The Maroon Within Us

It is in this context that Dr. Hilliard provides several reasons why this devastating trend of cultural surrender is taking place. He says, ��we have tended to accept certain false dichotomies,� such as the following:

�1. We have tended to equate sophisticated technology with culture, believing that such technology is exclusively European and that to affirm African culture is to reject technology.

2. We have tended to equate modern with technology, and to value modern as if it were cultural progress. At the same time, we have seen the affirmation of African/African American culture as a matter of retrogression. Further, we have seen African/African American culture as static rather than dynamic and adaptive.

3. We have tended to equate European culture with wealth and African / African American culture with poverty.

4. We have tended to associate education with the acquisition of all the cultural forms of Europeans, and find it hard to conceive of educated persons who live the African/African American culture.

5. We have tended to equate self-affirmation with the hatred of others.

6. We have tended to equate religion with particular forms of European interpretations of Christianity and have not seen our people as religious or spiritual.

Generally we have failed to study ourselves and to know our culture.�

One such program that has emerged as one approach to preserving our culture and traditions aimed at our youth is the growing Rites of Passage Movement. This Movement seeks to place African and African people at the center of independently working with our young people.