What defines our being?

I recently read an article pertaining to the Aryan and Dravidian races of Northern and Southern India, respectively. It's findings confirmed my already thought of views about all races of people being linked, and the fact that the colors of our skin merely symbolize our ancestors' location near to and far from the equator in ancient times. Here is a piece of the article pertaining to this issue:

"Aryan and Dravidian Races

The idea of Aryan and Dravidian races is the product of an unscientific, culturally biased form of thinking that saw race in terms of color. There are scientifically speaking, no such things as Aryan or Dravidian races. The three primary races are Caucasian, the Mangolian and the Negroid. Both the Aryans and Dravidians are related branches of the Caucasian race generally placed in the same Mediterranean sub-branch. The difference between the so-called Aryans of the north and Dravidians of the south is not a racial division. Biologically both the north and south Indians are of the same Caucasian race, only when closer to the equator the skin becomes darker, and under the influence of constant heat the bodily frame tends to become a little smaller. While we can speak of some racial differences between north and south Indian people, they are only secondary.

For example, if we take a typical person from Punjab, another from Maharash- tra, and a third from Tamilnadu we will find that the Maharashtrians generally fall in between the other two in terms of build and skin color. We see a gradual shift of characteristics from north to south, but no real different race. An Aryan and Dravidian race in India is no more real than a north and a south European race. Those who use such terms are misusing language. We would just as well place the blond Swede of Europe in a different race from the darker haired and skinned person of southern Italy.

Nor is the Caucasian race the "white" race. Caucasians can be of any color from pure white to almost pure black, with every shade of brown in between. The predominent Caucasian type found in the world is not the blond-blue-eyes northern European but the black hair, brown-eyed darker skinned Mediterranean type that we find from southern Europe to north India. Similarly the Mongolian race is not yellow. Many Chinese have skin whiter than many so-called Cauca- sians. In fact of all the races, the Caucasian is the most variable in its skin color. Yet many identification forms that people fill out today in the world still define race in terms of color."

After reading this article, I became more aware of the fact that most of our lives are centered around the idea that we are different. As mentioned in my previous post, no one perceived "race" belongs to a particular country, or culture because our ancestors moved around a lot to occupy many landmasses for various reasons. Why then do we tend to characterize one another by our outer appearances? I have noticed that in nearly every single conversation that I have had with someone, the subject of race and nationality would come up. Must we live our lives trying to define each other's external appearances and skin tone? Or should we be focusing on our similarities, rather. If we were to do so, I do believe that a major chunk of our problems would be solved. The implementation of different "ethnic group" check boxes on questionnaires and information forms which we are occasionally required to complete are merely reinforcing our already held views that our world is segregated and different. I encourage each one of us to reflect upon these issues. Let us strive to re-define ourselves, eliminating any mistakenly held views, and becoming inwardly appreciative people.

How shall we?

"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, None but ourselves can free our minds" - Bob Marley

I occasionally ponder upon this simple, yet extremely powerful phrase. We all want to be open minded, free spirited, and embracive to everything which presents its place in our lives. Yet, ever so often when opportunity presents its chance, we decidedly focus on aspects of a situation which reinforce our already standing beliefs of that particular person or object. How then, can we ever learn the truth? How are we to break free of these mistaken and untrue stereotypes that we so easily grasp, yet outrightly fail to let go?

I recently had the opportunity to express my knowledge and opinions of certain plaguing stereotypes which are ever so present here in the U.S. Having been born and raised Trinidad and Tobago (multicultural, and multiracial islands located in the Caribbean), my knowledge about diversity throughout the world is reinforced. I know that race doesn't characterize who you are, what country you are from, or what religion you hold. It was of my belief that when I came to the U.S, it would be easy to state that I am from Trinidad and Tobago, without the objections, or confusion of the people here. I was wrong. It is now continuously my burden to explain to most people here in the U.S, that I am not of eastern origin, and that I was never born or raised in an eastern country such as India, Singapore, Thailand, or the Middle East. These are some of the countries which people here in the U.S place me into. I was never looking for a placement, nor was I of the belief that each country should consist of one single race of people. Afterall, history reveals that our ancestors all migrated from somewhere. It just so happened that after the British had concluded their bout of importation of slaves to the island of Trinidad, they decided to offer wages to people in India, if they agreed to work on the sugar cane plantations in Trinidad. Soon thereafter, wages were also being offered to people in other countries. Eventually Trinidad became rich in the diversity of East Indian, Chinese, African, Caucasian, and Spanish race and culture.

Why then, must I have to explain these in depth details to U.S born and raised citizens, in order to prove that I do indeed belong to Trinidad and Tobago? Shouldn't we all already instinctively know that race doesn't belong to one set country? And that people of East Indian racial heritage can be born and raised on other landmasses, besides that of India? OR people of Chinese racial heritage can be a proud member and citizen of England, Jamaica, or Trinidad? And what about religion? Does race determine our stance in that domain?

I do believe that the U.S media has contributed a lot to the mistaken concepts which many Americans hold about racial diversity in other countries. But I also think that as members of this world, we are entitled to look beyond our barriers, STRIVING to find contradictions to whatever is presented to us. Wouldn't the world be more unified and refined if only we sought to perform these simple investigations?

Let's all seek to find out the TRUTH..........