The story I am about to tell you is a story of passion, dedication, and how to shoot art. In addition, it’s a tale of how photography meets art, in a way to revive a particular form of urban art in a big and busy city. Most importantly, this adventure will tell you how to rediscover the mural boxes.
Mural Boxes – Kindgom Crossed – Box 2, Iguana
Rediscover the Ottawa’s Mural Boxes – How to bring arts to life
This story started in the Nation’s Capital, the city of Ottawa, only weeks ago. That is to say a story about a man with a camera, and a passion for photography. In addition, this tale portrays a man on a quest to give a second life to one of Ottawa’s most impressive urban arts. Most importantly, this is about how reviving the Mural Boxes Art Exhibit Tour.
In Search of Incredible Arts
It was a cold Saturday winter-like afternoon. Paul Gino Ulysse decided to take his family on a discovery journey in the downtown core of the city. Above all, his idea was to bring back the Mural Boxes to resident’s consciousness. But, how to achieve this: by designing an online photographic exhibition with renewed shots of the utility boxes.
Paul’s idea took us to every corner of downtown Rideau because he aimed to shoot the artfully painted utility boxes. As we were moving from one street to another, the cold stopped bothering us. The cold weather gave way to excitement, hopes, and wonders. Suddenly, cold metal boxes warmed up while forgotten utility boxes turned into colorful urban arts with personality. From mundane everyday boxes of wires, art slowly started to come to life, another time.
Talking about personality, the Mural Boxes project is part of the Downtown Rideau Culture Walk. Moreover, this project includes two different exhibits that display the work of Ottawa artists. In addition, this is an award-winning program, and recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the International Downtown Association in 2017 in the category of Events and Programming. This project’s aim was to commemorate the celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial 150th birthday in 2017. Similarly, the Downtown Rideau Business Improvement Area (B.I.A.) introduced this artfully designed project. In conclusion, it was part of its public art program in partnership with the City of Ottawa.
The list of principal artists part of the Mural Boxes Exhibit tour:
Retake the Culture Walk and rediscover the Ottawa Mural Boxes through Paul’s Lenses
Kingdoms Crossed – Box 15, Scarf
Box 17, Auntie Mame 17
Box 6, Auntie Mame Blue
See how Paul Gino Ulysse is bringing back the Mural Boxes to resident’s consciousness in a series of renewed and breathtaking shots of the boxes. By using his professional camera and his cellphone camera, he was able to create a mix of different shots that resonate with this amazing art work.
This is what Paul has to say When asked about the reasons that pushed him to do a photo-shoot of the Mural Boxes.
As a photographer, I am always looking for striking scenes to shoot. One day a view of the 1000 Arms Indian Dance painted on a utility box in downtown Rideau struck me. Although, this utility art box has been in this corner for a while, I had missed it several times. That’s why I decided to pay tribute to this amazing art work with renewed shots of the box.
To sum up, the idea of art mural boxes is not exclusive to the city of Ottawa. In fact, this is a worldwide trend that brings a new life to urban art in several cities. Some popular cities for utility box art are Mexico city, Mexico, Toronto, Canada, Calgary, Canada, Los Angeles, California, Glendale, California, Dublin, Ireland, and Madison, Wisconsin to just name a few.
A more diverse photoshoot can be found in Paul Gino Ulysse’s Instagram account. Check out @paulginoulysse for more gorgeous and surreal shots of this amazing urban exhibition and a new way to rediscover the mural boxes.
VoiceOasis has on board a group of men to discuss the conditions of women in the 21st century. This is a new chapter in the conversation promoting women’s rights we started two years ago. In March 2016, we invited a group of women to talk about women’s freedom through hairstyle. A year later, we had another group of women, millennial versus older women, confront their ideas on the parenting roles of women in our society.
Facts about Global Women’s Living Conditions to Help Promoting Women’s Rights
Men and women have walked the Earth together since the dawn of time. This relationship is interchangeable because men and women not only breathe the same air, but they cannot exist without one another. It’s a biological thing. It’s a human thing. This is the right time for promoting women’s rights.
