More About "Akata": A Defense of Yoruba
Q. Akin Adeseun
Dear List Members:
When one thinks about the "culture of abuse" that permeates this medium, one is
almost cerain to develop a nonchalant attitude toward many issues that come
across this network! However, as the response on the issue of the Yoruba word
"akata" waned, I am afraid a tacit injustice has been dealt to the Yoruba
peopleare fond of using symbolic meanings to behind thier conversations usually
as a sign of respect or congeniality.
When our friend from Ghana sent his inquiry, my memory flashed back to a
discussion I had with my wife ( an African-American) about three years ago
after we both saw a movie by Wesley Snipes (Sugar Hill) where the word "akata"
was used disparagingly. Perhaps the potential respondents were evasive
because they have not realized that this issue is bigger than the suspicion
they might have have for our friend. Even our brother from Harvard, like
everyone who has responded so far, missed the true meaning and the intended
importance of this word.
This reminds me of an almost similar scene I found myself in early 70s when one
of our most illustriuos sons put forth a song. It goes like this:
"Eko ila gba 'ra re lowo obe, werepe gba 'ra re gba 'gi oko..."
That is a petrified okra shielded itself from a knife's blade, while the poison
ivy (not strong enough as "werepe" though) shielded itself and the tree. Now,
here is the point to this: one of my nephews, to whom my generation referred as
"Omo a je butters" came to me and said this song did "not make sense! How can
Lagos okra shield itself from a blade?" That is the situation we have here!
"Akata" is a Yoruba word for a feline mammal. Nevertheless, the attribute of
this species is not different from those of lions, leopard, cheetahs, tigers,
etc. In other words, they are all wild cats. Thus, one cannot justify that
the word "akata" was scornfully used to dscribe failed relationships between
African men and their mates who are African-American.
I am not a zoologist, so I cannot adequately tell you about the wild behaviors
of feline mammals. However, a Yoruba proverb alludes to the fact that the
animal they refer to as "akata" is not bold enough to eat a hen and its owner.
With this, one can make an inference that "akata" is not a man eater and
therefore, not wilder than some of the big cats. If the intended message was
to convey the beastly nature of this animal, why not engage the definition of
a lion which is more verocious in nature than "akata?" Moreover, the word was
generally used to describe both males and females, not just the females.
As I have said above, the Yoruba employs symbolic representatation to talk
about things of interest to them. For example, it is quite possible for three
people in the same room at the same time carrying on a lively conversation with
equal contributions while two of them are actively talking about the third
without his/her knowledge! That is the power of the Yoruba vernacular.
The animal that the Yoruba refers to as "akata" is no other than the
BLACK PANTHER!
The earlier Yoruba immigrants who originated the use of this recently corrupted
word did not mean any harm. They were merely hiding behind their words to make
the referential distinction of their brothers and sisters who were called Negro
in those days. Reference to this word in those days, had no bearing on being
"wild" at all; it had to do with the inherently dark fur of the animal.
Likewise, these immigrants refered to the immigration agents as "Ejire," with
the same principle, because in those days the immigration officials carried out
their infamous field assignments in pairs. Couldn't thay have come up with an
abrasive term for the immigration officials that hounded them vigorously in
those days instead of an honorable word that some people from Yoruba took as a
deity? Sure they could, but it would lose the meaning inteded for these
"twin-like" enforcers.
Similarly, people from Jamaica were ferred to as "Ireke" because sugarcane was
readily available in Jamaica. Can we take it on faith that everyone from the
Jamaica was "sweetly" as sugarcane; hence, they called them "Ireke"? The word
"Oyinbo" predated these immigrants, so it was not a big deal to keep the word.
While no one can convince me that "ewekoro" meant these people tasted the
"green card" and because they found it bitter they decided to refer to it as
"ewekoro" or "ewuro!" We all know that the "green card" is only in its name,
the symbolic representation must suggests greenish to avoid confusion.
The Yoruba as a group is very bold. They will not dastardly use offending word
to denigrate without the knowledge of their opponents. When they are faced
with unfriendliness or they intend hostility, they beat their drums loud and
clear and these situations are referred to as "ilu ote"; songs are directed at
the targets in unmistaken tones ("orin owe"). By this, it is unimaginable to
me that they would be cowardly using a belligerent term to describe their
brothers and sisters who were in a civil rights struggle against racial
oppression that also affected all immigrants of African descendant.
To our friend from Ghana and our brother from Harvard, I submit to you that the
word "akata" became pejorative rencently as a result of the new immigrants who
were undergoing continus metamorphosis. Perhaps in their blind assimilation of
the novel ethos they learnt that some of their hosts refer to the Spanish as
"Spic", the Chinese as "Chink", the Japanese, as "Japs", the white people as
"Honky", and recently as "Redneck". The Yoruba's use of of symbolism is not
racially motivated as suggest by these racially offensive terms. It is more of
a congenial respect because they say
"Akii ti oju onika mesan kaa."
We do not count fingers in the presence of someone who missing some of his. It
is not that they are afraid the nine-fingered person will pick a fight with
them, but they'd rather spare his emotions. If the earlier immigarnts could
employ a symbolism that vividly described the persons they were dealing with
and protected their feelings simultaneously, why not the words such as "akata"
"ireke", "oyinbo", "ejire", "ewekoro", etc.
