Is It Natural To Feel A Loss Of Identity And Culture When You're A Mixed Race Person?

[anon1990]

My life feels so screwed up because I am an octoroon.

[Old_Geezer]

I suspect whatever you feel is normal. Some will feel they don't relate to either culture, some to both. You can try to imerse yourself in what you wish and develop an identify for yourself.

[andy-hughes]

I had to look up the word to see what it means.

You will only be 'screwed up' if you choose to define yourself by an out-moded label from the last century.

As everyone, you are an individual, and the colour of your skin does not make you who you are - unless you choose to make it so.

Have a little confidence in yourself as an individual, and the idea that you are tagged by ethnicity will cease to be of any importance.

[Baldric]

Could your 'screwed up' feelings be linked to this do you think?

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Society-and-Culture/Question1287266.html

[Tilly2]

I don't think it's a natural thing to feel.

I am one quarter Irish, one quarter Welsh and half English. I don't feel at all screwed up.

[pastafreak]

We are all mixed 'something'. I remember a documentary some Yeats ago that looked at the DNA of a number of Brits....there were quite a few mixtures-with many having African or middle eastern roots. Be proud of whatever you are,research your roots-it may add to your enjoyment and understanding of who you are. I am a typical American mix....Italian/English/Irish....and maybe a bit of Native American...and I am proud of it all.

[pastafreak]

* years *.....silly predictive text.

[woofgang]

I think that part of the problem (and I don't mean to be offensive to anyone who does it for a hobby) has been made socially because there is a feeling that we have to have a"past" and a "heritage"
I am not talking about racism. Any kind of ethnic prejudice is bad manners.; what i mean is the feeling that if you don't know your background and have a culture then you are somehow "wrong" I am not making a good job of this am I?What I am trying to say is that here and now you are you. What do you like to do? What are your opinions about stuff. What matters.....all that matters, is the time you have here and now and what you make of it.

[Canary42]

I agree totally with woofgang. Seeking one's ancestry is now VERY BIG BUSINESS and is therefore marketed with vigour. It can be an interesting detective-style intellectual pursuit, however it must be borne in mind that in actual fact one's ancestors are IMO totally irrelevant to who YOU are. You should not need the emotional prop of ancestry to establish YOUR unique identity, and if you do so you are not a complete person in your own right.

[Khandro]

We're all of mixed race.

[boxtops]

No, I don't think so. We are all from mixed background, I have 3 nationalities in my recent history. However, I find I feel more comfortable in certain cultures than in others - that's natural - but I feel no loss of any identity due to my mixed heritage.

[pixie373]

I agree with the others. I'm half Icelandic, half English. It makes no difference to me. It's interesting that you describe it as a "loss" as if something has changed. I don't think it's anything to do with your ancestors.

[ladybirder]

I think the answer to your question is No, it's not natural. One of my very best friends is mixed race and he is one of the happiest, sunniest people I know. In what way is our like screwed up? Can we help?

[Khandro]

Questioner only joined AB today, 3 questions before 10 am and so far no returns to any, well we may as well talk among ourselves; on topic, I was amazed to learn from the Eddie Izzard programme searching for his genetic ancestors that I, like everyone else with blue eyes, all descend via Turkey!

[Mosaic]

Anon sounds as if they hail from the southern states, pre-1960s. I can't imagine anyone in the UK losing much sleep over their great-great-grandparents racial identity. Once upon a time it was very important to some people over the pond but those times are gone.
There's a statue of an octoroon in Blackburn Town Hall, but I wouldn't make an especial trip to see it.
Highly prized in the New Orleans sex industry in the 19th century. Now there's a heritage for you, Anon. Revel in it.

[society]

Why don't you just 'be yourself' and not try to live in the shadows of others identity. I don't understand why your life should be "screwed up", unless you are trying to be what you are not. Living a good and happy depends on the choices we make in life.

[atalanta]

I'm probably one, too, and I think it is hilarious. I'm proud of being a complete mixture.
But when you come to think of it, we're all mixtures. Angles, Saxons, Danes, Vikings, Romans, Celts, Picts, Scots, Normans - and many more races invaded us inthe past, and mixed their bloods.
Actually, some African races can boast of far purer blood than any Europeans.

[joko]

this is about skin colour and looks, not about ancestory!
being part irish or welsh or icelandic etc is not mixed race!

the issue here is that this person looks half white and half black and therefore feels he is neither one nor the other.
feels 'unaccepted' by whites because he (presumably) has some 'black' features - such as, say, afro hair, larger lips, wider nose etc, as well as the darker skin.
but he is also presumably somewhat lightskinned and may have more 'white' features, so not fully accepted by black people.

i agree with everyone else though - stop viewing yourself by your race - it shouldn't affect your life - you don't have to 'identify' with a race one way or another - but if you want to, try to identify with both - you get the best of both (or more) worlds.

[woofgang]

joko, an octaroon is one eighth black. it would be very unlikely for them to look half and half

[joko]

yes woofgang, but my point was they don't look just one race - they have characteristics of the others.

[jomifl]

I have seen 'white' Europeans who have darker skins than many self proclaimed 'blacks'. The whole race thing is a nonsense especially as there are no separate races of humanity. Just be yourself. The problem isn't your's it is other the problem of other people.