"You look South African"

MissAlinaRose

New Member
More often than not when I walk by people, I speak out of courtesy. Well one particular day I walked by this guy and without thinking I smiled and said, "Hi, how are you?"

He stopped and just looked at me with a friendly grin. Then, he spoke back to me in a heavy accent.

He asked, "Excuse me, but, where are you from?"

I replied, "Right here in Texas."

Then he said, "Really? You look South African....Do you speak French?" (Clearly we were talking in English but I digress).

I answered, "No sir, English and Spanish."

He said, "Oh" like he was disappointed.

As I walked away and told him to have a good day, he stopped me again and said, "You too, and I really like your hair." I thanked him and bid him adieu. (My boyfriend is thoroughly convinced he was trying to "mack") lol.

My hair looked something like my siggy pic but a little longer (They are not extensions):


Now first of all, I didn't know what in particular would make him assume I was South African. I'm not even sure what type of distinct look South Africans have (enlighten me please if you know), but I can only assume it is probably as diverse as it is here in the states and many areas around the globe. Maybe he was not used to seeing black women with natural hair in this area of Texas. I don't know. But anyhoo, I Googled South African women for fun and got this:



:love:

*beautiful*



Do people assume you are of a specific origin because of your hair and/or features? Like, Does your hair, especially natural hair, accentuate your features in any way? Please Share!

(i.e. I have a friend who is mistaken for Eritrean all the time because of her hair, skin, and bone structure. However, she didn't even know what "Eritrean" meant at first :lol:...Thanks Google)
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
A few years ago, I wore my hair in a twa. While hanging out in BMore, I stopped at a light, and the guy in the car next to me asked me if I was from ghana? I don't know what women from ghana look like but I don't think I look close. But I was flattered all the same.

And a few months ago, I was hanging out in MD again, and wearing a twist out. The Ethiopian lady, who I could clearly tell was Ethiopian, asked me if I was Ethiopian. She surprised me with that question. I have no idea why she asked that. I would have asked her but I was having an extremely hard time trying to understand what she was saying and still being polite :ohwell:

Where I live we don't have a large number of different cultures/people so I don't get mistaken for anything here. :lol:
 

Aireen

Well-Known Member
Ethopian, Somalian, or half-Indian. I don't really know what led to these beliefs, whether it be features or hair but it gets me annoyed when people mistake me for anything BUT Trinidadian. I know it's not their fault but it's a pet peeve of mine. :look:
 

ProtectiveStyling

New Member
I've been asked where im from as well... Whenever I wear a twist out, im usually asked if im from the islands. I've had a few guys, on different occasions, with strong accents tell me I look like im from the Caribbeans or like one of the girls from the islands back home. With straight hair, this guy from India asked me what part of India my acestors where from. Totally caught me off gaurd because im from plain ole MS.
 

SkySurfer

Well-Known Member
I am Ivorian..but i always get asked if I am Somalian..especially when I have my hair in a big updo or something...hmm boggles the mind
 

nerdography

Well-Known Member
People are always asking me if I'm Belizean or Jamaican. I always say no, but being adopted I very well could one or the other or both.
 

prettypithy

New Member
I have been asked if I was from Marintinque, La Reunion, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic. It is basically a polite way of saying: "In my mind you don't look like the typical black girl, so why is that?" The answer for many of us is because we're American and have all kinds of different ancestors even though our parents both identify as black. I have gotten this on multiple continents, from people both black and white though blacks are generally the worst offenders. I have always found it irritating and kind of alienating when coming from other African-Americans--we should know how diverse we look better than anyone. Recently a friend of a friend asked me "Are you mulatto?" I was like, really, mulatto? Who says that?!
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
Well, I've met a guy who studied Anthropology and the first time he saw me he guessed I was from East Africa and he was dead on. First person who ever guessed right. He told me he is interested in people and can tell from features and that he has lots of friends from West Africa.

I've had a total stranger stop me in the street and guess I was from South Africa. I was wearing a hat and traditional African earrings so maybe he knew someone who used to dress like that. Then I've had people guess I was Jamaican or from Ghana or from the UK because of my accent which is clearly not American.

I know in Kenya, it's easy to guess what area some people hail from just because of their features, but it's not always fool proof. After living out of the country, I find now that it's not as easy for me to guess anymore as I have gotten used to seeing some of those features elsewhere...which is why I was surprised that this American guy who studied Anthropology and lives in a country where so many people look similar to me even though they are from diverse places could be so good at guessing where people are from. I pointed out another friend of mine from Zimbabwe and he said she looks like she's from southern Africa, which IMO was a good guess. To me she could've been from West Africa too since she looks like a friend of mine from Nigeria, so I don't know how he can tell.

