Well put Tshidiso, you have exclusively captured the essence of the debate.
On 30 September 2010 10:55, Tshidiso Nkhahle <[email protected]> wrote: > Gugu > > > > Hope is saying “let us not imitate towards “white” at the expense of * > African* blackness” he also says colonial brain-washing promoted product > such as Ambi, Super Rose, He-Man, Seven Days, which were used by our mothers > and fathers in trying to look “white”. These where very harmful chemicals > that were aimed at lightning the skin color specifically for blacks. These > African believed that looking “white” would earn them some social status > space. A big false!! > > > > You raise an issue about Egyptians and Somalis….I do not believe any of > these ever imitated towards “white”. > > > > Hope is saying “imitating towards “white” would result in imitating towards > anti-African and black in the sense that the imitator would be encouraged to > behave and act the part. > > > > The natural phenomenon is that the beholder of the beauty of the African > woman lies in the eye of the African man. > > > > I rest mine. > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Gugu Ndima > *Sent:* 30 September 2010 10:36 AM > *To:* [email protected] > > *Subject:* Re: [YCLSA Discussion] Hair > > > > So if pigmentation and texture of hair plays a role in identity, then does > it make u less African to have a weave or straight hair? > > > > This reminds me of an advert by Metro (commercial radio station) the advert > asked "What makes you black?" and then they showed an albino woman....Is she > less black by having blonde hair and a light (white) skin completion? > > > > There is a generation of young people in our society that also fall into > this narrow pit that Hair and beads make them look more African, whilst they > accents remain euro-centric and live comfortably in the suburbs of Sandton > and Rosebank. The identity of Africans should not be reduced to appearances, > notwithstanding that it is an integral part, but being African has more > weight and Identity than hair and pigmentation.... > > > > Somalians hair is more Indian than the supposed "African" type of hair- > what about Egyptians? > > > > I honestly think this is a narrow analysis of Black hair, unless the > analysis is based on her observation of SA......Africans are diverse on this > continent and texture of hair should really not be a concern.Is she > dismissing Coloureds as non-African or less African? > > > > Hope sounds like Lebo Mashile > > > > Regards > > > > Gugu > > On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 8:01 AM, Dominic.Tweedie < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > [image: Business Day] > > > > *African-hair identity* > > > > *Hope Mankwana Papo, Letters, Business Day, Johannesburg, 30 September > 2010* > > Following a long, protracted struggle for freedom, in the era of the > African renaissance and transformation and retracing of our suppressed and > lost identity, why are some of the black African people dumping their > natural African hair and trying to look like Asian and white women through > long artificial hair and wigs? This is contrasted by a very small number, if > any, of Asian and white women who want to have their hair look like that of > black women. Some black people even sport long blonde hair. What really > motivates these hairstyles? > > What is the difference between these hairstyles and the mentality which > motivated the misguided and colonially inspired use of the abominable skin > lighteners in the ’70s and ’80s? Some people argue that they have a choice > and can afford to do all sorts of things with their African hair. Granted, > but I think this choice has to be exercised and informed by available > hairstyle options, which retain the essence of who we are as Africans and an > understanding of the terrible apartheid history of being called monkeys, > baboons, barbarians and not being good at anything. > > This choice has to be informed by the humiliating and racist practice of > the pencil test through the texture of the hair, to see if a person was a > black African or a coloured. > > Did we struggle for some African people to consciously and unconsciously > ridicule our rich African identity? > > Does freedom mean always having to conform to the practices of other > people? Should we accept silly arguments that people feel uncomfortable with > their African hair? Is mimicking some of the mannerisms of some of the > African-Americans, influenced by an inferiority complex, correct? > > We cannot talk big about being African when we cannot deal with basic > things which are within our control, such as our attitude to some of our > natural attributes like hair. > > It is a recorded historical fact that African people contributed immensely > to human civilisation. Does changing our hair to look like the natural hair > of Asian and white people enhance this history? > > While issues such as health, education, fighting crime and corruption, > rural development, creating decent work and poverty eradication are > important to continue addressing, we cannot do that outside the context of > understanding who we are and our background as Africans. > > As we part with the September Heritage month, we should ask whether we are > ashamed of our African identity. Being African is an important aspect of > building a nonracial SA. > > > *Hope Mankwana Papo* > * * > *Johannesburg* > > > *From: http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/Content.aspx?id=122366* > * * > * * > > > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > > > > -- > Gugu Ndima > +27 76 783 1516 > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > -- Coordinator; Africa For Haiti Campaign Tell: 011 318 1012 Mobile: 076 191 0405 http://www.africaforhaiti.com/index.html -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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