Was Buddha Black? Was Buddha African? The heritage debate

Yes and No. That’s the short answer.

The problem is that in the modern era, especially in the US, we approach the question of heritage from a VERY narrow lens.

This narrowed perspective even causes us to misunderstand phrases and “racial” views from around the world. Here’s a big reveal:

There’s not just one way to view heritage and groups of people.

I will not dive into all the misunderstandings in this article. Let’s look at the Buddha debate and see where it takes us.

Check out the banner at the top of this article. What do you notice about the hair of the Buddha? It appears very similar to what many call “Bantu knots.” Due to this and the facial features of some of the oldest Buddha statues in existence, some people have asked

“Is Buddha African? Is Buddha Black?”

Buddha was very likely what Americans would consider Black but it’s not certain if he was born in Africa or not. Some people reading will understand what I’m saying and others are looking at these words with their foreheads wrinkled in confusion.