What Name Should I Answer To?

Recently in Ireland there seems to be an urgency for people of African descent to not only need  but to want really badly to have an umbrella name for themselves.  Go into most public places in small or

Who?

even large numbers and the question asked is "So what do we call you?"  Its a very loaded question and I don't know whether it's intrigue, curiosity, ignorance or pure laziness that's propelling this question to be thrown around.  You see I grew up in a country which is inside a continent and I never used to define who I was beyond my name most times.  Sometimes my surname would come in and other times where my father's ancestors were from with people asking for the exact place since from my words and accent there would be no mistake that I am Karanga.  Kkkkk! That's taking you quite deep I know unless you are Zimbabwean and you get what that means.  Since moving to Ireland I just say I am Zimbabwean and that's it.  Few times people with a broader understanding of the country would ask are you Shona or Ndebele and though I respond the response if you are Zimbabwean is as verge as saying I am African.  It means a lot and it also means nothing.
We are from many countries people!  Asking where African Leaders are in Ireland if someone is looking for a comment on an issue is ridiculous.  I have been approached as "an African" to comment on issues in Somalia, Nigeria and even South Africa (of which the latter though being a neighbour of Zimbabwe) and have declined to comment.  I refused because the subject wasn't on say economic issues, political decisions but mostly to do with tribal issues.  I have no background to any of those subjects and wouldn't have a clue where to begin.  Africa is at most seen as a country with many villages.  This I have encountered on numerous occasions including one time when I was flying to Zimbabwe and the person at the check-in desk here in Ireland sent my bags to Ethiopia just because my plane was stopping over there.  It took 2 weeks to get my backs and the holiday was almost over.  On asking the answer was "Oh I thought Addis Abba was in Harare."  Really!  To think it took us approx 4hrs to get to Harare BY PLANE!  Those things move at amazing speed and I wouldn't even want to contemplate the journey by car.

So now it seems were are here and we have to have a name.  No other group of people is being asked to do that.  Why is it so important for us people of African origin to have a singular name?  Why can we not be say Zimbabwean, South African, Nigerian, Algerian, Egyptian etc?  I probably shouldn't have added Algerians and Egyptians there because they are referred to as Arabs.  Sometimes even they too dismay because they don't all come from Egypt or the Middle East.  But then we have to assume they all speak Arabic and therefore they are the same, right?  I wonder if there would be an Irish Pub in Zimbabwe if we insisted all people from Europe to just be European. 

Because of this question "What do I call you?" a question I might add which is addressed at various people with no religious, political or national affiliation is one we are supposed to have agreed on and answer on the spot.  The immediate answer for some has been African and others say Black and as it happens is not an agreed response.  Other times I have said we are still working on it and haven't figured it out.  Its amazing that regardless of getting a responses there is a puzzled look on the face of the person who'd have asked because they would have assumed by now we should have come up with an answer.  Now I'm thinking why do I need to think about it.  The identities that I have that I got or inherited from my foremothers and fathers should suffice.  If you have ever asked that question or thought that ponder this.  In most cultures if not all a child is born and given a name and that's the one they mostly live with till they die.  At times some will prefer the short version of the name or part of it.  Other times some change their name to something else all together.  The point though is they are not pushed, compelled or forced.  There certainly is no time frame for them to decide and since its one person involved the decision and choice is quite easy.  No one is ever asked to rename themselves.  It was tried during slavery, colonisation and many other times of oppression and it didn't improve humanity.  It weakened it and took away the best of what was there such that up to today we are still trying to get it back.

There are two things that come to play in Ireland that is ignored by most who ask that question.  One is we don't want to be turned into a village like what has been done with the African continent.  Two is we all haven't acquired Irish Citizenship and some of us may never apply for it.  Is the source of the issue that Ireland doesn't want naturalised citizens being called Irish?  If so then it better look at coming up with a name for all of us not just those from a certain named continent.  Like I have said many times if we lived in the UK we would be British and not English, Scottish etc.  So lets come up with a name then and settle this.  Asking for an African leader is no different from saying Mandela was the best person to ever come out of Africa.  He was one of them, that is if you believe that he even made the pack. 

Why is it so important that we be just one thing when we are not?  Who is this meant to serve?  Is this a conversation that only Ireland is having or is this a world wide thing?  Regardless why do I need to be anything other than what I say I am?  Is my identity too simplified that joining it up is going to boost it?  I doubt very much because only I can know who I am and maybe a few people who truly would know me.   St. Patrick's Day is a big celebration in many countries in the world how am I going to get my own version of St Patrick's Day ever acknowledged and celebrated if I am just lumped in a name?  This whole conversation doesn't have any semblance of Ubuntu in it.  I am because you are is a simple statement lets respect that and what it stands for.  After all we can only give what we have and taking our individuality away is not going to solve anything except create more confused identities.  Personally I am very happy just being me and if calling me Zimbabwean is too painful my just call me Neltah after all I do answer to that. Besides its hard enough having to carry the identity of your country of origin now you want to add a whole continent on it too?

The pride at being called Irish is one Irish people don't want to part with.  They won't even let you go regardless of how diluted that link is to Ireland or how distant.  Look at how Ireland has over many years claimed many American Presidents as one of them.  The identity of being Irish is not just in the heart, its in the blood and the genes.  It means everything!  It's not just a name to be Irish, it's a statement, a salutation, a recognition, a religion, and affiliation, a nation, and individual and most of all an IDENTITY.  It is an identity because IT IS BEING!  With all the understanding of all that why can't I have that too.  Why can't my being be what I say I am not what I am lumped into with others as being.  Please release me from the shackles of forced identity that Ireland knows so well and just let me be me. After all I am more that just my appearance and my colour.  So much more!