However, some cold facts show that around the globe women are living in unacceptable conditions.
Women face inequality in almost all social, cultural, political, religious areas. Salary gap, violence, social, political and cultural abuse, religious bondage, and so on.
Canadian women working full time still earned 74.2 cents for every dollar that full-time male workers make. (The Globe And Mail)
Women in the US earn on average 78 cent for a dollar that a man earn while African-American women earn 64 cents and Latina women 56 cents for every dollar earned by a Caucasian man. (The White House)
One in four girls around the world was married before her 18th birthday (Clinton Foundation)
Some African, Asian, and Middle East countries have more than 200 million girls and women alive today that have undergone genital mutilation (WHO)
In countries like Saoudi Arabia, women are denied the right to purchase, open a bank account or seek medical treatment on their own (Independent)
63 million girls worldwide do not have access to education (USAID)
Each minute, 28 underaged girls wed (Global Citizen). An estimated 140 million girls will marry before their 18th birthday between 2011 and 2020 (Clinton Foundation)
Promoting Women’s Rights Through Men’s Lenses
This year VoiceOasis joins voices to the initiative He for She to encourage men’s involvement the fight for promoting women’s rights. Some prominent figure support this initiative including Emma Watson, UN ambassador for the He for She campaign or Danai Gurai of Black Panther with her #LoveOurGirls issue.
Lucya Spencer (left) and colleagues – Photo Courtesy: Dainton Haase
Women have been fighting for years to reach gender parity around the globe. The world has seen many great feminists whose fights in promoting women’s rights resulted in women’s rights to vote. These fights also led to women’s autonomy in several countries. Recently, women have stood up against inequality, salary gap, sexual abuse. Many popular hashtags such as #MeToo or #SheToo are icons and symbols of these movements.
However, having our male allies on board is imperative in promoting women’s rights. I have also been inspired by my husband. His involvement in our relationship, his stance on equality and his view on women’s rights have encouraged me to pursue this road.
I firmly believe that promoting women’s right is everyone’s fight.
We cannot succeed if our male counterparts are not involved. Luckily, many men are conscious of the barriers that are reinforcing gender inequalities, and are doing their part for equality.
When men get the opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of women in their lives, women they are closed to or women they are proud of, it expands the conversation on women’s conditions. When men are conscious of women’s issues, of inequalities based on gender, it makes them question their own situation and foster a desire to work together for true equality.
Let’s give the floor to our male guests in promoting women’s rights.
Throughout their words, so much admiration and love surfaced. Their testimonies showed an amazing awareness of women’s issues. They address questions such as abusive relationships, economical and social barriers of different kinds as well as sexism and racism towards certain groups of women. Their insightful points of view on the the topic is simply eye-opening.
How can men’s involvement help change women’s conditions?
What can men do to improve the situations of their mother, sister, cousin, friend, mentor, teacher or colleague?
Our male allies tackle all these questions . Join your voice!
Dainton Haase – Breaking down women’s issues and promoting Women’s Rights
Dainton-Haase
Dainton is a Project Manager and has established an organization to help more black women get involved in IT for promoting Women’s Rights.
When we think about women’s issues, we tend to overlook problems encountered by women in the western countries, particularly women from vulnerable groups. Today, it seems that we look at countries in Africa, South America, Asia or the Middle East to point to issues related to gender violence. We do the same for sexual abuse or despotic rules denying women their rights to vote, to drive, or to be educated.
During his interview, Dainton has tackled some well-known issues faced by immigrant women in Canada and other western countries, especially those from minority groups. He boldly discussed topics such as chronic racism, poverty, and sexual abuse that especially affect this group of women.
Lucya Spencer – Photo courtesy: Dainton Haase
Promoting women’s rights through their contributions to society:
Honouring the memory of Lucya Spencer, the Executive Director, Immigrant Women Services Ottawa, Dainton shed lights on this very organization created by this Canadian immigrant to help other immigrant women setting up in Canada.
