Black Consciousness BY Steve Biko

[MaxShimba]

Steve Biko's conception of black consciousness was:

Black Consciousness is in essence the realisation by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their operation, the blackness of their skin, and to operate as a group in order to rid themselves of the shackles that bind them to perpetual servitude.

Was Steve Biko's theorem of black consciousness political and cultural or Steve was just proud to be black? Does Steve's theorem applies to African America in America?

Sources:
Biko, Steven. I Write What I Like. New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 2000.

 

[Mbogela]

Biko alimaanisha kuwa watu weusi waachane na dhana ya kujiona kuwa kwa kuwa wao ni watu ni weusi basi hawawezi chochote na wakabaki kujidharau na kunyenyekea chini ya mabavu ya wenye ngozi tofauti na kuwa ngozi yao nyeusi inamaanisha macho, masikio, akili zao pia zimedumaa na kuwa nyeusi pia.

Mfano Chapter 6 (Black pg 31)... the first step therefore is to make a black man come to himself; to pump back life into his empty shell to infuse him with pride and diginity, to remind him of his complicity in the crime of allowing himself to be misused and therefore letting evil reign supreme in the country of his birth. This is what we mean by an inward-looking process. This is the definition of "Black consciousness"
Biko, S; I write what I like, (2004), Picador Africa, Northlands

 

[King’asti]

Steve Biko's conception of black consciousness was:

Black Consciousness is in essence the realisation by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their operation, the blackness of their skin, and to operate as a group in order to rid themselves of the shackles that bind them to perpetual servitude.


Sources:
Biko, Steven. I Write What I Like. New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 2000.

Unfortunately sijasoma kitabu hich, nitakitafuta. I am a black racist (Idon't mind kutupiwa mawe kwa hili!!). But I have many times been disappointed by my black siblings in failing to work together to get rid of the shackles that bind us to poverty, and the many problems surrounding us. I am reading a book, For Whites Only. (ISBN: 978-0-620-41609-2.). The writter is calling on blacks, to stop focusing in the color of their skin and starting to take responsibility of their actions. I agree, honesty and intergrity is one thing that we really need to start working on. Imeanzishwa NICO hapa, watu wakaweka vijisenti vyao, wajanja wamezila (Im glad I hesitated). Wenzetu South Africa walianzisha Blacks Economic Empowerment(BEE), makampuni yakalazimishwa kuwauzia shares. Matokeo yake Tanga cement's majority share holder (Holcim SA) akalazimishwa kuwauzia BEE shares zake. Tofauti ni kuwa BEE is running the Tanga Cement Co smoothly, wakati NICO imepoteza hela za shareholders wake kwenye kiwanda cha madawa moshi!
So.... being black, without working on our characters as individuals, then join together to get rid of the shackles that bind us, may not take us anywhere.

 

[mmakonde]

Unfortunately sijasoma kitabu hich, nitakitafuta. I am a black racist (Idon't mind kutupiwa mawe kwa hili!!). But I have many times been disappointed by my black siblings in failing to work together to get rid of the shackles that bind us to poverty, and the many problems surrounding us. I am reading a book, For Whites Only. (ISBN: 978-0-620-41609-2.). The writter is calling on blacks, to stop focusing in the color of their skin and starting to take responsibility of their actions. I agree, honesty and intergrity is one thing that we really need to start working on. Imeanzishwa NICO hapa, watu wakaweka vijisenti vyao, wajanja wamezila (Im glad I hesitated). Wenzetu South Africa walianzisha Blacks Economic Empowerment(BEE), makampuni yakalazimishwa kuwauzia shares. Matokeo yake Tanga cement's majority share holder (Holcim SA) akalazimishwa kuwauzia BEE shares zake. Tofauti ni kuwa BEE is running the Tanga Cement Co smoothly, wakati NICO imepoteza hela za shareholders wake kwenye kiwanda cha madawa moshi!
So.... being black, without working on our characters as individuals, then join together to get rid of the shackles that bind us, may not take us anywhere.

BEE kwa taarifa yako ni shambolic!Elites wote waliokuwa katika ANC wamechukua shares,na kuwekwa kama kioo,lakini wazungu bado wanapeta tu.Haijawasaidia watu wengi wanaoishi kwenye sharks soweto na kwingeneko.Be realistic brother.

 

[Kisoda2]

Steve Biko's conception of black consciousness was:

Black Consciousness is in essence the realisation by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their operation, the blackness of their skin, and to operate as a group in order to rid themselves of the shackles that bind them to perpetual servitude.

Was Steve Biko's theorem of black consciousness political and cultural or Steve was just proud to be black? Does Steve's theorem applies to African America in America?

Sources:
Biko, Steven. I Write What I Like. New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 2000.

Mmmh not realy.
Even in his motherland still people are acting totally differently.

