Guest Editorial

"Syncretism and the U.S."
By William Javier Nelson

W.J. Nelson I can say up front that I am going to mention some things in this essay which Charles Byrd has spoken about and (I presume) believes in. If it gets too much like plagiarism, please forgive me, Charles.

Whenever I lecture or speak to most North Americans and use the word "syncretic", I am met with blank looks. Although sometimes this is the result of my using "syncretic" in the same sentence as informing my class that they have a 15 page essay-type final exam coming tomorrow, I believe the confusion comes mostly from the fact that the word is not used (or understood) very often in U.S. parlance.

Briefly put, "syncretism", when used in the context of talking about culture, describes cultures which themselves are blends of two or more antecedent cultures, thereby producing a third type of culture which is different from the preceding cultures but which has similarities to both. Put in a mathematical model: Culture A + Culture B + Culture C = Culture D. A good example of this is the culture of Mexico, which has had an extraordinary influence and legacy from various "Indian" cultures (Aztec, etc.), which was colonized by Spain and which also witnessed the arrival and amalgamation (into the bloodlines of the other Indians, mestizos and Spaniards) of over 200,000 individuals from West Africa. Mexico is certainly not Spain, although Spanish-style bullfighting goes on with a flourish. Mexico is also not completely "Indian", although Mexicans are extremely proud of their "Indian" heritage. And they are certainly not African. But Mexican culture has recognizable links with all of these.

In my own country (Dominican Republic) and in other Caribbean localities like Puerto Rico and Cuba, syncretism is a way of life as well. The ingredients are African/"Indian"/Spanish but the proportions are different, the colonization patterns and histories are different and, therefore, the results are different. But few Dominicans would deny that our culture is neither African, "Indian" nor Spanish but a particular, unique blend, resulting in our culture.

What is both interesting and puzzling (to outsiders) is that the U.S. is also syncretic. Leaving aside some very important other cultural influences and concentrating just on Africa and Europe, one can see how, in the United States, people have blended certain aspects of European and African culture to create what Charles Byrd calls a "mulatto culture" which is neither European nor African but a blend.

That's right, folks. "White" people in this country have a little African in their cultural blueprint. "Black" folks do European things (and I am talking in addition to the necessary Euro-type actions necessary to maintain a job and function in the society).

The tragedy (for "blacks" and "whites") is this: neither side has figured out that they are Americans yet. Period. Not "white" Americans or "black" Americans. Just Americans.

Need proof? Just ask any European or African. Need blame? Try One Drop.

William Javier Nelson, Ph.D.

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