In Dainton own words, “Lucya Spencer made Canada home and made sure every immigrant who came here has the tool to do so.” This is a powerful message that highlights the contributions of immigrants in making Canada a better country, and in this case a woman, a black woman.
Dainton’s testimonial shows how the quiet force of some unsung heroes, women like Lucya Spencer can serve as a springboard to foster changes and inspire others.
Chad Dubeau
Chad is a professional Information Specialist and a Master Graduate in Library and Information Science, and advocate of the promotion of Women’s Rights.
This ally talked about a dynamic and unique relationship with his wife, Chantale. While honouring his wife, Chad has denounced an erroneous view that portrays women as ‘irrational’ people. This irrationality bestowed upon women dated back to centuries ago and yet still plays a role in gender inequality.
He explained that ‘he and his wife both applied for a job to teach English in Asia. Although his wife ‘s competence in the language and teaching skills were vastly superior to his, he was offered the position and she wasn’t. He didn’t accept that job. What really stands out in the story is how differently they were interviewed for the same position.’
He said that ‘he was treated as a professional and the majority of the questions they asked him were about his qualifications for the job. Her wife’s interview on the other hand revolved mostly around asking questions pertaining to her social life and how she would handle situations with male coworkers. In the end, she felt flustered and insulted.’
Promoting women’s rights to avoid dismissing them
Our society use excuses too often to diminish women, to give them lower wages than their male counterparts, and confined them within social, economical, cultural, marital and religious taboos.
Having men on board is a tremendous leap for gender equality. Men’s awareness can help stop violence against women. Male allies can help foster education for girls, reduce poverty among women and children. Sometimes, it may be something as simple as saying no to a type of injustice against a woman just like Chad didn’t accept the job in solidarity with his wife.
Robert is a Certified Human Resource Professional. He is also an advocate of Women’s Rights
He is paying tribute to his wife, whom from Robert own words is ‘an activist and environmentalist’, a woman who ‘follows her morals even in the face of adversity’.
In his testimonial, Robert is tackling a common problem faced by women: how ‘difficult’ it is ‘for a woman to be heard’.
Malala Yousafzai said: “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” Sometimes, in today’s world and particularly in the western societies, it’s difficult to imagine that women can be muzzled. However, religious fundamentalism that is imposing unfair rules on women and wiping away their independence, use of force to abuse women and silent them, denying women their fundamental rights to education are evident ways of muzzling women.
There are on the other hand subtler ways to silent women in their daily activities. Sexist jokes, taboos about women’s ‘irrationality’ and all these prescribed and internalized social and cultural rules that women are up against everyday. For instance, many girls will not choose to study in STEM areas because they believe it’s out of reach for them.
Some simple ways men can be allies in the fight for promoting women’s rights:
Conscious men can strive to respect women, listen to their concerns, and accept to learn from them.
Robert has proven to be an ally through his openness to women’s conditions and his willingness to learn from his wife. He said: “she has made me more open to different viewpoints and helped me learn about the issues. Without her, a lot of my views would be apathetic, but she has opened my eyes, and I am grateful for it.”
Amir is an Economics graduate turned front-end developer. He is pushing for the promotion of women’s rights.
He believes that men can be a voice for women’s rights. They can become an ally in the fight for promoting women’s rights.
Men can be an ally by recognizing women’s contributions, their strength, their intelligence. Amir said he’s been inspired by his mother all his life. He also mentioned being ‘in awe of her resilience and patience’.
How male ally can join forces in promoting women’s rights
Being an ally also means partnership with women without feeling that you are losing your territory to women. The fight for equality is not one gender against another. On the contrary, it’s about working together to reach fairness for both men and women. It is about joining forces to make the world a better place for all.
Amanda Seales – Photo credit: Wikimedia_Commons
Amir referred to Amanda Seales, an actress and a vocal woman who is promoting women’s rights. This advocate mentioned that he is particularly touched by one of Seales’ recent interview, where ‘she spoke on the fact that women’s rise does not represent the fall of men.’
