The Lebanese Obruni...

I am an "obruni". Yes, a white person. I know this just as well as the people that point it out to me on the street everyday in Ghana by hollering "obruni". At first, I thought it was ridiculously funny and when children would say it, somewhat endearing, but it nevers seems to stop. I've been told that everyone means to say it in good spirit and I can accept that, as I've only ever seen someone say it with a smile on their face. It has made me more aware of how it feels to live as a minority, although I am far from understanding the oppression that so often accompanies living as a minority. My best defence to the constant "obruni" chorus and clicking has been to ignore it, which seems to work fairly well.

I am also experiencing what it's like to live in an international community, where "obrunis" could be from literally anywhere. At times, I must be very in tune with my Canadian identity because I've had people guess right of the bat where I'm from. Even someone on the street approached a taxi I was in and said I was either Canadian or American. How did he know? More often than not though, I am mistaken for someone from Lebanon, Armenia and just yesterday I got Syria!?!? Since when does a Scottish, Irish, British descendant look middle eastern? I must have eaten too many shawarmas before I came.

I will have to set the record straight for Ghanaians and other foreigners about my heritage by either singing "Farewell to Nova Scotia" or performing Robert Burns poems.