Grant Barack Obama his American roots, good as our genes are

It may not be such a good idea not to give a thought to the event of the week.

There is obviously a lot of drama at high levels of institutional management, but one has to accept that the bottom line is: here is a president of the United States visiting Kenya.

It has not happened since Independence. Is he coming because he has a Kenyan connection or is there something more?

Three days ago, I went into a social place where I found several people deeply engaged in a protracted argument about whether the man — President Obama — is Kenyan or not. It is a matter that interests me and so I listened.

Some of the things that were being said did not make sense to me, so I got involved. One man in that group was vehemently arguing that because he was born of a Kenyan father, he has, therefore, to be Kenyan.

At that point I thought I would introduce a little theoretical thinking and said: “It is culture that gives an individual his or her identity”. I wish I had not said that, for a lot of things were said about how Kenyan Obama is.

CULTURAL CONTEXT

Whether one likes it or not, the truth of the matter is that what makes an individual’s identity is not his or her biological/genetic formation.

It is the cultural context within which that individual has been brought up. The identity of any individual — no matter where they come from — is about how that individual has been socialised. Only society and social institutions can do that.

After Obama and his father parted ways — or after the father was no longer available, and from what we gather Barack was only a small boy then — there were other people who stepped in. A very loving American grandmother, who really would not have known anything about Kenya, let alone Kogelo village.

There was also a good grandfather who must have wanted to support his daughter in bringing up her son the American way, according to the American dream.

THE AMERICAN WAY

That is the Obama who is our guest. He is the President of the United States of America and he is that for the simple reason that he grew up the American way.

Talking about culture and the formation of identity and worldview, anthropologists tell us that it is an integrated system of behaviour patterns that are characteristic of a group of people but which are not as a result of biological inheritance.

President Obama may have Kenyan genes in him, having been born of Obama senior. He is, however, American and we must allow him to be that.

Fr Wamugunda is dean of students, University of Nairobi; [email protected]