This interview breaks down women’s independence by mentioning that ‘men must adapt’ for ‘women’ to become ‘empowered and attain equality’. And independence means ‘women wanting to be with a man as opposed to needing one’.
Alliance stands for working hand in hand
Being an ally means adapting to new reality and accepting the new roles deserved and slowly being assumed by women. It also means advocating for the advancement of equality by promoting ways to reduce gender wage gap, foster better education for women. An ally is someone who condemns violence against women and all kind of attempts to muzzle them.
Ultimately, it’s about openness and willingness to educate yourself as an ally, to question your privilege, and understand women’s conditions. As Amir put it: “after that interview my perspective on partnerships between men and women has definitely been changing to accommodate these new dynamics.”
Please, join us in promoting women’s rights!
Are you a concerned man, are you a #MaleAlly ? We would like to hear from you.
Princess Yennega the Svelte – An inspiring story of courage, feminine strenght and love….
All across the world women are victims of patriarchal taboos, sexism, and the well-too-familiar lack of understanding from their male counterparts. To make matter worse, violence against women is still raging. How many women are still dreaming of the day the world will finally see their full potential, will judge them on their skills and not on their gender? When will sexist jokes stop being part of our everyday routine?
Yes, women are still faced with unacceptable inequalities and discriminations based solely on their gender. However, we should question ourselves about how much we truly want things to change for us, how much we are willing to go the distance to make the changes we need a reality.
Hey ladies, time’s up! Let’s stop being princesses and become the queen in our own life.
If we want things to change for us, we not only have to stand up for ourselves but go to the source of the problem and redefine the concept of independence.
Most modern women including myself love to say that they are independent women, the kind who do not need a man’s help. Nevertheless, if we want to be honest and dig deep within ourselves we’ll find some really shameful thoughts, these kinds of thoughts we don’t want to loudly voice, these thoughts that are real setback on our way to become true independent women.
We will come back to these thoughts. Before that, I’d like to highlight the life of a woman who is a great example of femininity, strength, and independence.
Presenting Yennega the Svelte (who ironically is the Princess of Gambaga, a part of present-day Ghana).
However, the story of her life is more epic than any fairy tales.
As shown in the recent Black Panther movie, the history of Africa is filled with skilled female warriors and fearless women like the Dora Milaje inspired by the Amazon of Dahomey of Benin. The story of Yennega the Svelte is similarly the story of an amazing African warrior and Princess.
A Woman to Look Up To
Although there are some variations in the story of Yennega, Records show that Yennega was the daughter of King Nedega of Gambaga (also called Na Gbewa in other African Oral stories[i]) and has lived between the 14th and 15th centuries. Yennega was very close to her father and as such was raised like a boy. She learned at a very early age the arts of hunting, horse-riding and fighting and grew up to be a tremendous warrior who could use a bow and a spear like no-one-else.
Princess Yennega was brilliant, fearless, and a badass woman referred to as Yennega the Svelte. The kingdom counts many victories because of her. The princess was so phenomenal that her father, the king, wouldn’t let her wed for fear she would leave and the kingdom would lose one of its best warriors.
Feeling betrayed by her own father and with a growing desire to have a family of her own, Yennega found the most inventive manner to show her dad how she was feeling. She planted a field of Ocra in front of her father’s house and let it rot. When her father asked about her behavior, she explained that’s how she felt by not being able to start a family of her own.
Unfortunately, the king wouldn’t agree to let her daughter marry, saying she was still very young. He ordered that she be locked up like you would send a child to her bedroom for misbehaving. So Yennega came up with a plan to break free of her prison and take control of her own destiny.
Doing so, Yennega was technically not a princess anymore. She became a queen from this very moment by taking responsibility and taking charge of her life. Her bravery is an act of defiance against patriarchy.
