Why are black people dont go for camping?
Holidays under the veil seem to dislike Brits from minority races. But why?
“Do I look like a camp to you?” splutters my friend Kiren. And I have to admit, her dry hair and beautiful nails don’t scream “tent lover”. What about Anna, who grew up in Macclesfield, a rocky outcrop in the Peak region? “What can I do for you?” he asks, busy. Amal, on the other hand, never even considered putting it in a tent.
The tent may have lost its image of Peruvian socks and became as fashionable as vintage clothes and cakes, but not everyone is bewitched. The few times I’ve been to camp, I’ve always been one of the only non-white faces around. And while my white friends would camp anywhere — camps, festivals, writing events — my non-white friends were unsure.
Shalalini, a lawyer who likes to camp, admits that he only lived with white friends. “He’s very attached to the camp,” he said. “I reinforce myself with statements like ‘That’s a funny word’ or ‘Where are you from?’. I think that will be difficult for young families or groups.”
Then there is the fact that Asian family holidays tend to be more general, all-inclusive stories. I remember the air coming in and the face smashed by the window as we tried to squeeze four adults and six children into each car for family days. While this may seem like a camp, Shalalini observes that it makes smaller races more aware of where they are going. “Families in Asia tend to go on vacation with all their resources and resources; therefore they may be concerned about sniffing out members of the people. ”
For Amal, who grew up in Somalia, it is a fear of rural areas. “I feel that London is my place of luxury,” he tells me. Like many people, you are apprehensive about what Trevor Phillips once called rural “useless racism” — the fact that rural areas have so few ethnic groups. “I’m worried that people will treat me badly or not be friendly to me,” Amal said. “Actually, I’m worried they’re going to be racist.”
However, tents are facing an explosion, with Eastlake saying it is part of a recession. “It is no longer so cool when it comes to being overly sensitive and unfriendly. People think a lot about family time and simple pleasures. ”
One thing Asian families understand is family time — so what’s holding us back? First, there is no tradition of tentmaking among immigrant communities, which means that there is no unwelcome pull. The rural area is seen as an escape route. The Satirical website Stuff White People Like puts it succinctly: “If you find yourself trapped in a dense jungle with no electricity, running water or a car, you might describe the situation as ‘bad dreams’. . . Whites call it ‘camping’. ”
Kiren tells me that her parents, originally from Pakistan, would not take her. “Traditionally, you are considered poor if you live or live in an area without brick walls.”
Mustafa Audhali, who helps manage the Muslim Scout group in Birmingham, says the link between simple living and poverty is very strong. “Most of the minority groups that have come in the last few decades have become poor, working in heavy-duty industries such as factories and mills, and have built up a bit — so camping can be considered a step backwards. ”
When I ask Anna’s mother, who grew up in Bangladesh, if she would consider camping, she laughs. But then I know his family comes from a beautiful village. “Yes,” sighed Anna. “So if they see a beautiful river or green fields here, my family will say, ‘Do you think this is green? You should see Bangladesh.”
Things are changing, though. On my last camping trip I met a mixed-race couple, and Eastlake says the number of people growing up (slowly) is increasing. Audhali says she is full of requests from parents who want their children to enjoy sleeping outside in a way they have never done before. “It really is something I will do with my children. My only daughter is currently, but I can’t wait to take it. And as our scouts grow up, I hope they will take over their families. ”
Even Amal is willing to be replaced. “I would consider it another day — but I would love to have a white person camp with me.”
