The truth behind cultural and tribal legacies

[Slender Agenda]

Tribal stereotypes are a big part of the Tanzanian community. It is a given that eight of the ten times you introduce yourself to a local you will be asked, “what’s your tribe?”. This is almost always followed by a tribal stereotype of some sort, depending on your tribe of course. But are tribal stereotypes accurate? Are they even true?

I have been told that people from my father’s tribe are stubborn, short tempered people. I am a stubborn, argumentative person that always wants to win arguments. I am also short tempered. But does this have anything to do with my father’s tribe? Does it have more to do with the way I was raised (nurture) as opposed to the nature of my tribal affiliations?

Malcolm Gladwell, in chapter 6 of his book Outliers speaks of cultural legacies. These are basically cultural stereotypes “that persist, generation after generation, virtually intact, even as the economic and social and demographic conditions that spawned them have vanished, and they play such a role in directing attitudes and behavior that we cannot make sense of our world without them.”

He illustrates in this chapter through experiments that individuals, even generations after, are who they are because of where they grew up as well as how they were raised. Which makes me wonder, if my father’s tribe has been said to create short tempered and stubborn people, if I have not spent more than a week at a time where he was raised, am I that way too because that’s how he raised me? Or am I that way because this is a trait that exists within my being?

Despite initially being in denial of cultural legacies and tribal stereotypes, I have come to accept that they exist and are powerful, but only if you let yourself become a stereotype. Cultural legacies are not really a unique way of creating outliers; it is just a specified way of influence.

Generational legacies are not just perpetuated by members in the family, but also by the community. If society tells someone that they are a certain way and their family confirms this through behavior, they are more than likely to accept their respected "legacy", negative or positive.

Stereotypes definitely do stay with us throughout our lifetimes. Stereotypes are also passed down from one generation to another, from parents to children. If society sees your parents a certain way, they will expect you to be the same way. Cultural legacy is quite true in most cases however not always true. On the most part when we all grow up we begin to see our parents, or bits of our community, in ourselves.

 

[Mphamvu]

You believe in genetics, sister?

 

[KIBEHA]

It is not genetic inheritance rather social influenced believe me to be an individual your social attributes depend on social surrounding,from there u can be what u want to be,so it is not inborn rather social affiliation made us.

 

[iArmaniAdamson]

Tribal stereotypes are a big part of the Tanzanian community. It is a given that eight of the ten times you introduce yourself to a local you will be asked, ?€œwhat?€™s your tribe??€?. This is almost always followed by a tribal stereotype of some sort, depending on your tribe of course. But are tribal stereotypes accurate? Are they even true?

Stereotypes definitely do stay with us throughout our lifetimes. Stereotypes are also passed down from one generation to another, from parents to children. If society sees your parents a certain way, they will expect you to be the same way. Cultural legacy is quite true in most cases however not always true. On the most part when we all grow up we begin to see our parents, or bits of our community, in ourselves.

Hi Nyachiro,

i am impressed by your article. I have always been fond of genetics branch of Biology. But as much as I believe that through genes our parents pass some of the information or their make up, I do believe there are environment and other physical factors which can influence someone's behaviour.

Also, the most important factor of all is "information". Information is so important, a good example about the power of information is what is said and what hears when they grow up. Growing in African household, because of the closeness of the family/community, you always have aunties and uncles pointing out what your father or grandad was like, and the similarities and resemblance. Most people when they hear these kind of references they tend to unconsciously endorse what they have heard and this becomes their character.

I strongly believe no matter how short tempered or meek one's granddad was, a child is born with a blank memory and this can be altered by anyone who comes in contact with them at the crucial learning time. So, even though you might relate your character with your ancestors or immediate family, their influence on your is more or less artificial, as probably the character you would have it you were raised by a Chinese family in remote mountains of China.

Conclucion, its not about cultural legacies and stereotypes, it is what we pick up, come across with (human contact) and environmental that plays a bigger role than mere genes, its not all about genes.

I like the blue highlighted part more, because it casts doubt to the entire cultural legacy impact on ones character but also in red highlight its a more decisive and convincing conclusion that we reflect what other are telling us, and that is not necessarily who we truly are.

Extra Note:
I always say, if you find yourself with bad destructive behaviours, like selfishness, bitterness, malice don't blame yourself, environment, family or culture, just change because that is not who you REALLY are.

 

[Quickly]

Maybe you can list these stereotypes against the various ethnic groups in tanzania.I remember a time when i was in uganda a colleague told me that bagisu tribe women are notorious for sleeping around!!?? Also a Nigerian friend told me yoruba tribe people are perceived as turncoats(rafiki msaliti).