A legendary woman
Having enough of her father’s mistrust and lack of understanding, Yennega broke free of her prison with the help of some guards. She fled in the middle of the night and galloped till her last strength to a faraway land, the forest of Bitou, in the south west of today’s Burkina Faso. She then faced her destiny and met the man of her life, an elephant hunter named Riale.
From this day on, Yennega added elephant hunting to her numerous skills, worked alongside Riale whom she later intertwined her destiny with. They conceived a son to whom she transferred her bravery, knowledge and wisdom. That’s how she became the mother of the moose people. Yennega had thought her son well! Later on, the boy became the founder of a powerful army and create the Moose kingdom whose descents are still alive today and remember the story of Yennega and her son.
Now let’s get back to these deep shameful thoughts, so deeply rooted and somewhat unconscious.
What are these thoughts or feelings and why do they make us feel so embarrassing?
Princess Yennega and Princess Shuri
They are what I call the princess thoughts.
Remember as a little girl—discussed in details in my recent Black Panther blog– you probably wanted to be a princess and growing up you tell yourself you don’t want anything to do with princesses. But the fact is deep down yourself those feelings linger, sometimes very difficult to identify.
These feelings are not merely about being a princess per se. They represent our unwillingness of becoming an independent woman, of becoming a queen, the responsible adult in our own life.
They are deeply rooted in our traditions, our societies, our families and within us, but not very easy to identify.
To illustrate, I asked some women on a Facebook post on one of my female friend’s wall, about whether they would be willing to buy a man an engagement ring if they were richer than their boy friend. My friend replied she would rather wait until the man was rich enough to buy her a ring.
Obviously, it would have been a sacrilege to go against traditions and taboos and be the woman who takes the lead in a traditionally realm of men. We want to be independent women and in the same time we want a man to lead our life. Hmm! Can’t work like this.
Remember most Disney Princesses before Shuri, the princess of Wakanda, their life is ultimately the same routine with some few exceptions. Whatever their skills, bravery, and courage their happily-ever-after always implies a prince-savior, a hero that will save the ‘damsel in distress’ and get the girl in the end.
How many times have we claimed to be independent to finally giving up on our independent desires in front of our male counterparts?
Is it me or all our social and religious institutions seem to have rules meant to keep women at bay. There are places and religions where women cannot go out with their hair or even their faces uncovered. There are religions where women can never be leaders and have to settle for the roles of religious assistants. There are even parts of the world where women are still denied education solely on the fact of being women.
Another fact is women are still largely the group that raises children, and so those who transmit these sexist behaviours and help maintain the patriarchy alive. So why? Have we ever asked ourselves why? Are we that helpless or do consciously or unconsciously we like playing the ‘princess in distress’ as a way to avoid responsibility? Are deeply have these feelings been internalized?
The answers to these questions are not obvious. However, it is clear that if we want to be free of social bondage, we have to be aware of these feelings and work to go pass them. Ultimately, we have to want the change we need.
Women very often paint the portrait of the perfect guy as the Prince charming. A strong but kind man who wears the invisible cape of the hero because they unconsciously desire to be protected. Somehow, we inwardly believe that we are not strong enough.
It’s a good thing some women have tried to defy the conventions and became models we can turn to in our fight to be heard, respected and be seen as equals. We have women who from the dawn of humanity have stepped up and stand up for themselves and those they love.
We are lucky to look up to Yennega. She is an example of a strong woman, a skilled warrior and a person who was not afraid to stand up against patriarchy and shape her destiny. We all have a Yennega inside of us. It’s this flame of courage and strength that we can call upon when the time comes to break free from sexist and patriarchal traditions that keep forcing women into bondage.
Our inner Yennega is this power that pushes us to stop being princesses and become queen in our own life. This power that leads us on the verge of responsibility for ourselves, on the brink of freedom.
Why do we feel so ashamed of these deep-rooted feelings?
The shame comes from received ideas that strength and femininity cannot work hand in hand. We need to review our feminist ideas. A woman can be both strong and completely feminine. Our strength does not need to come from getting rid of or try to weaken our male counterparts.