I think if people guess you are from some place out of the blue, it's usually because you look like someone they know or have seen who was from there...or something about you reminds them of a characteristic they associate with that place.
 

MissSenegal

Well-Known Member
Umm was he looking at your booty when he asked this? I notice SA women have a lot of booty kinda of like video model Bria.
 

belletropjolie

New Member
Not to generalize but Africans from specific regions DO tend to have a specific look. Its had to explain but I can usually guesstimate which region an African is from. For example I have a friend from a specific southern african country and I noticed that they tend to have lighter skin with doe eyes same with west africans who tend to have high cheekbones or with sudanese and their very dark and rich skintone. Again I can't really explain it well, I just recognize it.
 

OhSoOthentik

Well-Known Member
I get that too. It's usually people from Africa who ask which country I am from, or they tell me that I have very "african" features.
 

niqu92

New Member
yeah the picture you google is what a lot of south africans look like IMO

im really good at guessing peoples ethnicities and not all africans look alike but unfortunately a lot of people are too ignant to realize tht lol
nigerians look different from rwandans who look different from eritreans who look different from kenyans etc.
also certain tribes have certain features such as the tutsi and the hutu tribes in rwanda.

90% of the time ppl think im dominican 10% of the time they think trinidadian.idk what it is about my features tht make ppl think tht the only thing i can think of is my skin-complexion and hair but besides that i have regular black features... besides the fact tht i dont have a butt lol
 

kblc06

Well-Known Member
I've been mistaken for West Indian, East Indian, Dougla (East Indian/Black mix), and various African ethnicities (from West Africa to East Africa) - all of these were from people who were from that region or ethnic group. I have no clue why, but apparently I reminded them of people from their countries :ohwell:. I look like a garden variety Negro to myself :lol:
 

MissAlinaRose

New Member
A few years ago, I wore my hair in a twa. While hanging out in BMore, I stopped at a light, and the guy in the car next to me asked me if I was from ghana? I don't know what women from ghana look like but I don't think I look close. But I was flattered all the same.

And a few months ago, I was hanging out in MD again, and wearing a twist out. The Ethiopian lady, who I could clearly tell was Ethiopian, asked me if I was Ethiopian. She surprised me with that question. I have no idea why she asked that. I would have asked her but I was having an extremely hard time trying to understand what she was saying and still being polite :ohwell:

Where I live we don't have a large number of different cultures/people so I don't get mistaken for anything here. :lol:

faithVA Omgoodness I feel the exact same way in regards to the bolded. I was flattered by his kindness, but his accent was heavy and I was listening hard! lol

The different cultures thing is true from where i'm from too. I normally just saw black, brown and white growing up. However, in Houston there are large communities from Nigeria, Vietnam & China. Hearing "South Africa" was different.

Ethopian, Somalian, or half-Indian. I don't really know what led to these beliefs, whether it be features or hair but it gets me annoyed when people mistake me for anything BUT Trinidadian. I know it's not their fault but it's a pet peeve of mine. :look:

Aireen Hey there! My best friend is from Trinidad (we call each other Twin because people think we look just alike)! We are taking a trip there soon...excitement!
 

kblc06

Well-Known Member
I've been asked where im from as well... Whenever I wear a twist out, im usually asked if im from the islands. I've had a few guys, on different occasions, with strong accents tell me I look like im from the Caribbeans or like one of the girls from the islands back home. With straight hair, this guy from India asked me what part of India my acestors where from. Totally caught me off gaurd because im from plain ole MS.


IndifinableJoli. It's so funny you should say the bolded because that's what I get most often, and I'm from MS too :lol:
 

MissAlinaRose

New Member
I've been asked where im from as well... Whenever I wear a twist out, im usually asked if im from the islands. I've had a few guys, on different occasions, with strong accents tell me I look like im from the Caribbeans or like one of the girls from the islands back home. With straight hair, this guy from India asked me what part of India my acestors where from. Totally caught me off gaurd because im from plain ole MS.

I totally get that too! And you know what's funny it sounds so un-exotic to say "Texas" lol!! But that's all I know. Texas & Louisiana

IndifinableJoli Oh and by the way, my boyfriend would say those men were "running game." He's so silly! :lol:
 

Bun Mistress

Well-Known Member
I have been asked if I am Asian. By AAM and others Even by Asians. You got me on this one. I just say no and KIM. I think people will pull things out of the air sometimes. Like you can't just be black.
 

