During the 5 centuries of European colonialism, when relatively small nations set out to trade with, then (opportunistically) conquer, exploit, destroy, and denigrate those peoples they saw as natives, their functionaries developed a certain mindset. During the 18th century, some of their ‘scholars’ set out to prove that the ‘white race’ was not only innately superior to all other ‘races,’ but that the ‘black peoples’ of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and India could not possibly have made any contribution to human civilisation. That displayed their ignorance.
Right through the colonial era, the tribal states of Europe would continue to attack one another within Europe, and to create ‘spheres of influence’ elsewhere in the world. This broke up tribal conglomerations in every continent occupied. In the post-colonial era, part of an indigenous tribe would find itself a minority in a new State, suffering the consequent discrimination; while the bulk of the tribe would ‘lord it’ over the minority tribes captured within the borders of the adjoining State. This is the legacy of European colonialism; tribal wars are endemic.
In the way a slave can learn to love his master, many subject peoples absorbed an inferiority mindset from their colonial rulers. For example, many Indians are said to have accepted the myth about whitish Aryans thundering through the Khyber Pass to dominate them, the black natives. Their gullibility matched the arrogance of the colonial mind.
By colonial mind, I refer to the falsely asserted supremacy of the European buccaneer, and his replacement, the colonial civil servant. The latter should have known that it was the Arabs who had brought learning to Europe from the ancient civilisations of Asia. Now, the boot is on the other foot, with coloured people of diverse faiths infiltrating (recently also invading) Europe.
A conceptual meme, originating in the colonial mind, is surely responsible for a person who is 50% genetically ‘white’ to be described as a ‘black,’ especially when he is clearly brown in colour. When all shades of tan to brown are described as black, it indicates prejudice – or ignorance; possibly the latter. Regrettably, such ignorance seems to be the hallmark of certain Europeans, whereas the mixed populations of most of the world do not seem fussed by differences such as skin colour, ethnicity, or even religion.
For, we are all more alike in the way we live, than we are different. And we pray to the same God, the one and only Creator of all that is.
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 