The feminist revolution should be one that teaches to value differences between men and women, to accept that men and women complement each other instead of being divisive. This is another great lesson from Yennega. She was a brilliant and fearless warrior and a strong woman with an even stronger desire of meeting a man she loves to start a family of her own. To Yennega, Riale was a partner, she learned from him to become an elephant hunter and thought him how to become a warrior. They have a partnership in which they complement each other.
Yennega as strong as she was never denied her feminine nature. Instead, this was part of her strength and what made her become a legendary woman and mother who raised her son to be as a strong a warrior as she was and an even greater leader.
There is nothing wrong with being a woman in charge and being feminine in the same time. We don’t need to mimic men’s behaviour to be strong.
How many times have we seen women in power dress completely like men when they need to deal with difficult work or business-related stuff?
A woman’s strength has to come from within. And it’s only by freeing ourselves from these received ideas (patriarchal or erroneous feminist views), by loving and accepting ourselves that we can accomplish that.
So, ladies, let our inner-Yennega talk and not be afraid of taking the lead in all areas of life including relationship, work, education, religion.
Why can’t a woman propose to a man or buy him an engagement ring?
In my recent blog and long piece, From the Princess and the Frog to Black Panther: Paving the way for black female representation, I wrote even before the release of the movie why representation in Black Panther is so important. Now I am telling the story from a fans perspective. This is a compilation of some of the most expressive YouTube videos and tweets of fans about the Marvel/ Disney franchised movie Black Panther. An attempt at explaining why Black Panther is more than a movie, but a political and social movement.
Check out these videos to find out why fans are saying that Black Panther matters.
Black Panther fans in Baltimore
To fans Black Panther's a 'game changer'
"Black Panther will make history" - A comic book fan's word
Wakanda in style!
Fans in Nashville are posing before watching Black Panther
To some fans, Black panther is a ‘cultural event’, 'the Promised land’
Black Panther Rocks the continent of Africa. Fans are feeling proud and celebrating the first black African superhero in a Hollywood Blockbuster movie
From ABC - Black Panther is "said to shatter stereotypes of the African continent and its people
According to fans, "Black Panther is a time of celebration" - (Washington Post)
Ultimate Black Panther fans coming out of the theather in this video by World Of Africa
Black Panther fans in Baltimore
To fans Black Panther's a 'game changer'
"Black Panther will make history" - A comic book fan's word
Wakanda in style!
Fans in Nashville are posing before watching Black Panther
To some fans, Black panther is a ‘cultural event’, 'the Promised land’
Black Panther Rocks the continent of Africa. Fans are feeling proud and celebrating the first black African superhero in a Hollywood Blockbuster movie
From ABC - Black Panther is "said to shatter stereotypes of the African continent and its people
According to fans, "Black Panther is a time of celebration" - (Washington Post)
Ultimate Black Panther fans coming out of the theather in this video by World Of Africa
Display of African cultural attires, flash mobs, and Wakandan sketches are just some of the ways fans have chosen to express their joy over the release of Black Panther. Wakanda may not be real, but the emotions it triggers, particularly among black people is real. The meaning of Black Panther is as real as its inspirational and motivational potential, its capacity of reminding black people of the inner greatness that lies within them, its ability in instilling in black minds powerful dreams to help them believe in their potential and reach for the stars.
Black Panther has been released for only two weeks and it has got the whole world on its toes. From fans who watch the movie several times to others who dressed up in traditional African clothing, the celebration has known no bounds. I’ve actually seen the movie twice and plan on watching it a third time because I also feel connected in a way I’ve never felt with any superhero movie before. I understand the importance of a different portrayal of people who look like you in the big screen.
These tweets are saying it all!
Ok. So I’ve seen #BlackPanther 5 times in the theater. I loved it! My only issue is that I had to watch it several times to see the opening fight scenes. It was too dark. I could see it better in 3D but that was the 3rd watch. I knew where to look. Everything else, fantastic.
