Naija American Girl: So much to say, so little time

Monday, June 28, 2010

So much to say, so little time

Man oh man, I'm in the process of writng about my trip, but I gotta go to work....Instead of leaving you empty handed, enjoy this video I took in Haiti on the island of La Gonave, it's a praise song.

And here's the second album of pictures!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2211431&id=25716412&l=807e107830

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Naija American Girl by Chidinma Ogbuaku

Naija American Girl,
complex mix of two worlds
who knows the things that cross your mind,
the solace you seek but seldom find?

Many people born in Naija,
their hearts burn so bad,
to come to America
and when they get Visa they’re glad

But for those of us born here,
Na wa for us oh!
Because of the many things
we should but do not know

“You mean you can’t speak Igbo?
You don’t cook fu fu?
Why are you not studying
medicine in school?”

And when we go to school
and the teacher takes roll
We hear a very familiar phrase
that we’ve all come to know

“I’m really gonna mess this one up,
please forgive me in advance,”
Then they struggle through our name
But they don’t have a chance

“Chi-chi-deen-num-muh… O-o-ga-bu-ah-ku..”
They struggle and struggle with all their might
and when they’re finally through

We raise our hand and let them know
just how to say our name
some of them will hardly try
which really is a shame

We can get down with black Americans
'till they start talking ' bout slavery
Then we feel the need to boldly interject
"Oh no, that wasn’t me!”

“My ancestors were never slaves,
they weren’t forced across the ocean,”
Then our black friends look us up and down
and start a small commotion

“Oh so what, you think you’re better than us?”
they ask with animosity
They roll their eyes and start to cuss
And we wished we’d just let it be

We can hang with our Naija folk
'till they start speaking their native tongues
We catch a few thing here and there
while they all joke and have fun

Now having a foot in two worlds isn’t 100 percent bad for few can do the things we can
We can switch our greetings from
“Ndewo, sir” to
"Ay, what up doe fam?!”

The line we walk is a fuzzy one
from what we do to what we say
It’s a very curious little thing
that really comes with age

Naija American Girl
complex mix of two worlds
Who knows the things that cross your mind,
the solace you seek, and sometimes find?

Chidinma Ogbuaku 2009