"Why do the Black people have to shout all the time?"
A tourist from the Netherlands offered this aside to me as we were taking the ferry to Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for thirteen years.
It was what some might call a "teaching moment." You see, I had an answer for him, and I think it was a pretty good one. Thanks to Nkosi for his explanation, I never had to ask the question, though I certainly learned the lesson.
The Zulu people I met weren't loud to be obnoxious, it's was sign of respect. Nkosi explained to me that in Zulu culture talking behind someone's back is extremely offensive. Whispering secrets is even worse. He explained that, in order to avoid suspicion that they are being deceptive, many people talk loudly to make clear that they have nothing to hide.
It makes perfect sense now, but it definitely made me question some of the conclusions that I jump to. People do different things for different reasons. I hope the Dutch guy got the message, I certainly did.
Flown by mariposa at 12:17 PM on June 09, 2005
Reading this has led me to think of the pro’s and cons of globalization. I think most americans have experienced these under what was called the melting pot. It’s a very good reminder to examine people’s behavior beyond our own cultural expectation. This explanation is not one I would have expected, but proves (again) that I have a lot to learn about the world I live in, including the one around the block.