For #Wakanda! Man #BlackPanther was one hell of a movie and I would watch it several times over! A good 10/10 Marvel movie, I laughed when everyone left as soon as the visual credits came on. pic.twitter.com/g7VIh7wEnW
Years of slavery and continued racism have undermined Black people’s confidence. As a black woman raised in the Caribbean where racism towards Black people is almost inherent, I know something about it. Indeed, your upbringing can play a major role in how you interact with the world, in your confidence to face others, to stand up for yourself.
In less than two days, the Disney/ Marvel movie Black Panther is set to hit the big screen and the anticipation has already reached the roof! Just picture a Marvel Superhero movie with a mainly black cast. Better yet with a black African Superhero and king, surrounding by an army of skilled back female (the Dora Milaje), on a mission to secure his kingdom (Wakanda) and save the world.
This movie has the potential of reaching into the Black community and strikes the positive cord (at least of those who have the chance to watch movies like that) reminding them that, despite racism and every day injustice towards them, they too have within them the power to reach for the stars to change the world, to paraphrase Harriet Tubman.
Now, let’s pause, right. We are talking about a movie, a Disney/Marvel superhero movie. However, aside from being entertaining Black Panther already promises to be more than just a movie. Black Panther has already set sail to become a legend, to mark an era and hopefully to be a token of change and foster more movies like this.
A Political, but Entertaining Hollywood Blockbuster
The purpose of any superhero movie is to entertain first and foremost. And Black Panther promises to do that and more, in a diverse and revolutionary way. The anticipation is high and tickets’ presale has already starting to break records. With a predominantly black cast, black lead role and antagonist, directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther has set a precedent. No wonder the idea of doing such a movie has strained almost three decades since 1992 until it’s finally ready for the big screen.
Representation matters and this is why Black Panther is so meaningful for black children.
When I was a kid I was desperately looking for role models that actually look like me, that fit the little black girl with big dream that I was. Wherever I looked, in media, books, or religions the actors, superheroes, prophets were all either white and/or from foreign cultures.
I remember how much I was full of dreams as a kid to finally drop most of them one by one as I was growing up. Reality eventually catches up with me. So dreams, little black girl dreams of mine started on TV and fairy tale books. I guess just like many other little girls around the world who grew up watching Disney movies or reading fairy tales books, I dreamed of being a princess. A beautiful princess with a daddy king and a mommy Queen and later on, as I was growing up, a queen. Unfortunately, there was no black princesses nor black queens in those fairy tales.
Tiana, the first black female character in Disney Princess appeared in 2009, a pale copy of the original story, the Frog Prince in which the princess was at least royalty. Tiana on the contrary needed more than kissing a frog to realize her dream. Actually, Tiana, a black girl from poor upbringing who grew up in the United States during the segregation era became a waitress with chattered dreams after losing her father. Her dad had thought her the value of hard work and she fought to fulfill the dream of opening her own restaurant someday, a dream she had shared with her father. However, without the help of her “white-savior” friend (Charlotte) and far-away Prince Naveen, Tiana would have never been able to realize her dream and finally be elevated to a high social rank.
Does hard work not enough in the American Dream country? The question is why going away from the original story to only come up with a needy black girl whose everyday fights didn’t really amount much. Was Disney saying that black people could not be royalty? Why not imagine an African princess, for example like Yennenga the Svelte of today-known Burkina Faso, a skilled warrior who went miles to find true love, inspired many and become a legendary queen?
Kids everywhere need more than mere everyday struggle as fairy tales, but stories that can develop their imagination and allow them to reach for the sky and beyond. Black girls need stories with powerful black princesses, queens, warriors and female black superheroes they can identify to.
Luckily, Black Panther is looming in the horizon just like a light at the end of a tunnel. Yet another Disney movie, but with the touch of Marvel genius, Black Panther is a refreshing note in the ocean of dominated white hero movies. And just in time for the celebration of Black History Month this February.
