The late cultural and political theorist Richard Eaton proposed to understand diaspora as a “culture of dislocation. According to Eaton, the traditional approach to the African diaspora focuses on the ruptures associated with the Atlantic slave trade and the Middle Passage, notions of dispersal and the “cycle of African preservation, redemption, abandonment and restoration. According to Eaton, diaspora analysis is dangerous because it assumes that the diaspora exists outside Africa, thus simultaneously denying and desiring Africa.

Citizenship of the Diaspora.
In chapter eight of her book Rihanna Barbados World GURL in Global Popular Culture, Heather Russell describes diasporic citizenship as an identity where you “simultaneously negotiate civic responsibility, public discourse, nostalgia, statehood, belonging and migration, transnational cultural belonging and shifting / object fluid positioning across material and symbolic borders. Musical artists are the main figures to be evaluated with this theory, as they demand to bring them public discourse and their music to bring cultural belonging. Thus, for musicians who have achieved this level of transnational fame and musical production, they must balance their relationship to their identity and their home with the transnational population with which they interact through their music, performance, and public image.

Robyn Rihanna Fenty is a global superstar whose music transcends national boundaries and, as such, is an ideal case for diaspora citizens. She is one of the few black women to achieve this level of global success and gain diaspora citizenship, which forces her to balance her identity with her relationship to her diverse audience.

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The population of the African diaspora is 140 million, and the population of Africa is 1.2 billion. The most populous countries of the African diaspora include Brazil, Colombia, America, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. There is a connection between the descendants of slaves in the African diaspora because their ancestors came from similar areas of Africa and experienced a similar fate; slavery and colonization. In essence, they were taken to different countries around the world, cut off from each other and from their homeland.

African history does not begin with slavery, Africa’s contribution to the development of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, architecture, philosophy, civilization, etc. is largely ignored. For example, many prominent Greek philosophers spent years in Africa studying under African philosophers who had been practicing philosophy long before Greek philosophy came into being. Africa is home to many diverse countries and cultures, each with its own unique history. Many of Africa’s kingdoms are unknown; let’s take a look at some.

The silencing of Africa’s history and achievements was created to support its occupation, division, and colonization by European powers, known as the Scramble for Africa – the race for Africa’s resources and land.

For those in the African diaspora, coming to terms with their heritage and not knowing where in Africa they came from can be a painful experience. For example, an Afro-Cuban reflects on his history: “What tribe do I belong to?”, “Am I Nigerian?”, “Am I a Sierra Leonean?”
“Where is my family in Africa?”, “What is my African culture?”. She may never know because there were no records of slaves. She is cut off from her true African culture. She may never beat the drum of her ancestors, wear the regalia of her forefathers, experience the traditional land of her people, or dance to their traditional music. This realization can be very painful. At the same time, she is forced to embrace a new culture: a culture that once treated her as a commodity, a culture that has caused her so much pain, a culture that may or may not reject her.

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These African ancestors landed in regions that were distinguished by local food and cuisine, as well as other cultural influences that shaped their unique cooking styles. The general pattern of a plant-based, colorful diet based on vegetables, fruits, tubers and grains, nuts, healthy oils, and seafood (where available) was common to these four regions, but their cultural differences are worth celebrating. Their flavors can be shared and tasted by people everywhere.

African
Africa is home to leafy greens, root crops, mashed tubers and beans, and many different plant crops on its lands. In Central and West Africa, traditional meals often consisted of hearty vegetable soups and stews full of spices and flavors, topped with cooked and pounded tubers or grains. In East Africa, whole grains and vegetables are the main features of traditional dishes, especially cabbage, kale, and maize (corn flour).

African American
African American cuisine has been called “food to fall in love with.” Much of the early African American cuisine was influenced by both French and Spanish cuisines, and intertwined with Southern cooking to create a common brand of some of its staples. Most traditional African American dishes came straight from the garden. Cabbage, okra, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs were plentiful, including dandelion, mustard, leaves, and turnips.

Afro-Caribbean.
The West Indies and the Caribbean Islands bring tropical accents and a variety of seafood to the African heritage dietary pyramid. The Caribbean is home to approximately 23 million people of African descent. Here we see French, African and Spanish culinary influences.

Afro-South American
There are an estimated 100 million people of African descent in South America, with the vast majority in Brazil. The same basic dishes of African heritage can be found here: soups and stews are very popular, as well as rice and beans, and tubers such as yucca and cassava. Okra, peanuts, zucchini, and plantains appear on many plates, as do fruits and fruit juices such as mango and guava. A few favorite ingredients are red Lucian, avocado, cilantro, and tapioca. American Indian roots can be seen in their use of corn and maize and their tamales, which combine peas, carrots, potatoes, rice, and various spices as fillings. Moqueca Baiana is a popular traditional dish in Brazil.

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