Russian/German/Polish | Ghanaian

Photo credit: Tenee Attoh

I am a mixed-race heterosexual woman. I am not religious, born to a non-practicing Russian-Jewish mother and a father who was born Muslim but converted to Christianity later in life. My mother is of Russian, German and Polish descent. She was born in Odessa, Ukraine, during the Soviet Era. My dearly departed father was a Fante man from the Saltpond - a coastal fishing town in south western part of Ghana. The Fante people are ethnically part of the Akan group. In the 60s, my father and his brother received scholarships to study in tertiary institutions in the Soviet Union. Thanks to my multilingual grandmother (she spoke French,German, Greek, Russian, Ukrainian and Yiddish ) who worked as an interpreter and translator for young African students during their preparatory year in Odessa, my father somehow met my Mother while he was studying to become a medical doctor and fell in love with her. I am guessing it was reciprocal!  

My mother, just like my grandmother, absolutely loved everything that was not standard and unconventional (original!), which in the Soviet Union was tantamount to being rebellious! She was quite fascinated with my father's ‘difference’ and took an instant liking to his spicy meals and the rhythmic music to which he had introduced her to.

The cultural shock only hit my mother when we moved to Ghana after my dad completed his studies in USSR. My mother - who was totally clueless about the culture at the time - found it very hard to fit into the Ghanaian society and way of life. My father's family could not communicate with her because she only spoke Russian language. This put a lot of stress on my father and (sadly) eventually affected their relationship. My mother could not return to the USSR as she had had to give up her job, benefits and her apartment in order to get permission from the Soviet Authorities to leave to Ghana. So, she remained in Ghana even though she was most unhappy at the time. Now, after almost 50 years in Ghana, my mother refers to Ghana as her country and does not regret remaining here after all. She loves the food and music and has learnt to appreciate and respect the local culture and the Ghanaian people. 

I think that the new generation of Russian women have an advantage over my mother's generation because of access to information about their partners' cultures thanks to the internet. Hence, they can do some in-depth research about the *do's* and *don’ts* and all other sociocultural aspects prior to getting involved with a ‘ *foreigner* ’ and moving to his/her country. Personally, i don't accept certain cultural practices hence I could not possibly marry or date a man who would expect me to cover up or be subservient to him and his family or expect me to approve of female genital mutilation etc. I am not religious, so I couldn't be with someone who would expect me to convert either. Though I am Jewish by birth through my matrilineal descent , I don't practice any religion. 

I believe that it's absolutely wonderful to be linked to so many nationalities and cultures and races. I feel like I am a citizen of the world, an embodiment of pure blind love that looked past skin tone. I was a bit confused as a child about whether I was Black or White, but now I feel just happy to be me and I choose not to let the silly labels affect me. If I feel discriminated against in a place - I just avoid going there if I can! Possibly, this was why I left the Soviet Union as a teenager (my parents sent me there to study and live with granny ) and returned to Ghana. Being fair in complexion in Ghana can actually be an advantage as (sadly) most people like my skin tone , and because of that (sadly) many women use bleaching creams to try to look mixed-race or light-skinned. 

Ironically, this same skin tone didn't help me much whiles I was growing up in Odessa in the south of Ukraine (USSR). I was constantly subjected to racial slurs of the worse kind and my sheer existence attested to the fact that my mother was some sort of " *traitor* " because she married a Black man - an inferior species to the Russians by all standards. I was an embodiment of something shameful. Thankfully, it dawned on me that intellectual superiority would gain me respect from my mates at school and they would eventually look past my skin tone. To that effect, I also participated in all types of sports activities and sang in the school choir and danced. I even taught my mates Michael Jackson moves! So in no time, I became the favourite of my teachers and sport instructor, and my mates came to me for help with English and geography and math. However, each time I stepped out into town, I would often hear derogatory remarks or mockery from strangers in my address. The usual nasty stuff often said about dark or African people. Often, the racist boys at school called me " *Snow White* " . It was hurtful to me then, but now I find it totally hilarious! As time went by, I developed a thick skin and a very stinging tongue as I had mastered the Russian language perfectly and could verbally crucify anyone who attacked me with racist rhetoric. After completing secondary school , I didn’t even attempt to continue to the university in the USSR but instead chose to reunite with my parents in Ghana. 

Guess what happened to me when I moved there?! I was perceived by my own compatriots as a foreigner and called ‘ *obroni* ’ a term which can either mean " *White* " or " *Foreigner* " depending on the context. In some instances when misunderstandings between myself and someone have arisen, he or she could say to me " *Go back to your country* !!" just because I am a light-skinned person. But I don't let it bother me at all. _C'est la vie._ 

On a positive note, I made a very successful career in Fashion (Kora Fashion Award Winner 2001) out of combining Russian and Ghanaian symbolism and sense of style. Because I grew up eating Ghanaian and Russian food - I love both equally, and rhythmic drumming to me is just as natural as listening to Tchaikovsky.

In terms of defining myself, I didn't understand as a child whether I am Black or White, but now I am just happy to be me - Bee. I allow people to see in me whatever they choose to without allowing that to affect my own perception of myself. What I don't and won't tolerate ever is disrespect towards me. Being a Bee, I am quick to sting if provoked on a bad day! Mostly, I attribute certain negative attitudes towards folks like me to ignorance or stupidity, and often i just ignore that behaviour as it is important to be at peace with one's self and not allow other people to constantly destabilise you with their prejudices. 

In my country Ghana, many women are entrepreneurs and quite a few are fashion designers. Because homosexuality is frowned upon by the society, it's impossible to have statistical data on the rate of homosexual women in the fashion industry. Hence, I am assuming that most or all female fashion designers (unlike their male counterparts) are heterosexual like myself.

I am an artist so if I am given another ticket to this planet I would like to come back only as an Artist.