Set in Africa, in the imaginary city of Wakanda, world’s most technologically advanced nation, prince T’Challa returns home after his father’s death to be crowed as the new king. However, coming back home isn’t without its share of troubles. Wakanda is the golden nation or to be more accurate the Vibranium nation, the ‘Eldorado’ that European vile conquerors have wrongly been searching for in Latin America. Therefore, Wakanda’s people have gone miles to protect and conceal their nation’s treasure mainly most sought metal Vibranium from the rest of world.
A preponderant role for women, for black females in particular
Black Panther has set the course for a change, for a new direction in superhero movies and to restore an erroneous image of black people in the silver screen. The idea of seeing every African nation as “third world countries” to paraphrase C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross in the movie or black people as second class citizens.
Faced to old domestic enemies and a foreign thirsty smuggler determined to steal Wakanda’s vibranium to take over the world, T’Challa suits up as Blank Panther in an epic hollywood blockbuster that promises to keep the audience spellbound. Uprising, treachery, and chaos has forced our hero to call upon Wakanda’s special forces, the Dora Milaje (the “Adored Ones”).
The Dora Milaje inspired by real life African Warriors
When Wakanda’s powerful weapon is at risk of falling into the wrong hands and the fate of the whole world in balance, the Dora Milaje women do what they do best, protect their beloved kingdom. The ferocious female warriors will go to the end of the world to restore balance.
This is the greatest part of the upcoming movie. Wakanda’s protectors are all women, members of the Dora Milaje, the kingdom’s special forces. Dora Milaje is inspired from real African warriors, the Amazon of Dahomey also called Mino Warriors. These women from today’s Benin were ferocious warriors whose movement has spanned over several centuries since 1692, making their kingdom into one of the greatest.
These women were strategists, ferocious and skilled enough to win many victories against the French army. It is said that no man wanted to be in the wrong turns with these ladies. Bringing these characters in the Black Panther movie – under the Dora Milaje label – is one of the best things for black girl confidence. Finally, black girls can relate to these women, can see their future selves as females in command and capable of protecting themselves. Here is one big chance to witness powerful female excellence on the silver screen. Girls and women everywhere can look up to these women in the fight for women’s rights, and understand that they can shape their own destiny.
Celebration of female geniuses: Meet the Brilliant Princess Shuri
Princess Shuri of Wakanda – Marvel/Disney Black Panther
Not only the kingdom relies on the Dora Milaje forces for its protection, but the king relies completely on his sister, Princess Shuri to help win this war. Shuri is an inventor, a strategist and the leader of the Wakandan design group. With her master in Engineering and savvy understanding of advanced technology such as artificial intelligence, Shuri is one of the smartest people in the world. Her genius and sharp mind, her know-how in AI and design as well as her sense of humor makes her a vital partner and a good friend.
Indeed, movies like Black Panther that bring black excellence to the big screen will resonate within black communities wherever these movies are displayed. Moreover, by portraying an image of an advanced African country and skilled African women and men that you don’t get to see very often in the Media, Black Panther is reaching into the very core of black excellence.
You have to be a black person to understand the black experience, to understand what it is to be considered as lower citizen, to not be deserving of second chance, to be more than everyone else the object of racism and injustice, to feel like your skin color is a handicap.
Of course, one movie cannot change all this, one superhero movie cannot change the world. However, this is a good start. It’s an attempt at reconciling Black people with the rest of the world and with themselves, a boost to black confidence. We need more of such movies that portray decent images of other races and of dark skin people in particular.
It’s a good start until there could be movies about black female superheroes just like Wonder Woman. Let’s hope that Black Panther will inspire more movies that focus on true excellence, on diversity and not only on one side of the story.
Do not miss the chance to enjoy a movie that promises to be full of actions, full of special effects and awesome superhero versus villains fights. A movie that will entertain, make fans proud and set a precedent for black superhero movies while opening a window on the brilliance, skills, and importance of black female superheroes in the comics universe and in the new world we live in.
