Tyla: Coloured 🇿🇦, Not Colored 🇺🇲

[molokoboke]

As a black South African woman i love how youve handled this. Its been a debate on the internet for a while now. Youve pointed out accurately how the struggle is the same but our experiences are different and should not be erased

[mrsoshadabaadman]

Tyla's success is such a big win for the coloured community of South Africa. They have been going through it. She will inspire millions. And thank you for respecting her identity.

[SholtoMaru]

"We all we got" resonated, man. No matter how you identify around the world, I love every one of us like family. It's my birthday today, and if you're reading this, wherever you are, you're the gift. You being alive and well enough to be here, to see this, to sit with your global, melanin-rich family and bask in all this good knowledge we get here... that's the gift. Meet me back here next year, fam. I'll be lookin for you.
🖤🤎

[Kai_Mx]

I am glad you said this. Not too long ago I commented that she was coloured when someone asked. And far too many Black Americans went full on attack mode telling me i was degrading her and that coloured was no longer used. I went on to explain why shes coloured but that didnt stop them from telling me ( A South African) that I was dehumanising her. At that point I realised that some black Americans are not open to learning about other cultures and specifically the fact that they DO NOT determine nor define what it means to be black.

[angel-kevs]

As a South African thank you sir. You explained it so well with such tact and respect. Interestingly although mixed race; Trevor Noah grew up with his black mother therefore his not culturally coloured. Coloured people are their own distinct group and even have subgroups just like black people.

[MalleusSolum]

I remember being 11 years old visiting (white) family in South Africa and being deeply confused at the darkest skinned man I'd ever met insisting to me that he is not black.

These days I just default to calling people what they want to be called and not calling them what they don't want to be called.

[mylifeuncut]

"Race is a social construct" is exactly the right answer to all of this.

[Dingydoughnut]

Sorry for the length of this one. Thank you for bring up this topic.

I'm a coloured. Thats not to say I haven't experienced racism (stellebosch is a cesspool) but my experience has not been anywhere near what black women experienced n on top of that, due to colorism and me being less melenated than my coloured peers I was also somewhat bullied or recieved favour n better treatment (mostly from coloureds with internalized racism).

I didn't want to be white growing up because it wasn't a positive thing in my community. Reading books, listening to certain types of music would get you ostracized. Then in that same breath curly hair gets villinized n skin whitening products n relaxer is regularly used. Watching adults make themselves smaller when around white people. Not wanting to visit open spaces frequented by whites but celebrate their beauty standards.
Then a similar thing with black people. Listen to n love the music from the early days of Kwaito to Gom to Amapiano. Embodying the dance style. Enjoying the food n even enjoying the spaces but don't bring a black boy/girl home 😑😒. One of aunts called my husband n Bushman (his not black but his Khoisan roots is unmistakable). Its so nuanced but more prominent amongst older South Africans who spent most of their lives under apartheid rule.

I felt so 'nowhere' for so long that I now accept myself as belonging everywhere in South African colour based spaces . I belong in black spaces, I belong in coloured n white spaces but I understand that my voice doesnt need to be heard in all of those spaces, when its in the spirit of Ubuntu or right to do so my support is what matters. You are all my people. You may not all accept me but I no longer require the groups acceptance to accept them.

N although it's not unproblematic the joy I've seen experienced by people getting invited to and experiencing each other's traditions and culture gives me so much hope for the future.

As we continue to work on and discuss race, I see the tall grass moving, I hear the rustling, the hissing of a new snake. Having no color, no preference for prey. It will eat its own and others alike, Classicism slithering this way n that on its belly fat with capitalism.

[Odin]

I'll never forget I had a conversation about a topic like this senior year in college. It was me a Black American, with I guy I'd call Afro-Cuban, and a Black Dominican guy. We tried to make heads or tails of the differences in culture and nomenclature and all that. In the end we decided that it was way too complicated and just got drunk instead.

[damiendehorn]

Damn this guy is the most logical eloquent speaker I've seen for a while.

[Joy-vzwi]

Thanks so much for your insightful analysis. I am a coloured in South Africa and very proud of my heritage. I identify as coloured BUT a South African first. White, Black, Coloured, Indian, Asian etc.. That is my people. Love South Africa

[beautymmwewa]

The distinction between black and coloured or biracial is important. I do not want to see coloured women being represented as black women. It would be unfair to have tyla represent black women when have women like Arrya Starr for that.

[felixndayisdebologne]

Thank you brother! Perfectly said! Concise and precise! I envy your talent in explaining difficult and sensitive concepts with this elegance and ease!

[nightnursegale]

You are a universal treasure. I'm so grateful for Your gift and the clarity You share for free. 💪🏿

[sknkpop]

So this gave a small opportunity to educate folks across the sea: first nations communities in Australia refer to themselves as "black fella(s), " and by contrast (there's a pun in here, lol), refer to white Australians as "white fella(s)." Race is only one part of this language. In addition to being used to refer to a person or group of people, it also references culture and society. There is a layer of denigration when "white fella" is used, as it identifies an intrusion in native lands and the erosion of lore and custom.

The use of this language outside of Aboriginal communities is delicate, however. While these phrases aren't really regarded as slurs, their cultural context is important. I'm white, and while it is safe for me to describe the phrases and their contexts to others, it is not safe for me to refer to Aboriginal Australians in that way. It is more appropriate for me to simply refer to them as Aboriginal (or Torres Strait Islander). "Black" is also acceptable among younger generations of A&TSI peoples.

And for the linguists in the audience, it is spoken "fulla."

[BeckyG]

I would just like to say as a white South African that Tyla is killing it! I've been listening to her for a while now and blown away with her success, as South Africans we are SO proud!

& whether she was black, coloured, white, indian, zulu, xhosa, asian, sotho, shes SOUTH AFRICAN and that is why im streaming her music on repeat to support our own. ❤ 🇿🇦

[eskayh]

It's your clear and concise explanation and still some people in the comments with their backs up like you called them out by name. The information is *right there* LOL they don't even need to pick up a book! (Actually they do because wow)

[puffsonplants]

The world needs more people teaching like this guy

[ladylilac]

Thank you. As an older white woman i have learned to try and listen to people and call any person or people group what they want. I see that it's very much an American thing, to judge everything outside the American experience, through the lens of being American. It's as if no other country has their own culture and experiences. Be willing to learn and open yourself up to different cultures around the world. Listen, be respectful, learn, and call people what they want to be called. They will tell you.

[elvingearmasterirma]

This video is a breath of fresh air.
Its far too common to see others outside of South Africa speak over any of us or try to view our very complex and diverse cultures and groups through an American or European lense.
Thank you for explaining it so well!
pity more than a fair few people didnt get the message/chooses to ignore it