 

[Kisoda2]

Steve Biko's conception of black consciousness was:

Black Consciousness is in essence the realisation by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their operation, the blackness of their skin, and to operate as a group in order to rid themselves of the shackles that bind them to perpetual servitude.

Was Steve Biko's theorem of black consciousness political and cultural or Steve was just proud to be black? Does Steve's theorem applies to African America in America?

Sources:
Biko, Steven. I Write What I Like. New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, Inc., 2000.

Mkuu thread imetulia imenikumbusha mpiganaji mwingine Robert Sobukwe aliyekufa kwa cancer ya koo kwakutoongea kwa takriban 6yrs while he was inprisoned at the Robbeneisland.Sababu ikiwa kuwa mobilize watu weusi kudai haki yao ya kutokamatwa kwa kuwa hawana vitambulisho/vipande vya kuwaruhusu kutembea maeneo mbali mbali ndani ya nchi yao. ukweli ni kwamba watu walipeleka wenyewe kwenye vituo vya pilice ili wakamatwe na zoezi lilifanikiwa na hiyo sheria ikatolewa.
Umoja uliwasidia wakati ule.

 

[MaxShimba]

Biko alimaanisha kuwa watu weusi waachane na dhana ya kujiona kuwa kwa kuwa wao ni watu ni weusi basi hawawezi chochote na wakabaki kujidharau na kunyenyekea chini ya mabavu ya wenye ngozi tofauti na kuwa ngozi yao nyeusi inamaanisha macho, masikio, akili zao pia zimedumaa na kuwa nyeusi pia.

Mfano Chapter 6 (Black pg 31)... the first step therefore is to make a black man come to himself; to pump back life into his empty shell to infuse him with pride and diginity, to remind him of his complicity in the crime of allowing himself to be misused and therefore letting evil reign supreme in the country of his birth. This is what we mean by an inward-looking process. This is the definition of "Black consciousness"
Biko, S; I write what I like, (2004), Picador Africa, Northlands

You must have read this book very deep,

Before his movement could accomplish its political goals sending apartheid, Biko wanted to instill a sense of pride and self-worth in the black community. Black consciousness was meant to teach blacks that being black is not a matter of pigmentation being black is a reflection of mental attitude.

Blacks who only defined themselves solely based on their skin color were destined to feel inferior in apartheid South Africa. As a skin color alone, and not tied to any distinct culture, blackness was just a method of oppression and a sign of exploitation.

 

[MaxShimba]

Stop being infantile. This was supposed to be a serious thread on a very important matter. You are now turning it into a teenage chat. Talk about Steve Biko's ideas. For a similar African American perspective I think Malcom X was the Steve Biko of U.S. black consciousness and civil rights movement. The end of both was also almost similar.

At the surface, the Black Consciousness movement might appear to espouse an ideology congruent to that of Black Nationalism found within the United States for over a hundred years. Granted, the former has undergone many permutations and beliefs under a vast number of leaders, but the there are fundamental ideas that Black Nationalism in America has stood for which the Black Consciousness movement does not advocate.

While the conditions which South Africans are/were facing, Apartheid, and Black Americans are/were facing during the times of slavery and Jim Crow are different, they both represent oppressed peoples of color attempting to combat what has become the status quo imposed upon them by the white man.

 

[MaxShimba]

Unfortunately sijasoma kitabu hich, nitakitafuta. I am a black racist (Idon't mind kutupiwa mawe kwa hili!!). But I have many times been disappointed by my black siblings in failing to work together to get rid of the shackles that bind us to poverty, and the many problems surrounding us. I am reading a book, For Whites Only. (ISBN: 978-0-620-41609-2.). The writter is calling on blacks, to stop focusing in the color of their skin and starting to take responsibility of their actions. I agree, honesty and intergrity is one thing that we really need to start working on. Imeanzishwa NICO hapa, watu wakaweka vijisenti vyao, wajanja wamezila (Im glad I hesitated). Wenzetu South Africa walianzisha Blacks Economic Empowerment(BEE), makampuni yakalazimishwa kuwauzia shares. Matokeo yake Tanga cement's majority share holder (Holcim SA) akalazimishwa kuwauzia BEE shares zake. Tofauti ni kuwa BEE is running the Tanga Cement Co smoothly, wakati NICO imepoteza hela za shareholders wake kwenye kiwanda cha madawa moshi!
So.... being black, without working on our characters as individuals, then join together to get rid of the shackles that bind us, may not take us anywhere.

Hiki kitabu cha For Whites Only, bado sijakisoma, nitakitafuta this weekend, thereafter, tukifanyie mjadala Mkuu, if possible.

In re of BEE and NICO, can you give me some more of it, if you can, thanks.

