NEW MUSIC: Laura Mvula - That’s Alright
Mvula’s videos just keep getting better and better, and so do the messages in her songs.
Here, she tackles various identity issues from having dark skin to resisting other people’s notions of who she is, or should be.
This has officially become my new anthem.
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(Source: halloweenmermaid, via delchampion)
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For decades, the Baby Dolls were among the more enduring mysteries of New Orleans’ African-American Carnival celebration. Women dressed in vintage baby bonnets and short, frilly skirts showing off their legs and strutting their stuff were fixtures in Zulu parades for ages, but by the 1960s they began to fade away, possibly due to emerging concerns about negative stereotypes. By then, few recalled their history or cared. In recent decades, the Baby Dolls experienced a modest revival that became more robust after Hurricane Katrina, but it took a new book, The “Baby Dolls”: Breaking the Race and Gender Barriers of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Tradition, by Kim Marie Vaz — and this subsequent Presbytere exhibition of images, costumes and memorabilia — to finally put it all in perspective.
(via afrodiaspores)
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Zoot Suits, 22 June 1948. Three Jamaican Immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Roberts, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury onboard the ex-troopship Empire Windrush, smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats.
source - Juke Box Britain: Americanisation and Youth Culture, 1945-60, by Adrian Horn, and posted here
(via afrodiaspores)
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I strongly dislike this idea that progression in countries is measured by their imitation of western society.
(via thisisnotindia)
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This little company from Kenya makes toys from slippers that wash up on the beach. Pictures by Ben Curtis
The company’s name is Ocean Sole: http://www.ocean-sole.com/
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Memin Pinguin
throughout the attempt to re-animate Memin Penguin via literall 3D animation, I want to focus on the dangerous facets Memin presents to the erasure of Afro-Mexicans. To what expense did Memin Pinguin’s comical role play to the erasure of the Afro-Mexico identity? By focusing on the 2005, as the year that re-drew attention to Memin Pinguin’s racist inflection. But more importantly, highlight Mexico’s racially backward /colorblind attitude toward alternative racial identities, specifically Afro-Mexican identities. Memin Penguin became a promotional mascot for the bicenntainal events, and persuade consumers to purchase the “Commemorative Editions” of the comic, and the postage stamps: http://www.voccoquan.com/images/memin%20pinguin%20stamps.jpg
Former president Vicent Fox (2000-2006), defended Latin America’s blackface character because Pinguin demonstrated admirable family and friendship values. Other defenders of Memin Pinguin used similar derailment tactics, demonstrating that in other episodes of the comic book Memin Pinguin became was no longer teased, and was loved by everyone else.Herein lies the tones of colorblindness. Throughout Mexico’s historical history, African slaves were incontrovertible an influential force to Mexico’s socio-political development. Even during the Mexican war of Independence (1810-1821) Afro-Mexicans such as Vincente Guerrero, Jose Morelos, and even Emiliano Zapata were prominent individuals to Mexico’s independence. My aim here to bring out of the periphery Mexico’s “third root”, and the intersection of colorblind attitudes, marginalization, and government endorsement.
By virtue of giving Memin Pinguin a voice, it endangers the representation of spectrum of Latin-American identities that are embossed, Afro-Mexican bodies exist only when the spectacle spotlight shines. Memin Pinguin positions the continues the marginalization of non-citizen individuals through ridicule and commodification undergird the intention to ingrain how these identities are only allowed to exist. What is the role in Memin Penguin during the bicentennial celebrations? Tobe used as a real-life puppet to novelize the tolerability of alternative Mexican profiles. From the clip Memin Pinguin’s commercial calls out to younger generations; “Tus paps me conocieron, ahora tu me vas a concoer”
A perverted invitation to involve children in the continuation negligent conceptualization Afro-Mexican identities. What is perhaps most eery about this commercial is the promotional sale of the special edition of the comic. On the forefront of the cover, is Memin holding the unbroken chains with a speech bubble that translates to “oh geez, we’re finally free!” Nonesense. Since Memin Pinguin is imbued with racist ideologies, it continuously constricts Memin to proclaim any respectable status. -
Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle and Sebastian (by slytherinheir16)
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Healing Scroll
Date: 18th–19th century Geography: Ethiopia, Tigray region Culture: Tigray region Medium: Parchment, ink, pigments, cotton
In Ethiopia customized protective scrolls that interweave sacred imagery with textual prayers have been prescribed by traditional healers for over two thousand years. These were carried on the person of the individual to whom they were specifically dedicated to shield them from harm.
Often the customized content of a scroll is astrologically determined. In Ethiopia as in ancient Greece, each human being has a corresponding zodiac sign associated with a particular destiny and talismanic character.
The iconography of the scrolls thus alternate between talismanic “seals” and representations of saints, angels and archangels shown in the act of fighting demons.
The seals are modeled on the seal of God that was revealed to King Solomon and feature geometric patterns intertwined with stylized representations of multiple visages and eyes that indicate prayers for divine intervention.
(via dynamicafrica)
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MARINA: “La Bamba: The Afro-Mexican Story” There’s been little talk of Mexico’s so-called “Third Root”: Africa. Africans came to Mexico with the Spanish as soldiers and slaves-so many that by 1810, the black population of Mexico was equal to that of the United States. Today, African heritage persists throughout Mexico, yet for a variety of reasons, black history has long been silenced.
Read more about the travel that lead to this programming: http://www.afropop.org/wp/tag/afromexico/
(via mexandthecity)
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Erick Msumanje | My Mother’s Songs
My Mother’s Songs, is set in an African landscape that examines inter-generational trauma. The film depicts a collection of traumatic experiences through the eyes of several young women desperately trying to make sense of their existence. This theme is connected to Africa’s history of brutal colonialism, shattered dreams from independence, and chronic poverty.
View the harrowing trailers and read more.
Our very own Hampshire student
(via dynamicafrica)
Theme: Linear by Peter Vidani
