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I've been listening to a really interesting podcast from Living Dialogues which uses the idea of 'cultural stoning' and thought I'd discuss it today as it relates to the 'black' community. Those of you who have read my book will be
aware by now why I decided to drop the 'black' identifier and to
instead redefine myself as British African Caribbean. If you are not,
then let me repeat it here: the labels 'black' and 'white', as commonly
understand in the 21st century, is a direct outcome of the slave relationship between slave owners and enslaved Africans.
The labels have, over hundreds of years become entrenched in European/British cultures, where they function together as a duality effectively keeping descendants of enslaved Africans trapped in a psychologically and materially inferiorised relationship relative to white majority cultures. Sadly, this relationship has become normalised in the worldviews of many 'white' and 'black' people.
What we find here, therefore, is a black culture which was originally devised by slave owners to establish power differentials between the enslaved and the enslavers and which is used today to 'culturally stone' those who are unconsciously inhabiting this externally imposed cultural disorder.
As I listen to the news today a major subject of discussion is whether greater police focus on black youngsters is justified if it will reduce knife crimes. This is, I think, an excellent example of 'cultural stoning', even if it is unconscious! Create a stigmatised group and then victimise them!
Redefining these 'black youngsters' as British African Caribbean results in different outcomes.
British African Caribbeans are working with the visible and invisible legacies of a history of slavery and colonisation. We acknowledge the human costs of this history and how the invisible institution of culture unconsciously transmitted works to perpetuate these costs. Instead of punishing and further victimising 'black youngsters' we are working with the practicalities of how to transform the black experience so that our young people can thrive rather than merely survive.
This process of self-redefinition, moving from race to ethnicity, is not overnight work. Authentic culture cannot be purchased off-the-shelf. Rather it is generational cultural work and requires the support of those who have the responsibility of protecting our interests as British citizens - the British government and its various agencies.
Those of us who have successfully made the transition from 'black' to 'British African Caribbean' have achieved Einstein's observation that for change to occur one must have first moved to a higher state of consciousness. This is given that change is not achieved at the same level of consciousness at which the problem was conceived. At this higher state of consciousness as British African Caribbeans we are able to witness 'cultural stoning' in action.
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