Like my nephew who thought "Eko ila" meant "Lagos ila", some of the new
immigrants ignorantly and erroneously use the word "akata" to downgrade or to
perpetuate the false pride of "superiority" in their illusion. Today, you find
words like "Paki" ( as one respondent submits) referring to the Pakistanis.
Even one "akowe ko wura" from England derisively referred to the Chinese as
"Chinco" in one of his recent postings. I am still scratching my head to learn
how we, as people of Nigeria, are more superior to the people of Pakistan who
have played a decisive role in developing a nuclear weapon; or for that matter
the people of china who enjoy the status of superpower.
It is wrong to use a derogative term to refer to other people who are differnt
from us. Whenever anyone conncted to me uses the word "akata", I strongly
oppose such a person. I admonishingly suggest the use of word "dudu" or
"funfun" (that means black or white respectively in Yoruba). Perhaps others
with differnt languages can do the same. The meaning of the word "akata" has
been recently corrupted beyond what we can continue to accept. Please join me
in educating our people, our African-American brothers and sisters, and our
friends that "akata" which is a black feline (a black panther) was originally
used as a symbolic representation of African-Americans to amicably hide behind
making reference to them as Negro in the 60s.
Q. Akin Adeseun, Ph.D.
Adeyinka Edward Adelowo
Kudos Akin for the nice piece!
But an enlightenment about the meaning of 'akata' is in my opinion a
more reasonable approach than preaching abstinence of it's use.
Else, why the effort at convincing the individuals about it's
meaning if the use of the word is discouraged.
Regards,
o/~
<|
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/ Technische Universitaet Berlin / (________ \ __
/ Edward Adeyinka Adelowo / -- / // /
/ e-mail: ade...@cs.tu-berlin.de / / / / // /
/ eddi...@sp.zrz.tu-berlin.de / -- \//_/
/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
Omowumi O. Iledare
Q. Akin Adeseun wrote:
>
> Dear List Members:
>
> When one thinks about the "culture of abuse" that permeates this medium, one is
> almost cerain to develop a nonchalant attitude toward many issues that come
> across this network! However, as the response on the issue of the Yoruba word
> "akata" waned, I am afraid a tacit injustice has been dealt to the Yoruba
> peopleare fond of using symbolic meanings to behind thier conversations usually
> as a sign of respect or congeniality.
>
Does the use of the word "Akata" has anything to do with the overall
perception of the Yorubas regarding the attitude and deamenor of the more
visible American African on the TV. Probably in the same vein in which
Nigerians--good and bad--are being described today as scammers--jokingly
or dead serious? I do not know. By the way, I have not seen myself or
people that I associate with call or describe their American-African
spouse or friends,"Akata". What is my point? The word Akata certainly
must have some negative, derogative, and unpleasant meaning to it.
People should therefore refrain from using it to describe
American-Africans in my humble opinion. The same goes to the word
"Kokoye" used more frequently to describe Asians. Even though these
words may mean no harm, they cannot not be compared to the term "Gira"
which is commmonly used to describe "Fufu", Iyan, "Eba", "Amala", etc.
Again, I am not definitive as to why these words are used, but individual
probably will know better why they have used them. In fact, I am reminded
of the old days at UI, when the Ibos in respond to them being called
"Okoro" or "Okororess" will call Yorubas "Ngbati, Ngbati" or "Amala". Or
the use of the phrase "Ara Oke" to describe Yorubas from outside the
former Western Region. Netters, there is nothing good in name calling.
"Akata" has no positive flavor to it. Call a spade a spade.
WumiLed.
goye...@intr.net
the origin of the word "Akata." I hosted a program of African and Caribbean music on WHPK, Chicago, from 1964 to 1970.
Yes, I have been here since 1960. Got a problem with that?
The first time I heard the word used was when a caller called in to comment on a topic we were discussing on the air one
afternoon. On the air, he referred to his girlfriend as an "Akata." Because the word was spoken by an Igbo-speaking Nigerian,
who also spoke fluent Yoruba, I was offended. I thought he said "Nkita." I then challenged him as to why any decent person
would refer to his girl friend as "Nkita." Paul, his real name, then explained to me that during conversation with fellow Nigerians,
when someone talks about an American, because in those days in Chicago there was a lot of bonding and socializing between
Nigerians and Americans of all races, you needed to know whether the person they were talking about is black or white. The
question would be "dudu ni tabi funfun" (is the person black or white), and the response, if the person is white would be "O
funfun bi snow.' But if the person is black (in those days many Americans of African descent would consider it an insult if you
refer to them as blacks), the response would be "O dudu bi Akata." Akata, as previously explained by others is an animal in the
cat family. Apparently, the most popular color is black. I never saw one before in my life.
So that seems to be the origin of "Akata." It was then not a derogatory term. But hese days, I would consider it an insult if you
call anyone I know an Akata. Certainly, my children Babatunde, Kolade, and Aramide are not Akatas, and neither is their mother
.Thank you
Godwin Oyewole
--
Godwin Oyewole