On 1 June, Eric Washington wrote:
>Also, Lobban makes a good point in response to Marcus' comment on
>the African use of "tribe." My question to Marcus is which Africans
>are using the term? Is tribe being used by academic Africans trained
>in Western institutions and reared on Western historical literature.
>As academics we must find out how "everyday" Africans refer
>themselves and others.
(HGM NOTE: Marcus sent a private e-mail to Washington saying that he was
referring to ordinary people in the countryside or cities.)
Without wishing to seem too flip, what is meant by '"everyday" Africans'?
Such gross generalizations are exactly what this debate is swirling about;
and from the prior postings it seems to be what most academics are trying to
avoid today.
Another (and personally more interesting) question is why "we," as
academics, MUST discover how people refer to themselves? Such a
prescription implies that "we" are somehow not everyday people. Who is the
"we" that you talk about anyway? European and American Africanists?
African Africanists trained in European and American institutions? African
Africanists trained solely in African institutions? Non-Africanist African
writers and critics? All? None? Others?