Sources of African Unease in the United States

It is common to describe the world as being divided between modern and traditional, those participating in finance based economics and those reliant on resources for wealth. Another way to point out the distinction is to list countries as to whether they have McDonald's restaurants or not. Despite these differences, it is apparent in a general way that the trend in the world is the movement of people from rural to urban living and a migration from traditional to modern ways of living. While this movement seems inevitable when viewed on a larger scale, there are a number of stresses that people feel who make this transition. Immigrants from Cameroon form one group who experience the unease of living in a Western society after first growing in their own country.

Cameroonians have a generally high regard for the United States, what it stands for and particularly its wealth. There is no doubt that life in the US can offer improvements for many Cameroonians; opportunity for advanced education and the chance to find a job in which an advanced skill can be used are two examples. However, it is important that people in Cameroon and other non-Western countries do not let the relative advantages of the United States blind them to uncomfortable realities they will encounter if they come and live in the U.S. These are aspects of living that may not be critical when each is considered independently, but they can combine to produce a real sense of unhappiness and desire for their home country. The purpose of this letter is to describe these aspects in order to help people understand them.

Less sense of community with neighbors: In most Cameroonian villages or neighborhoods people are seen moving through the streets or fields during all daylight hours. Among those moving are people of nearly all ages from young to old. A byproduct of this movement is the frequent interaction with others, either while walking, in the market, at home or traveling to the farm. And because of the temperate to hot weather, many household activities such as food preparation, cooking and washing clothes are performed outside. These sometimes menial tasks are perfect opportunities for neighbors to get together. It is also customary for Cameroonians to be visited by what Americans would consider distant relatives on a regular basis. It is possible to find living situations in the US which are very social; however, it can be difficult to match what is available in the home country. and leaves many Cameroonians feeling a missing sense of community with neighbors.

There is no farm or village in which to find refuge from urban life: In our contemporary United States, relatively few people live outside of urban or suburban areas. In these non-rural places, it is possible to have a garden or even be able to plant on public land. And some people have a second home that is located in a less populated part of the country. But generally, these situations arise from families that have lived in this country for a long time. So, it is hard for an immigrant to acquire properties of this kind. In the case of most Cameroonians, there is some affiliation to a village. This usually includes knowing a family member who still lives in a village. There may even be traditional acts that must be fulfilled in the village. But the most powerful draw of the village may be the local dialect spoken by only a relative few. Some have compared the comfort of speaking the language of the village to that of wearing an old shoe.

No true land ownership: Ownership of real estate in the West is for the most part in name only. It is true that the structure and other assets do belong in whole to the owner, but in most cases the land itself is held by the local jurisdiction. So that even if the structure has been completely paid for, the owner still must pay real estate taxes on the land. And if they are not paid, the owner can lose the right to stay on that land. This differs from the sense of ownership in Cameroon, where the land itself is what is purchased. And there is no obligation of tax such that if not met the right to the land is jeopardized. That it is present in the US can be hard to understand.

No autonomy in how to raise and discipline children: To the credit of the United States and other Western countries, children are protected from illness through vaccinations, from hunger because of food stamps and child seats which keep them from grievous peril while in a car. But there are even laws which compel teachers and other figures of authority to file a report if they suspect or are informed of child abuse or endangerment. Again, this is to the benefit of children. However, most Cameroonians are not familiar with this idea of protecting children from all appearance of harm, since most schools in their country have an administrator called the Discipline Master. And while the expression of corporal punishment may not be looked back on fondly, its place in Cameroon society is still expected not only in school but the home.

Continued presence of people who are uncomfortable with the color of your skin: In virtually all of the United States there is not continual blatant discrimination against persons of color. However, there are innumerable instances of words that are spoken, actions taken or attitudes expressed that occur because of a person’s color. Thankfully, these do not happen as often as they once did. But over the course of time, enough do come up that can make a Cameroonian unhappy about how they are perceived in this country. They can also make non-racial injustices harder to accept and can generate an unease about a place they now call home. To be sure, Cameroonians can find ways to discern differences; there are opportunities for differentiation based on language, religion and politics. However, there are generally none based solely on skin color.

To be sure, there are a great many advantages to life in the United States. But it is not a perfect society and there are particular sources of discomfort for Cameroonians who move to the United States. In general, they reflect somewhat the difference between traditional and contemporary living and for this reason can be used as examples for others who make the same kind of transition.