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December 27, 2005
Cobblers Alert: Dap & Kwanzaa
It looks like I'm coming back around to some cultural work that needs doing in the fabric of cyberspace. These days I'm focusing on three reference sites that I think are fairly important. They are the Wikipedia, Flickr and LastFM. Black culture is what it is, but a lot of what it is hasn't been translated well into cybermedia. So I'm doing my share, and I ask Cobblers to pull a little weight too.
It turns out that nobody has really got a good definition of Dap. Now that's a damned shame. Most everybody knows what dap is, but it's kind of hard to express in writing. I mean little babies learn how to slap five before they can even talk, so dap is deep. My understanding is that dap originated among the black troops in Vietnam and made a big splash in the US when they returned. Of course there was the black power handshake as well as the black power salute that originated back then. Today everybody gives a pound and men all over give love.
It's interesting that the embrace and handshake is just a thing I call 'giving love', and until this moment, I never really thought about another name for it. I know that after the LA Riots in Los Angeles it was considered very offensive if black men didn't recognize each other with the head up or didn't give love when greeting. (excuse me, I'm tearing up, seriously). I was in Brooklyn at the time but I got the word clearly from my brothers, Deet and Doc. So there's no question that dap is deeply embedded in contemporary African American culture.
Of course dap also has verbal components. I'll only comment on one, which is the offense of 'leaving me hanging'. If I offer you five by raising my right hand to slap you and you don't offer your upturned palm, then you are leaving me hanging, which is similar to not offering a hand to shake, except sometimes with Tom connotations - a greater insult.
As for Kwanzaa, I see that Wikipedia is cleaning up its game, but on Flickr there are only 50 photos tagged with Kwanzaa. Damn. I know we can do better than that. You'll see me in both places for the week. I'm on a mission. Join me.
Posted by mbowen at December 27, 2005 11:36 AM
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Comments
12 28 05
Hey Cobb: I disagree with LaShawn, Ambra AND MALKIN!!! How absolutely absurd. The Malkin criticism only bashes Mr. karenga for past indiscretions and does nothing to attack the foundation for the celbration(s). I think that Ambra and LaShawn are on a similar trip. It always disturbs me when people say it is a fake holiday, like all other observances are innate and have always been celebrated since Time immemorial. Nope, wrong! One thing that I have been exploring is the philosophical underpinnings of conservatism. Since when is COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY against those ideals? These criticisms are simply irrational made by good people otherwise! Kwanzaa has been absorbed by Christmas celebrations in my family. Yet we recite the principles. And my dad made us memorize them when we were young. I don't know what is up with these folks, but oh well. I appreciate you explaining and exploring this topic:)
Posted by: mahndisa at December 27, 2005 04:57 PM
This is brilliant. And a mission of "dap definition" is a small, do-able, but also somehow extremely important one.
Posted by: Yvette at December 31, 2005 01:56 PM