Calling all African Booty Scratchers!
Growing up as an African girl in the boogie down Bronx wasn’t the easiest experience, especially if you didn’t speak English. For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, Black Panther -first, what’re you doing sis?- go see it! Black Panther is more than a movie; featuring beautiful Black people (yay for representation) and authentic glimpses into different African cultures, Black Panther (the movie) is a movement. The characters live in a mythical African country called Wakanda, which is an image of a successful Africa most of us have never imagined.
The Black Panther film movement seems to be uniting Black people everywhere, which is a new phenomenon. Although all Black people are members of the African diaspora, separated only by slavery and immigration, there has been a division between Blacks around the world. From African Americans to Caribbean Blacks to Africans born in the motherland, we have often focused on our differences and ignored our unifying lineage.
The Pre Wakanda Era
Before the Black Panther film movement, we lived in a “Pre Wakanda era,” and it was brutal for us Africans! I experienced the most teasing from other Black people who looked just like me, but did not want to be classified as African. It seemed like all my Black classmates thought that being African was a curse or a disease. I got hit with everything, from being called an African booty scratcher to being asked about fighting lions. People used to make clicking sounds at me and ask if we lived in huts back home. It all sounds funny today, but for a 14-year-old girl who felt like she didn’t belong, it was scary to experience an identity crisis because of where I came from. Lucky for me, I still proudly repped my heritage.
Fast forward to 2018, the Post-Wakanda era, everybody’s W O K E and wearing African print dashikis! Where was all this hype about Africa when I was in middle school?
The Post Wakanda Era
As important as the movie and this idea of “Wakanda” is, we need to be careful not to get lost in the hype. Don’t just talk about it because it’s “in style.” BE ABOUT IT. Make this Black pride and African brother and sister-hood a way of life. Proudly build yourself and your fellow people up by supporting black businesses, investing in your community, and most importantly, investing in yourself to serve as a role model for others. Learn about the culture and support the culture! Educate the youth so that they hear more stories than the slave narratives we are fed in our school systems.
I could be bitter about this movement and not want to invite other Black people in because of the teasing I endured. However, that’s not fair. Many of our brothers and sisters around the world didn’t know about our beautiful history because it was taken from them. We have a chance to come together now more than ever before. Let’s take advantage of this movement and maintain it as a culture. #WAKANDA FOREVER
My African Booty Scratchers…Unite!
I love this blog on growing African outside of Africa and pre Wakanda. I can relate to the teasing growing up in Australia. It took a fake country in Africa for people to embrace Africa. People are easily sold on Hollywood but not on reality. What I loved about “The Black Panther” was the accurate depiction of our rich and diverse African culture. I hope that African Americans research the different cultures, tribes and find their true lineage and celebrate it. Research the different tribal garments worn by the different cultures, the food, the local economies and represent your culture. Please do not throw random animal skins on and think it represents African culture. It represents the movie “Coming to America”. All those professionals that are of African lineage that feel they want to make a difference. Go back home and open up businesses, help build Wakanda in Africa. The resources are there. God blessed Africa. Lets rise in truth of how MAGNIFICENT THE AFRICAN CULTURE TRULY IS AND LETS BUILD WAKANDA.
Author
Dalene, thank you for your feedback. I am so glad this post resonated with you and I agree that this should be something that is realized in real life.
Love this sis ❤️
Author
Thank you sis!
I loved everything about this!❤️
Author
Thank you for your feedback.
I love this article! I think there are so many hidden messages behing the movie. Africa is a continent full of natural resources. If we had good leadership and did not depend so much on international funds whatsoever we would be building our cities with our own money and resources. Its just sad that Wakanda doesn’t really exist, everything has been sold to foreigners in most countries.. God help us get our Wakanda one day! I believe we can! ✌🏽
Author
Salematou thank you for reading, I definitely agree that Africa is rich in resources. We just need to start using it to our advantage instead of selling it to foreign countries.
I love this and how you are speaking out about the realness. You are BEAUTIFUL!
Author
Thank you so much for reading
LOVE everything about this! ❤️
Author
thank you
Love this ❤️❤️
Author
thank you
Ah, I love this Aicha! I too experienced the name calling and felt the lack of unity growing up in the caribbean. It was such a disappointing time in my life, but even more disappointing when I moved to the US and found it was worst here. I still can’t understand why people were so segreateed. the world we live in.
Author
I think it has a lot to do with the fact that many people didn’t really care for their ancestry and that has now changed
You are such a beautiful soul Aicha! I just love you and this post so much. So enlightening!
Author
Thank you so much for your feedback
so beautiful said. Love this!
Author
Thank you
Very well written Article, I’m so proud of you sis. May Allah continue to bless you and your beautiful daughter. Oya, let me go back to this article lol. Well honestly I feel like Black panther has been given so much credit for empowering Black culture but however, We Africans especially those from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Ethopia should be given more credit for promoting self pride and proudly embracing our cultural heritage even when we are constantly mocked or bomabared by our fellow brothers and sisters in the West. We started the movement that arguably compelled a Movie like Balck Panther to be made. In my humble opinion Black Panther is a continuation of what Afro-beats started or should I say the Black Panther movement is an Afro-beat movement in a Movie context.
Author
Im so sorry for my late response, thank you so much for your feedback. Yes definitely, I agree the movie just bought more attention to it.
This blog was beautifully written. This conversation needs to be continued. Keep up the good work.
Author
Thank you for your feedback