 

[Soulbrother]

Unfortunately sijasoma kitabu hich, nitakitafuta. I am a black racist (Idon't mind kutupiwa mawe kwa hili!!). But I have many times been disappointed by my black siblings in failing to work together to get rid of the shackles that bind us to poverty, and the many problems surrounding us. I am reading a book, For Whites Only. (ISBN: 978-0-620-41609-2.). The writter is calling on blacks, to stop focusing in the color of their skin and starting to take responsibility of their actions. I agree, honesty and intergrity is one thing that we really need to start working on. Imeanzishwa NICO hapa, watu wakaweka vijisenti vyao, wajanja wamezila (Im glad I hesitated). Wenzetu South Africa walianzisha Blacks Economic Empowerment(BEE), makampuni yakalazimishwa kuwauzia shares. Matokeo yake Tanga cement's majority share holder (Holcim SA) akalazimishwa kuwauzia BEE shares zake. Tofauti ni kuwa BEE is running the Tanga Cement Co smoothly, wakati NICO imepoteza hela za shareholders wake kwenye kiwanda cha madawa moshi!
So.... being black, without working on our characters as individuals, then join together to get rid of the shackles that bind us, may not take us anywhere.

i totally agree with you. Tatizo sio rangi yetu bali ni utamaduni wetu. Tumejifunza kunyenyekea rangi nyeupe na kutaka kupata vitu bila ya kufanya kazi kwa bidii. Hatuna utamaduni wa kuweka akiba, kuwekeza na kufikiria kuhusu kesho. Tunataka starehe huku mapato yetu ni madogo. Tusipofaulu, tunalaumu na kuwa na majungu
.
What we need to do is work hard, be responsible for what we do, where we are and who we are. We can have a billion Steve Biko's, million Malcolm X's and thousands of Black Mahatma ghandi's but if we dont change how we treat life and how we work, tutabaki pale pale

 

[MaxShimba]

Mkuu thread imetulia imenikumbusha mpiganaji mwingine Robert Sobukwe aliyekufa kwa cancer ya koo kwakutoongea kwa takriban 6yrs while he was inprisoned at the Robbeneisland.Sababu ikiwa kuwa mobilize watu weusi kudai haki yao ya kutokamatwa kwa kuwa hawana vitambulisho/vipande vya kuwaruhusu kutembea maeneo mbali mbali ndani ya nchi yao. ukweli ni kwamba watu walipeleka wenyewe kwenye vituo vya pilice ili wakamatwe na zoezi lilifanikiwa na hiyo sheria ikatolewa.
Umoja uliwasidia wakati ule.

 

[MaxShimba]

Biko believed that the strongest and most successful campaign against (apartheid), kwa sisi Watanzania sijui niseme nini, must come from a unified black community. He argued that blacks must work together to completely overthrow all of the systems of (apartheid) and asserted that blacks should not be satisfied with any reforms. At its core, apartheid was an oppressive system on every level. Economically, legally, and culturally, apartheid considered blacks inferior to everyone else in society.

I think, Blacks should emancipate yourself/ourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds - Marehemu Nesta alisema haya katika wimbo wake.

The unfortunate thing is that many Africans will know this line, many have danced and more will dance to it
but how many have really reflected on it and of those how many are acting on the profound mental transformation that Marley was calling for.

Kwa sisi Watanzania, in several occasions I have seen jinsi tunavyo waabudu Wazungu na/au watu wenye rangi nyeupe na kufikiri Wazungu ni bora zaidi kuliko sisi. I can see still black consciousness inavyo fanya kazi Tanzania.

 

[MwanaFalsafa1]

The problem with the majority of us black people is out attitude Our attitude towards ourselves and our attitudes towards other people.

 

[Mwanitu]

at least they are investing and giving jobs to there brethrens.can you compare them to our fisadis stashing billions abroad benefiting the already rich?

 

[Rubabi]

I admire Steve Biko and his writings.He is one of the greatest africans.

Black concioussness did not start from Steve Biko, before the fall of african civilisations, for example in ancient Kemet(egypt) black was a colour of good while red or 'white people' was the colour of evil.The ancient egypt name of satan was Seth(or red) and this has been carried on to this day to mean satan in christian dialetics.So actually, the real satan was a white person!!Ni wangapi wanajua hili?

Franz fanon also did speak very well of this subject.

Ancient egyptian kings were painted pitch black to signify their holiness.

Colonialism and slavery destroyed the dignity of africans which resulted in an inferiority complex.This still persists to this day in various forms including our blind embrance of 'globalisation' which in actual fact can mean embracing white peoples values to the expense of ours i.e kudharau lugha zetu, kutumia lugha za kigeni mashuleni n.k -

Black Americans via malcom x and others embranced black concioussness especially during the seventies by growing afros, documenting african history and by the birth of the philosophy of afrocentrism( this word was coined by Molefi Asante of Temple university USA) which aims to liberate all africans.

