Migration has always remained a concerning issue in Africa. While several factors bordering on the socio-economic and political continue to act as stimulants fueling the movement of African persons to different parts of the world, the resultant pros and cons have continued to have a considerable effect within the continent and more importantly in the lives of African migrants as they seek greener pastures in more progressive countries of the world.
One of the effects of such migratory patterns is the impact it has on the reshaping of kinship ties and traditional family roots especially among second-generation migrants who struggle for acceptance within their ancestral heritage as well as the cultural expectations of the host societies they have been born into.
For first-generation migrants, the shared link between their cultural ties and ancestral roots remains strong despite the length of years spent outside the continent. But for second-generation migrants also known as diaspora babies, they are the embodiment of two worlds which presents a continuous struggle as they seek to find their identity in two societies one of which is the continent from which their parents come, and the society in which they were born and live.
Identity Crises and The Struggle for Balance
The term diaspora babies refers to children born to migrant families who relocated to the Western world. Their existence presents a dual identity that embodies a promise of cultural flexibility which could be both a gift and a burden.
In an increasingly globalized world, diaspora babies are the perfect tools for establishing cultural bridges between societies as their understanding of the operations of both can guide diplomatic exchanges while fostering stronger relationship ties.
While benefits like this exist, several diaspora babies often struggle with the feelings of not having roots within any culture thereby creating a feeling of alienation as they struggle for balance while dealing with the issues of identity crises.
As compared to their first-generation migrant parents who embody their roots and enjoy strong family ties, diaspora babies rarely experience any cultural immersion with their African heritage except through narratives from parents, social media, and other online sites as well as available African communities within the Western societies where they reside. This distance creates struggles with authenticity.
Raised as Africans in western society, their accents, mannerisms, and thinking on issues are more westernized in approach than African, meanwhile they regularly contend with loss of authenticity, racism, and other forms of exclusion due to their struggle for acceptability, while confronted with the reality of their skin colour or ancestral lineage.
In the very same western societies they were born into, diaspora babies while registered as citizens within the society, in some cases do not feel fully integrated with their communities despite continued efforts at cultural adaptation.
Reclaiming Identity
Diaspora babies though born in Western societies are African by root and this entails that a conscious effort must continually be made both at the level of parenting and in adulthood to steer these individuals to reconnect with their African heritage.
Intentional parenting where children are introduced to the language of the parents, the family tree, and culture can be a great tool in helping these individuals find their identity. Teaching children about their history and culture at the start of the formative years while guiding them through the peculiarities of the society they live in can help them better stay rooted in their heritage.
Parents go a step further in providing them with materials that help educate them about their roots and take out time to travel back home to Africa with their children to help them better connect with all they have been exposed to. Instances abound where parents intentionally keep their children rooted in their culture take steps to send their teenage children back to their home countries for schooling. Under the supervision of family members, these children gain valuable experience learning the language, culture, and lifestyle of their kin while interacting with other children within their age bracket.
In many of these Western societies, African migrants have also made efforts in creating social gatherings where they are able to reconnect with fellow migrants from the same country within their communities’ providing platforms for interactions that also extend to collectively finding solutions for challenges being experienced by their members. This offers a great platform for children of migrant parents now in adulthood to continue connecting with their roots, share their experiences, and celebrate their heritage.
Social media, music, fashion, and art are also tools that help diaspora babies appreciate and reconnect with their roots. Exploiting online platforms of African communities and attending concerts and events of African artists can also be a great opportunity to mingle with other Africans and enjoy the creativity of the motherland.
Finding Identity Through the Third Space
As earlier mentioned, diaspora babies enjoy a dual identity that provides them with valuable experience of both worlds. In striving to create an identity that helps them navigate both realities, diaspora babies can apply the “Third Space Cultural Identity Concept”
According to an article published by Amherst college and titled – The Third Space: Cultural Identity Today, “The Third Space is taken from the work of the influential cultural and post-colonial theorist Homi Bhabha; it refers to the interstices between colliding cultures, a liminal space “which gives rise to something different, something new and unrecognizable, a new area of negotiation of meaning and representation.” In this “in-between” space, new cultural identities are formed, reformed, and constantly in a state of becoming”.
Diaspora babies can take the best of their African heritage and the experience of the Western culture and create an identity that can navigate through the dynamics of each without necessarily worrying about fitting into any. This helps them bring to bear their expertise in dealing with conflicts that might arise in the clash of cultures.
Okechukwu Nzeribe works with the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, in Anambra State, Nigeria, and loves unveiling the richness of African cultures. okechukwu.onicima@gmail.com
