Someone recently called me mshamba - a Kiswahili word which, literally translated, means farmer. But the word can also be used derogatorily to mean “hick” or “country bumpkin.” What? Yes, I’m puzzled. When did I become a hick? As I pondered the reasons this individual considered me to be a mshamba, my mind drifted to a cultural anthropology class I was enrolled in several years ago. We watched a video and had a subsequent discussion about regional accents and dialects in the U.S. What I learned: People from the South are generally considered less educated than Northerners. AND if you’re a Southerner with a noticeable Southern draaaawwwwl, you’re doubly screwed. So back to why I was called a mshamba. I’m a Southerner - born and raised, and proud of it! Southern drawl? Definitely. And to top it off, I’m a sho’nuff ebonics speaker. I’m guessing this individual was insulting me based on my region of birth and my “country” accent. But of course people who know me know that I’m not ignorant, unintelligent, uncouth, and whatever other derogatory term I can only assume this person meant to imply by using this word. *sigh* Stereotypes and myths really prevent us from finding the true person beneath the superficial layers we don’t often move beyond.
P.S. totally unrelated to this post. I’m currently watching the Salt-n-Pepa reality show on VH1 and I’m seriously wondering if Pepa has ADHD. She is such a scatter-brain! She and Salt are such complete opposites, how in the world were they ever in a group together. Okay, I’m going to bed now.
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