Black conciousness now still means liberating the black mind(which is still in shackels) believe me!

Every black person should:

-Study ancient african civilisations starting from Nubia and Egypt to Majimaji, Kinjikitile nk do not restrict your reading to recent history like the slave trade.Africans are the most ancient of all peoples and have the longest hstory.
-Elewa historia ya kabila lako,jitahidi kuzijua mila usizidharau.
-Question whatever you read, do your own research,do not trust african history written by non africans unless it is supported by solid research.
-True african concoussness means the unity of africa.Acha eh huyu mkenya, mnaigeria..nk

 

[mmakonde]

Hapa tunajifurahisha tu.Hatutakuwa na proud kama sisi Waafrika hatutasort out mambo yetu,race nyingine zitazidi kwenda mbele.Kuna thread hapa ya MUHIMBILI HOSPITAL,mzungu hawezi kuruhusu mzungu mwenzake alale chini hospitalini.Hata immigrant mwafrika huwezi kulala chini hospitali ya Mzungu.

Ukienda pale Muhimbili watu wamepack magari ya mamilioni ya shs,ukiingia wodini utachoka,harufu,dirty,na wagonjwa kulala chini.Kabla hatujamlaumu mzungu kwa kila kitu,tujiangalie vizuri

 

[MaxShimba]

Hapa tunajifurahisha tu.Hatutakuwa na proud kama sisi Waafrika hatutasort out mambo yetu,race nyingine zitazidi kwenda mbele.Kuna thread hapa ya MUHIMBILI HOSPITAL,mzungu hawezi kuruhusu mzungu mwenzake alale chini hospitalini.Hata immigrant mwafrika huwezi kulala chini hospitali ya Mzungu.

Ukienda pale Muhimbili watu wamepack magari ya mamilioni ya shs,ukiingia wodini utachoka,harufu,dirty,na wagonjwa kulala chini.Kabla hatujamlaumu mzungu kwa kila kitu,tujiangalie vizuri

These things happen because we let them. It is not enough to just support someone who dares to confront these situations, we all have to resolve not to tolerate these indignities wherever we may encounter them in all our lives.

Our silences are not only submission but also providing active encouragement for these insults to continue.

 

[MaxShimba]

I admire Steve Biko and his writings.He is one of the greatest africans.

Black concioussness did not start from Steve Biko, before the fall of african civilisations, for example in ancient Kemet(egypt) black was a colour of good while red or 'white people' was the colour of evil.The ancient egypt name of satan was Seth(or red) and this has been carried on to this day to mean satan in christian dialetics.So actually, the real satan was a white person!!Ni wangapi wanajua hili?

I believe is few, very few knows that. Most of the people are told that Black is a color of the devil, contrary to what you said.

 

[MaxShimba]

The evidence of consciousness is there to see all around us every day

 

[Askari Kanzu]

Kwa wale ambao bado mnakumbuka siku hii!
Hivi ndivyo BBC walivyoripoti kifo cha Steven Biko 12th September 1977

Steve Biko became the forty-first person to die in custody in South Africa

1977: Steve Biko dies in custody

The leader of the black consciousness movement in South Africa, Steve Biko, has died in police custody. The 30-year-old's death was confirmed by the commissioner of police, General Gert Prinsloo, today.

It is understood Mr Biko died in hospital in Pretoria. The government minister of Justice and Police, James Kruger, stated that Mr Biko had been transferred 740 miles (1,191 km) from Port Elizabeth to Pretoria for medical attention following a seven-day hunger strike.
Mr Biko had been in custody since 18 August when he was arrested and detained under the Terrorism Act. He is the 20th person to die in custody during the past 18 months.

Medical student

Steve Biko was born in King William's Town in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 1946.
He became active in the anti-apartheid movement in 1960s when he was studying medicine at the University of Natal.
He initially joined the National Union of South African Students' (NUSAS) but resigned in 1969 because he felt it did not represent the needs of black students.

He set up the South African Students' Organisation (SASO) in 1968 and was elected its first president the following year.

In 1972 Biko was expelled from medical school and began working full-time for the Black Community Programmes (BCP). He also started writing regularly for the SASO newsletter under the pen-name of Frank Talk.

By 1973 his work had come to the attention of the government who, in an attempt to curtail his activities, imposed a banning order on him restricting him to his home town.

But he continued his work with the BCP which succeeded in building a clinic and a crèche in King William's Town.

He was also instrumental in setting up several community groups including the Zimele Trust Fund in 1975, which helped political prisoners and their families, and the Ginsberg Educational Trust, to assist black students.

In January of this year he was made honorary president of the BCP. An inquest into his death is not to be held for several months, according to the authorities.

Mr Biko leaves a wife and two children.
bbc