African American Culture - Essay Example

Reflection In this article by Hamlet, she has adequately relayed the of African American culture that continues to evolve as respective people seek to assert their identity in an extremely diverse American continent. This by word of mouth as it was in traditional West African settings through Nommo, which currently is evident in churches (Hamlet 28). This is to the extent certain scholars contending numerous African American churches have one unique trait, which is Africanisms. However, I do perceive the application of Nommo in the current Africa America settings its inclination is more on emotional side than it used to be in the African tradition before enslavement.

Traditionally, it used to be a generative word commonly employed in numerous occasions in such a way to advance the society besides blessings but current usage, its drive is emotional. Probably, this is due to excessive sidelining that the African Americans have all along before attaining the current liberty has experienced. An illustration of the current usage is by “word-warriors” who include pastors and rhetoricians while in their quest to encourage the masses while forecasting of relief in future.

This is quite evident in the MLK’s speech “I have a dream” and other similar word-warriors who would evoke speeches in such a way to uplift people emotionally above their current settings. Conversely, traditional Nommo was mild though powerful usage without any inclination but realize life and give mastery of own settings. Hamlet in her article while contending emerging set of values like hip hop through Nommo would pass to other generations to me this sounds impractical (Hamlet 28).

Since, she does not consider the essence of Nommo or any other form or oral tradition encompasses relaying similar aspects to generations without seeming to undergo utter transformations. For instance, to date no African American can claim certain aspects what he or she does descend from own respective ancestors in W. Africa. Since, present values that we normally hold onto and boast of are just mere retaliation habits of the impending settings. For instance, hip-hop claimed by Hamlet to have spread worldwide but now seems overshadowed by Crunk, a more club-oriented genre.

Hence, this implies Nommo does not adequately explain passing of societal values or aspects, which based on my understanding, I highly question Hamlet’s insistence. In her argument, that church currently acts as a “Rich Reservoir” (28) meant to relay varied African American expressions or terms, she fails to notice the extent of societal fusion evident in America. The then Mega churches dominant congregation used to be of certain races but now that is changing whereby the said word-warriors are of diverse backgrounds including descendants of former slave masters.

This depicts a creation of unified and borderless society whose description would emerge with entirely different values such that former distinct racial values are inexistent. Since, interaction especially through social settings currently escalates the extent of intermarriages, which in their actualization by respective partners sometimes tend to disregards certain aspects of the respective participants to embrace common grounds. For instance, overemphasis of certain cultural aspects that has no significance to in unifying the formed interracial union like dominant patriarchal privileges.

Work Cited Hamlet, Janice D. "Word! The African American Oral Tradition And Its Rhetorical Impact On American Popular Culture." Black History Bulletin 74.1 (2011): 27-31. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.