The Black Man NOD
by Kevin Washington, Ph.D.
San Francisco State University
Africana Studies Department

Within the context of most cultures many aspects of being have meaning, metaphor and what is often referred to as magic. This can be found throughout the contemporary activities of a people in the form of dress, cooking, and a variety of daily movements. All of these artifacts of cultures have implicit and explicit meaning. It is much of the implicit meaning of the rich cultural heritage in African/Black culture that been most intriguing in the wake of modernity. This exposition will briefly look at the Black Man’s nod that seems to be prevalent among men of the African Diaspora. This non-verbal gesture seems to connect and inspire Black men in all walks of life.

A Black man in Germany handling business notices another Black man in a busy subway and eye contact between the men was made. In that instance the younger Black waiting on the platform for a train gave the Black businessman a nod. His head leaned back while his chin was raised slightly in the air. The door of the train closed, the train moved on the Black businessman had paradoxical experiences going on within him. The stressed Black business, going to work for the first day in a new place, instantly felt a calm come over his body. Although his body was settled his mind raced to try to understand what had just happened. Why did he feel more after the nod? What did the nod mean? Why was the simple gesture so meaningful? Who was this Black man to nod? The questions continued, however no real answers came until the Black began to understand African Worldview and it multiple expressions.

The African Worldview (or what Linda James Myers identifies a an Optimal Worldview) seeks peace and thrives in an environment of harmony. It is profoundly spiritual and operates with the belief that all things are connected. Among the Zulu this idea of interconnectedness is called ubuntu. Ubuntu means that your “humanness” is connected to my “humanness” and that we can only be human together. Among the Bambara it is called sigi misan, sigi mabo, which means that there are all types of people in the community and they all impact one each other by whatever we do. My Louisiana Grandmother said, “What goes around, comes around.” George Fraser states that your “net worth is determined by your network.” The idea here is simple. There is a profound understanding that all things are connected and this connectivity generates some outcomes. Whereas this thinking is not exclusive to people of Afrikan descent it does have special implications when spirit and unique conditions are added to the equation.

Within the Afrikan concept of being there is this deep awareness of “spirit” which is ever present. Dr. Wade Nobles states that Afrikan/Black people have a knowing and knowable spirit. It is this aspect of Afrikan being that creates connections between Black people even though they may be physically coming in contact with someone for the first time. That knowing and knowable aspect of being influences the interactions of a people. Thus the many gestures that we use to interact with one another become a manifestation of our spirit. These gestures include signature hugs, handshakes and hand slaps. They extend to nonverbal modes of communication that include instructive eye contact, hand-face movements, and head nods. They are all experienced beyond the physical via a deep prevailing spiritual energy. Additionally, they all have implicit and explicit meaning. The shared collective experiences and the spiritual attunement allow one to decode the meanings of these gestures for the sake of survival.

The experience of colonialism and enslavement served to make the non-verbal modalities of communications of Black people more imperative for their survival. Although there are a number of non-verbal gestures that could be highlighted here, suffice it to discuss the Black mans head nod. That cool response that black men seem to give one another when they can get speak to one another within an ear shot. It is that modality of say “whassup?” in many different ways. The head nod is distinct and is accompanied with spiritual energy.

There are a number of explanations for the distinctive head nod that is commonly shared between Black men primarily within the Afrikan Diaspora. What is very well understood is that it has implicit and explicit meaning. Explicitly, it is an acknowledgement of another person’s physical and spiritual presence. In a show of respect for the humanity of another Blackman one nods the head back with the chin moving up. This show of respect is much like ubuntu in that it says, “I see you and respect you because we are connected in ways that others may not understand.” It clearly states, “I am connected”, while asking, “are you connected?”

Implicitly, it transmits spiritual energy from one Black man to another while at the same time it receives energy and accesses the essence of the other Black man. For example if one Black gives the back head nod with the chin up and the other gives a nod with the chin down then an assessment is made about the level of connectivity that Black man with the chin down has with his essence. Generally, those of European descent advance the chin-down nod. Such nod implies submission or I am friend not foe. The chin–up nod means something a little more than just confrontational exchanging within the Black context.

The chin-up nod has been linked to enslavement while this other extends it beyond enslavement. While suffering under the horrific conditions of enslavement Afrikan people developed some highly sophisticated ways of communicating with one another. It must be remembered that the Afrikan enslavement process was predicated on taking the soul or essence away from the enslaved. The Roman Papal even sanctioned enslavement of Afrikans because they stated that the Afrikans had no souls and were heathens earlier in history. In an effort to justify the mistreatment of other Afrikans, Europeans continually tried to take the soul from Black people through beating, raping, and changing the names of Afrikans. Enslaved Afrikans found many ways to affirm one another’s existence in many ways. Creating food for the soul, thus making it “Soul Food” was one such way. Another way was through non-verbal gestures. One gesture was the chin-up head nod. This nod suggested that although things are tough now; keep your head up because liberation is coming. It was comforting to many who would have otherwise lost the will to live on. The question that remains to be answered is why the chin-up head nod.

This author contends that the chin-up head nod was and is symbolic of there being no power higher than God or the Creator. The basic belief within the Afrikan Worldview is that God (Oludumare, Nyame, Kle Nunlunkulu, Ammasi) was the Supreme spiritual essence that must be attended to. The chin-up head nod acknowledges that High spiritual energy and says that you cannot destroy that which you did not create; nothing is grater that that which created me. Among the Akan they call this Gye Nyame meaning that there is none greater than God. Men would were a symbol of the Gye Nyame when they would go to war with their enemies and have their chins up. During fights Gye Nyame means I fear no one except. Among other groups there are similar symbols and sayings which all allude to the idea that there is now power greater than God. One of my grandmother’s favorite passages from the Holy Bible was Psalm 121 “I look to hills from whence cometh my help… The look to hills for her was looking at higher ground. The chin-up means God is great so elevate your mind. Honor the power of the Creator that is within you by standing strong knowing that you are connected to a Source that is greater than your situation

The young brother in the train sent a message to the Black Businessman elevates and know that you great Black man. Be divine and know that it is you time to shine.