Reading the etymology on the word Aryan of course makes one, think although meaning, as you might know, comes from an array of social factors like context, the power balance and the discourses maintained by the ideologies of the elite (those in power). They key thing, as you mention, is to transcend the kind of racist or escapist discourses that are so endemic in conversations about coloured-ness or whatever you might call it and this is where your posts are helpful.

Trivialize that which seems offensive, and then after a while it will loose it significance. If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. The once powerful Klu Klux Klan was brought to naught when their secrets was trivialized and infantilized on a radio show called ‘The Adventures of Superman’ by a brave man called Stetson Kennedy.

The genealogy and evolution of the word Aryan is rather fascinating. The word roots from the Sanskrit ‘Arya’, meaning noble. In time and in the hands of insecure, narrow minded nationalistic modernistic philosopher’s combined with the marked influence of Hitler, the designation Aryan race was born. It needs to be noted that at the time, at the turn of the last century, the study of genetics was still in its infancy.

Each and every period in the evolution of man, has it’s own set of values, parameters and opportunities that influence thinking at that specific point in time with consequences to bear. What seemed right, and totally reasonable at any point in time is made trivial and insignificant by new knowledge, new science, new understanding, new insight and new wisdom.

The aryan race came to mean and refer to the search for a pure race and a pure people. Anthropology, Genetics and History intimates that a ‘pure race’ in the narrow minded sense of the word is but a futile dream of entering heaven. The survival of man depends on genetic evolution and adaptation. The only pure race, is a surviving race, and a surviving race is a mixed race, a natural race of and for evolution.

Philosophy is a very interesting, very ubiquitous in truth. What fascinates me more, is the evolution of thinking. How we think today can never be seen in isolation, it is connected to every thing before this moment, during this moment, it is connected to science, to history, to politics, to economy.

If Aryan is to mean noble and a pure race (redefined of course) then it is high time that we as coloured people step up to the plate. The first step on this journey is education, education, education. At the same time we are education ourself and the people around us, entrepreneurship should become breathing. A people that is educated, is a people empowered.

‘First people’ status is parochial, narrow-minded and definitely colonial thinking. Recriminations, victim mentality and entitlement has never served any way, it only leads to more war and strife. Thinking out of the box, deconstruction and self-re-definition is the death knell of colonial thinking. For me their is no better way, then to define who I am, where I come from and where I going, by subverting, re-thinking, re-defining, de-constructing and re-constructing the claims and definitions of colonial thinking, or if you like oppression thinking.

Knowledge, understanding and wisdom is like a beautiful red rose. It takes time to germinate, to evolve and to be. Understanding does not always follow knowledge, it takes time. Whatever there is to know, you already know, it is just a matter of time, a little matter called (re) exposure.

Redemption, deliver us from evil. If we are not able to forgive, if we are not able to love then peace and understanding is but a futile dream of entering heaven.

‘I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul
by making me hate, him.’ – Booker T Washington

I will permit no man, word or ideology to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate or refuse him redemption. – Abridged Booker T Washington