm half black-American" You know, having two distinct ethnic backgrounds is something I wouldn't change. Both black-Americans and Eritreans have come so far to be where they are today, and it would be a shame for me not to proclaim that.

So who cares if I'm half Eritrean, right? Well, I wish it were that easy, but it's not. It's like every time I identify my black-American side, Eritreans assume I rather have a cheeseburger than enjera and tibbs. When I identify my Eritrean side, I get the " Eritria, you're just half " comments from my American friends. The "just half" as in . . . you're more American than Eritrean. I've learned now to disregard the opinions or assumptions of others, and just deal with the reflection I have of myself...I am who I am.

Having Bun(a)

empua-ing her mom

with her flag

INDEX | ABOUT ABESHA.COM| THIS MONTH| PAST ISSUES| STORE| LINKS| CONTACT ABESHA.COM