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6182:Re: 6163: Teaching a lesson: "blan" or Madanm" (fwd)
From: C&C Henrius <carolineislands@hotmail.com>
k
Perhaps I was too defensive because I know exactly what you mean by that
"colonizer complex" and I felt a need to explain a little of what I'm
about... One of the funniest conversations I've ever gotten into was in the
back of a taptap in downtown Port-au-Prince in which a couple people called
me "blan" and I pretended to be very offended (we all knew it was in good
fun). One guy laughed and said, "E pa blan ou ye???" To which I said 'Who
ME?' and made a huge deal over not realizing my skin was light. Everyone
was hooting and laughing at my feigned offense and when I said, "Pa rele m
konsa fre m -- M pa zanmi blan non!" it got the best laugh of all. I wish
we could laugh that easily and heartily about our differences here in the
United States!
And sometimes I pretend not to know Creole until people have said enough
about me to be embarrassed by my fluent response to their comments. But
that's another story!
In Port-au-Prince I am probably called the "blan" when I'm not there, but in
our own community I believe they call me Madanm Sedano or Kawolin. Which is
fine with me!
Thanks for your reply, and I apoligize for my defensiveness... just don't
want to be thought of as a colonizer.
Caroline Henrius
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