I've been working on this post for a week. Each time I would go away and come back, my bullshit detector would go off and I would have to start over again. I hate when I'm trying so hard to be profound and everything that comes out is profoundly stupid.
The thing is, there's some people planning a meeting of my Redbone people this summer in Alexandria, Louisiana. They've even formed an organization they're calling Redbone Heritage Foundation.
I'm not entirely comfortable with this development. I think that much good could come of it, but I distrust the motives of some of the people involved, and fear that they have come with a predetermined agenda. I am a Redbone and we are naturally suspicious of outsiders, and that just about sums up how I feel about the Redbone Heritage Foundation. It's mostly made of people whom I do not know and who aren't closely related to me, and they're all White. I don't think there's a dark one in the bunch.
Despite the unanimous enthusiasm among the organizers for the term "Redbone," not all of my cousins embrace the term. I don't have any problem with it, but then, I'm not very dark and I don't live near the area where Redbones face the most discrimination. In those areas, the organizers might be surprised to find that most people are still struggling to be White and live without discrimination. It's easy to romanticize our history and culture if you don't live in its midst.
Despite my suspicions, I wish them well this summer, and I'm encouraging all of my cousins to participate. We can determine later whether or not they're all just a bunch of Wannabes, as one of my darker cousins called them.
(*A new book by Patricia Ann Waak. Great title, huh?)
This is also being posted on my family history blog, My Mother's People.
Ray, I agree with you totally. If these so call wannabes, will talk with and listen to the ones who have lived this life. Grew up in this area and be honest about what they learn. Then print the truth as to what they learned. Then Bravo for them. I will back them 100%. But the odds of that happening is about the same as catching a Redbone eating Squirrel, Rice and Grave with out a baked sweet tater. In other words that ain't gonna happen. Gotta Run, Now where did I leave that sweet tater, Terry
Posted by: Terry | February 01, 2005 at 07:03 PM
"It's easy to romanticize our history and culture if you don't live in its midst."
Were truer words ever spoken?
This post reminded me of a guy I used to listen to back in the early 70's. Leon Redbone. Yeah even as a kid I had strange tastes in music. I remember going to see him in a coffee house with some of my sister's older friends. I thought I was so cool hanging out with colleg kids and listening to that cool music.
Posted by: wanda | February 01, 2005 at 10:19 PM
I think I will just go ahead and die. I cannot believe a group of people are going to assemble themselves together for a "redbone" meeting. I have now seen it all.
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I am sure I will be smilling all week.
Posted by: chiclit | February 08, 2005 at 12:43 AM