MissAlinaRose

New Member
I have been asked if I was from Marintinque, La Reunion, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic. It is basically a polite way of saying: "In my mind you don't look like the typical black girl, so why is that?" The answer for many of us is because we're American and have all kinds of different ancestors even though our parents both identify as black. I have gotten this on multiple continents, from people both black and white though blacks are generally the worst offenders. I have always found it irritating and kind of alienating when coming from other African-Americans--we should know how diverse we look better than anyone. Recently a friend of a friend asked me "Are you mulatto?" I was like, really, mulatto? Who says that?!

prettypithy I despise statements like "regular black" or "typical black." Like for real ya'll what is a "regular black person"?:nono:

MULATTO??? Did someone really just call you a mule's offspring? *Where's the lawd gif when you need one* That's not cool.
 

NappyNelle

Kinky Coily 4A, Fine Strands, WSL
I'm always told that I 'must' be Dominican, Belizean, Trinidadian, Bajan, or Ethiopian, or mixed African American with one of those ethnicities.

Why can't I just be 'regular' black? :lol: MissAlinaRose (I know what you mean though.)
 

Ogoma

Well-Known Member
@MissSenegal, LOL...South Africans have more booty than other Africans? Really?

Yes. I did a lot of projects in SA at one point and that was something I noticed.

I am West African, but cannot tell where anyone is from by looking at them except maybe Ethiopians/Eritreans/Somalians and I confuse all three. I feel so unobservant and need to do better. I always get asked if I am from Jamaica, which is not surprising given our shared ancestors.
 

MissAlinaRose

New Member
Well, I've met a guy who studied Anthropology and the first time he saw me he guessed I was from East Africa and he was dead on. First person who ever guessed right. He told me he is interested in people and can tell from features and that he has lots of friends from West Africa.

I've had a total stranger stop me in the street and guess I was from South Africa. I was wearing a hat and traditional African earrings so maybe he knew someone who used to dress like that. Then I've had people guess I was Jamaican or from Ghana or from the UK because of my accent which is clearly not American.

I know in Kenya, it's easy to guess what area some people hail from just because of their features, but it's not always fool proof. After living out of the country, I find now that it's not as easy for me to guess anymore as I have gotten used to seeing some of those features elsewhere...which is why I was surprised that this American guy who studied Anthropology and lives in a country where so many people look similar to me even though they are from diverse places could be so good at guessing where people are from. I pointed out another friend of mine from Zimbabwe and he said she looks like she's from southern Africa, which IMO was a good guess. To me she could've been from West Africa too since she looks like a friend of mine from Nigeria, so I don't know how he can tell.

I think if people guess you are from some place out of the blue, it's usually because you look like someone they know or have seen who was from there...or something about you reminds them of a characteristic they associate with that place.

I have some Nigerian friends and one from Cameroon and honestly they look like they could be people in my family. They have features I see all the time around here. Even when I think I am sure that someone is of a particular origin most of the time I'm wrong (unless they are Ethiopian or something). But other than that nope.

Nonie To the last bolded I think that is very true. I think the guy asked me the question because maybe I looked like someone he knew from SA. I didn't get a chance to ask him where he was from because I was on the move, but I'm guessing he would have never asked if he didn't have some knowledge of the place.
 

cocosweet

Well-Known Member
I've gotten Nigerian, Ethiopian (now how can I look like I'm from opposing parts of the continent? Pick a side!), and Jamaican.
 

natural_one

Well-Known Member
I always gets Cuban or Brazilian...My mom gets it worst. Hispanic people will just start speaking spanish to her :lachen:
 

tiredbeauty

Member
I don't ever get any type of African...people ask me if I am Latina, which is true, I do have Puerto Rican in my ancestry (My grandpa is Puerto Rican) But if they had to guess, they usually ask if I am either Columbian or Dominican. I don't get offended though, I think its silly to be offended by such a innocent inquiry. With so much diversity in the world, people are curious and they shouldn't feel like they are offending someone by asking...and people wonder where the stereotype that all black women have a chip on their shoulder comes from...
 

candy626

New Member
people have asked me if I'm from the dominican republic, "the islands", if I was half indian (like from Asia indian), part Korean (that one really threw me off). I mostly have gotten Dominican or from the islands though.
 

tiredbeauty

Member
I always gets Cuban or Brazilian...My mom gets it worst. Hispanic people will just start speaking spanish to her :lachen:

natural_one - This. My best friend is actually Mexican but I guess to other Latino's she looks White, so they approach me speaking Spanish and they are surprised when I say "sorry, I don't know it yet, but she does" and they look at her and ask if she's Mexican! :lachen:
 
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