“Modern British identity grew with and was shaped by the fundamentally and undeniably racist British empire.” By emphasising the unethical practices of the British Empire, the reader is able to appreciate the lasting impact British colonialism has had on many ethnic groups residing in Britain today. We are brought up to speed with Akala’s poverty-stricken, working class background and we are provided with a recap of the salient historical events that included the migration of Afro-Carribeans and other minority ethnic groups to Britain pre and post world war II. Largely using informal and accessible language, Natives enables the reader to easily engage with the topics of discussion. “My relationship with my mother was not just the relationship of mother and son, but of a white mother to her black son.” This premature, yet shrewd awareness of race largely stemmed from his experiences of racist abuse throughout childhood, and was compounded by the fact that his Scottish-English mother was separated from their British-Jamaican father, leaving his white mother to raise her mixed-race children alone.Īkala’s thoughts on this situation can be summed up in the following reflection: This educational exploration begins in the author’s formative years, where, as a mixed race boy, he begins to question his personhood in an attempt to reconcile both sides of his identity.
Drawing on personal anecdotes and historical accounts to interrogate the ways in which race and class intertwine in a post-colonial world, Akala’s Natives showcases the unique set of challenges faced by working class people of colour in Britain.
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