In May-June this year, when the world was stunned by the brutal killing of George Floyd, two-time Twenty20 World Cup-winning West Indies captain Darren Sammy grabbed headlines with his startling allegation that his Indian teammates in the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad addressed him as ‘kalu’, a word he later learnt had racial undertones. The 36-year-old Sammy, who plays T20 leagues around the world, stepped on the gas as #BlackLivesMatter gathered steam. Sammy spoke to Soumitra Bose from St Lucia. Excerpts:
The West Indies cricket team has been a potpourri of races and colours. You even had White men as captains in John Goddard and Gerry Alexander.
The West Indies never had a problem embracing any culture. If you see the history of Black people or the people of colour, we always had to adapt to the environment, adapt to places where we go. Embracing other people’s culture has never been an issue. The issue has always been the other way around...people embracing us.
It’s always been the White man versus the Black man. Look at cricket history. When Australia dominated with fast bowlers like Lillee and Thomson, there were no restrictions on bouncers; as soon as the West Indians started dominating, the rules came in. I take it as systemic racism. It still did not stop the West Indians because we were strong-minded, and we put our heads together to face the challenges.
That means sport is not a great leveller….
As the years have shown, despite the oppression, social injustice, police brutality like in the US, Black people still find ways to rise. So imagine if we were all on a level playing field, how great we could be.
Regardless of colour, can you really stop someone who is talented?
If you hear the Lebron James story, the Usain Bolt story, Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose and all top Black athletes, you will be hearing tales of how they conquered the odds. Ability and motivation to use adversity to improve your family’s value and respect has been the story of successful Black athletes.
A 1971 Muhammad Ali video asking his mum ‘why is everything White’ continues to do the social media rounds. What does it signify?
Bob Marley said, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind”. For hundreds of years, our forefathers were made to believe that everything good is White. And now people are talking about it…we haven’t been taught our true history. In school, my kids will hear about Christopher Columbus and how ‘great’ he was…it is false information being put out there. You play on the young ones’ psyche that ‘I am less than somebody else’. That’s worrying.
What’s the solution then?
The education system has to be reviewed. Now, if you talk about real heroes like Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, Barack Obama, Michael Jordan, Jessie Owens, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks et al… highlight them the same way we do White men, the modern generation will have a better understanding of history and greater appreciation for people of colour. I didn’t encounter slavery, my children know about it, but they ought to know the history and only then will they know the difference between good and bad. It’s a long way, a long process, it’s about a vision. The world is realising that it’s the time to change.
Can the George Floyd incident be a turning point in history?
It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Amidst the pandemic lockdown, everybody paid attention. It became symbolic. It was not just a knee on the neck; I saw it as a symbol of power suffocating those who are less fortunate. We see this all the time…. Just like that knee choking life…that’s what the system has been doing to people of colour and the less fortunate across the world.
Do you think sports administrators do enough to curb racism?
Cricket is too caught up with match-fixing. ICC doesn’t want the scourge of fixing to tarnish the credibility of the gentleman’s game. We had sessions on anti-corruption before every tournament. I wish ICC puts the same emphasis on anti-racism. We all want to compete skill for skill, but not in an abusive environment that looks down upon the colour of my skin.
India is incredibly diverse. You were livid when you understood what a word like ‘kalu’ meant but later cooled down.
I too have to understand local cultures. Yes, I was angry but now that I have information that it was not what I thought it was, I will not dwell on it anymore. These guys (Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra) were like my brothers and I still see them like that, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have a conversation. Ishant said, “Bro I would never use anything that would degrade you...we all love you and we operated in the space of love”, and I have believed him. I wouldn’t let that one incident define my relationship with India.
Hasn’t consumerism impacted the colour debate?
It certainly has. There may not be racism but there was a hint of colourism in the Fair and Lovely ad. They (Unilever) literally say lovely people are the fairer people. I take pride in who I am, the way I was made. I am the chocolate man and love the way I look. Words that are degrading and aims at the colour of your skin are unacceptable. Period.
Can we see you in IPL again?
I am closer to retirement; I’m travelling less and less. I will be back in India either as mentor or coach or even as a player. I will never say I’m not coming to India. Have great memories and my last international game (2016 WC final) was at Eden Gardens. And will give Ishant a tight hug when I meet him next.
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