When people ask me where I’m from, I say I’m Nigerian and Finnish, but what I really mean is that I’m from Mars.
Trust me, it is no coincidence that Barack Obama, a fellow Marsian, recently announced his goals to send astronauts to Mars by 2030. He too wants to return home, to that place where people from neither here nor there originate.
If asked to describe what life is like on Mars, I tend to tell the partial truth, which is that life there is ideological and philosophical, perhaps a tad moralistic.
There is another side to Mars though that people wonder about sometimes. Is Mars an erratic place, where one is green one moment and purple the next? Are Martians confused? In truth, our thoughts are indeed somewhat scattered. This is a result of us being a many-voiced people, and can initially result in fickleness. We are green when we are young and purple when we grow older, sometimes vice versa, and sometimes variants in between. Eventually though, we turn into yellow.
Once yellow, we realise that we can do green, we can do purple, we can travel to earth and tick several confusing racial boxes. We can relate to an unending list of characters and this is a burden and a blessing all in one.
We have many selves to stay true to, and we learn to do this well, because connected fragments is the idea that created us in the first place.
Alex says
mars? Really, is that what we are? I thought men were from Mars, women were from Venus…
Just kidding, I know what you mean… I was born in Europe, lived in Nigeria, primary – high school, moved to the states immediately after and have been stateside since…
Oddly enough, after all is said and done, when folks ask me where I'm from, I say everywhere, anything else would be selling myself short…
MsAfropolitan says
Hey Alex,
At times Mars feels appropriate 😉
Your experience sounds similar to mine, born in Europe too, schooled in Nigeria, then been pretending to be a nomad.. Hope you are home and settled in the states
I was not able to access your blog, but thanks for stopping by. visit again
/Minna
Alex says
The states have become home. Longest continuous portion of my life has been spent here.
Oddly enough though a naturalized citizen, when I think of citizenship, I think of myself as an American…
🙁
Blackpresence says
Ahhh Mars, finally I get where I come from…hmmm I thought Africa was going to be a long way back!
I do have days where I think gee, your so white…but I look in the mirror and see Darly black. What a delightful conundrum, just proves people are people..sorry, I meant Martians. ;D
MsAfropolitan says
*waves at fellow Martian* 🙂
Mora says
Wow what can I say, this is me, I’m marcian finally!! and I quote ‘We have many selves to stay true to, and we learn to do this well, because connecting the fragments is the idea that created us in the first place.’ Beautiful sentiment, thanks msAfopolita. I can finally explain myself and make sense.