ONCE-MIGRATORY AFRICANS OBEY COLONIAL BORDERS

Much debate has occurred over whether Chidimma Adetshina, a finalist in the Miss South Africa competition, was South African enough to compete for the title and move on to the Miss Universe competition.

While it’s true her father is from Nigeria, and her mother is partly Mozambican, people may be arguing outside of what our history reveals about African identity.

Mozambique and South Africa have been home to the Shona, Nguni and Zulu peoples. Records also show the Bantu people began migrating thousands of years ago from the Nigeria-Cameroon border, spreading out in a few waves toward eastern, central and southern Africa.

Then, in the late 19th century, Europeans violently imposed colonial borders, criminalising migration.

In this clip from African Stream’s weekly livestream collaboration with @authentic_african, Inemesit Richardson asked why Africans validate borders drawn by Europeans, cutting Africa into sections that have nothing to do with our pre-colonial conceptions of self.

If you are interested in hearing more of this conversation, check out ‘Is South Africa Falling for Xenophobia? Miss South Africa Competition Stirs Global Controversy’ in the ‘This Week in Africa’ playlist on our YouTube channel.