I am a proud African. Moving to Canada and being seen as Black was a culture shock

Vuyo Ginindza · for CBC First Person

· Posted: May 25, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

This First Person file is the acquisition of Vuyo Ginindza, who lives successful Regina. For much accusation astir CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

It was lone a mates weeks aft moving to Canada from eSwatini that I realized this caller nine did not spot maine arsenic I saw myself. I americium African, but I'm seen arsenic Black here. 

I enrolled astatine the University of Regina successful 2019, in pursuit of an acting career. I had signed up for a stand-up drama people offered by the university and was workshopping jokes with a radical of lively radical when one of my achromatic classmates asked if helium could marque a gag referencing African Americans and racism. At that point, determination was a large soundlessness arsenic everyone successful the schoolroom turned to me, looking for judgement connected the appropriateness of the joke. 

Suddenly I — an African who had been successful North America for nary much than a week oregon truthful — had to marque decisions connected behalf of my full race. 

This acquisition marked the dawn of a caller beingness for maine — an epoch successful my beingness wherever my ethnicity arsenic a Swati was nary longer astatine the centre of my existence. 

In Africa, I had been Swati, arsenic were my neighbours and friends. But now, arsenic idiosyncratic seen arsenic Black, I became alert of contention successful a mode that I had ne'er been before. When I archetypal heard idiosyncratic notation to maine arsenic a idiosyncratic of colour, I was confused — not offended, conscionable confused.

In galore parts of Africa,  people don't place connected the ground of colour. Instead we place connected the ground of tribalism. We don't see ourselves Black oregon racialized people. We see ourselves to beryllium Africans. We see ourselves to beryllium Zulu, Oromo, Igbo, Masaai, Dinka, etc. 

I ne'er considered increasing up successful Africa arsenic a privilege. But being distant from my location and my state has made maine admit my civilization successful a mode I ne'er did before. 

WATCH | Black immigrants bespeak connected embracing assorted cultures arsenic they settee successful Canada: 

There is simply a powerfulness that comes with knowing who precisely you are. I person ever known that I americium Swati, that I americium the lad of the Ginindza clan, that my past sanction carries the names of each of my forefathers and mothers and that my parent lingua siSwati carries clicks associated with the astir past of African languages. 

There is simply a level of specificity that comes with my individuality due to the fact that my ancestors were ne'er displaced. For Africans successful the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe, that specificity was mislaid for galore erstwhile radical from assorted tribes and African countries were each lumped unneurotic connected ships, captured and sold into slavery. 

My lineage and that of galore different continental Africans follows a antithetic history, and it is for this crushed that we arsenic Africans spot ourselves otherwise from Black radical successful the Americas. 

The greatness of my civilization — and to person been surrounded by it — was and volition ever beryllium a gift.

Ignorance successful usage of the N-word 

There are immoderate volition ne'er recognize oregon attraction to larn astir the affluent diverseness of Africa.

Last year, a achromatic antheral successful a achromatic motortruck sped past maine arsenic I was walking by a Safeway successful Regina, shouting retired the N-word arsenic helium drove by.  

Obviously I cursed him successful each connection astatine my disposal, but that connection did not pierce my tegument the mode helium whitethorn person hoped. I grew up knowing that I americium Swati and that is the opening and extremity of it. Anything that goes beyond that — particularly a radical slur — does not registry successful my mind. 

WATCH | Black immigrants sermon the interaction of proceeding radical slurs successful Canada: 

People's ignorance astir my continent was precise evident specified as when radical spoke of Africa arsenic a state alternatively than a immense continent.

I rapidly learned the representation I had of myself arsenic a poised and arrogant African did not lucifer immoderate ocular of Africa that immoderate Canadians seemed to person successful their minds. 

But the aforesaid is besides existent for me. 

As overmuch arsenic I emotion my ain upbringing, I person travel to recognize that erstwhile you are surrounded lone by your ain civilization and beliefs, you ne'er see thing beyond what you know. One tin make a precise constrictive position of the satellite and judge that things tin and should lone beryllium done 1 way.

Since I didn't cognize of other Swati radical successful Regina, I felt the request to question retired different ways to link with the Black community. 

From Nigerian people, I learned to navigator jollof atom and adjacent to talk pidgin good capable to person different Nigerians that I was 1 of them — astatine slightest momentarily. I besides made Sudanese and Ethiopian friends. My Sudanese person mildly mocks maine due to the fact that I inactive haven't learned however to usage "Inshallah" (God-willing) successful the close context.  

I've stretched myself successful different ways too, attending circular dances and becoming a Roughrider fan. In the clip I person spent successful Regina, I person been exposed to much cultures than ever before. 

At 26, I inactive person a batch much soul-searching to bash arsenic I fig retired what it means to beryllium an African extracurricular of Africa.  Nevertheless, it has been a blessing to larn and prosecute with different Black and African radical of the diaspora.

Here successful Canada, I whitethorn not person my household astir me. But I person recovered joyousness successful knowing I americium portion of a larger one. 

Do you person a compelling idiosyncratic communicative that tin bring knowing oregon assistance others? We privation to perceive from you. Here's more info connected however to transportation to us. Additionally, CBC News wants to cognize astir a idiosyncratic acquisition you've had that volition signifier your ballot successful the upcoming national election. Apply present to stock your story.

For much stories astir the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to occurrence stories wrong the Black assemblage — cheque out Being Black successful Canada, a CBC task Black Canadians tin beryllium arrogant of. You tin work much stories here.