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From: tjj@ssc-vax.UUCP (T J Jardine)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.africa
Subject: Re: derogatory words
Message-ID: <729@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-May-85 20:13:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.729
Posted: Fri May 10 20:13:07 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 12-May-85 04:46:54 EDT
References: <906@hou2h.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 17

> Does anyone out there know why people talk about tribes only when referring
> 						   ~~~~~~
> to African peoples?

It seems to me that one speaks about 'tribes' when talking about African
people primarily because that is the method of organization that those people
have chosen.  I'm not an anthropologist, but I think that there are segments
of the Arabic and Semitic people that use the term tribe.  There are tribes
in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and Borneo.  There are tribes in
South and Central America.  There are even the remnants of once proud tribes
in North America.  Perhaps we are all members of a tribe?  Certainly this is
not unique to Africa, black or any other color.

-- 
TJ (with Amazing Grace) The Piper
Boeing Artificial Intelligence Center
...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!bcsaic!ted