Course Reflection - Midway Point

Wk 9 Post 3/10 - 3/16

I am pretty proud of the progress that not only I've made in this class so far, but each of us. Although I do have some missing blogs and comments I strive to go harder to improve my grade post spring break. This course has pushed me outside my comfort zone of simply doing assignments and rather it requires me to be more intellectual when engaging in the weekly discussions with not only my original post but then commenting on others reflections.  

I was literally just thinking about how much information this course has taught me about blackness and how the definition of blackness changes in various contexts. Here in America when even one of your parents are black most of the time, they consider you black. However, then again, I think it has to do with appearance here. For example, I've seen biracial children in my high school classes but some of them didn't really identify with their black side because they could pass as white. Nobody could tell until you seen their parent.  This is somewhat similar to what we learned about Brazil in that the racial identification is based more on a person's shade of blackness rather than there being any African ancestry in the person. 

I have learned so much about the different traditions, foods, and religions we've gained from Africa. I've even learned information about different wars and the challenges that came about during transitions out of slavery. For example, the challenge of finding somewhere to live and work.

I hope to learn more about dances and maybe read an article or something about Voodoo and its relation to African and some southern places spirituality. I don't want to get into practicing it at all because my current understanding is that it's demonic and I associate it with things like the ouweji board. I recognize this may not be accurate, especially to those who may practice it and I'm not trying to be offensive. I actually am somewhat writing my prior belief and knowledge which hopefully can alter to be more understanding later on.