Indigenous Virgin Islander is misnomer – Umoja host, Smith
“We are not characteristic of the western hemisphere, we are not characteristic of the BVI.” Smith said, “…so we need to just dispel that whole misnomer nonsense about BV Islanders.”
He believed that looking at the word indigenous suggested that one originates from a place, “we did not originate [from] the Virgin Islands, as a matter of fact we did not originate from the western hemisphere.” Smith proclaimed.
Regardless of our beliefs and attempts to prove otherwise by using cosmetic agents to cover this up, he felt that African heritage lies deep within. “Africa is in your DNA,” he said, “you [will] never get rid of them broad noses and you’d never get rid of those thick lips and those dark eyes and that curly hair.”
Smith believed that having a mother from another island did not make one any less loyal or more patriotic to the VI and did not give someone who could trace their heritage back a few generations locally an edge either. “Does that mean that I am going to contribute more to the BVI than you, that I am going to love the BVI better than you or more than you?”
That kind of reasoning, Smith felt was “divisive”. “Those are the facts!” Smith stated, “we need to start uniting, and stop all these divisive ideas, and respect and embrace our brothers and sisters from all over the world who have come to the BVI and who love the BVI, invest in the BVI, make the BVI their home, make significant contributions” and continue to do so, more so than many locals.
“We need to embrace each other as BV Islanders and move forward and have a dialogue, have a meaningful conversation in unity and peace and harmony…” he said.
In order to move ourselves and our country forward “we have to show love and respect for each other, so that the best ideas and true reasoning and logic will come to the front” the host concluded by saying.
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50 Responses to “Indigenous Virgin Islander is misnomer – Umoja host, Smith”
My grate grate grandmother was from St. John and I am damm proud and humble of that history and family roots. Them who mad with that could go get on the boat of plane and be out!!!!