In the process of modernization things have changed and there are ongoing changes. We are happy for the changes that yield good fruits. Leaving aside the way of dressing there are other things if they are not well thought-out will wipe out the identity and beauty of an African woman.
Now it is so depressing to see fellow African women changing their skin colour so that they may look like mzungu! You know, when God created people with variety of colours it was a brilliant idea. I think to God we are like flowers in a garden! We should really appreciate this. Just tell me, WHO WOULD WANT TO SEE ONLY ONE FLOWER COLOUR IN HIS/HER GARDEN? Can you imagine how would it look like? Or imagine your house surrounded by one type of flower!
There has been a fashion of changing skin colour using chemicals especially for young African women with the notion of looking for “beauty”. Sad enough those chemicals have proven several health side effects. Is beauty real a matter of light colour? or mzungu colour? I always ask myself this question and I come to a conclusion that everyone looks good/beautiful in his/her own natural colour.
Do you know that African women are very beautiful with the natural black/dark skin and big bodies? That’s what makes African women unique! Be proud of your colour! Be proud of yourselves!
If u do not value yourself who else will? I beseech fellow African women, to keep safe and save from harm your skin colour.
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5 comments:
I agree this is a terrible practise. It's sad that the standard for feminine beauty is still being set by the West, and that this "standard" is essentially impossible to meet. But most of all, I think it's sad that women are still willing to do harm to themselves to try to adhere to any kind of beauty standard.
In response to Caitlin. ALL beauty standards are conventional -- but they aren't going to go away.. "Western" standards are promoted by popular western culture and advertising; "Indian" standards are promoted by Bollywood. An "all-flowers-are-beautiful" (female and male)standard is a good one to promote. Bob
Beauty standards are driven by the economy. Beautiful is what is unatainable for most so that we can be sold products or services which are supposed to help us attain these impossible standards.
In the "West" woman have to be thin, young, blond...so we diet, colour our hair, buy anti-wrinkle creams or, if this doesn't work, well, there's always plastic surgery!
The idea of an "all-flowers-are-beautiful" society is certainly great...will we be ever ready for this? Who knows...in the meantime, we continue to whiten our skin with harmful creams or risk skin cancer in an attempt to get a nice suntan! Ines
bound feet, corsets, skin whitening, hair straightening, breast implants, botox, $250 dollar jars of 'anti-aging' cream, extreme body hair removal, extreme thinness (in some cultures, extreme fatness)...unfortunately, no culture seems immune from stupidity...and now in N America, men too are succumbing to body waxing, makeup, expensive creams, facials, plastic surgery.... I guess part of it is cultural and part seems to be human narcissism and dissatisfaction with the self. It would be encouraging if people spent half as much time (or spent half as much, period) on what's inside themselves as they do on the outer layer!
Hujambo. Asante sana my Sister for your views on this subject. Greetings to all that read my words. I appreciate the opportunity to share my views and I respect the views of all others. I came across your blog when I did a google search for "true role of Afrikan women". I am preparing a workshop in North America in Harlem, New York called "The Divine Sisters". It is so encouraging and refreshing to know that our Sisters on the Afrikan continent uphold the Afrikan standard of beauty for our women & men. One of the roles of Afrikan women is to teach and promote the best practices of our indigenous Afrikan culture, as other women in other cultures do. Remember, we are the first peoples to populate this planet and have a responsibility to transmit the highest principles given to us from the Mother-Father Creator. We are the first teachers. Although, we may speak different languages and live in various parts of the planet, we all have very common threads of values and principles that bind us into a beautiful textile or beautiful garden as you had said. Let us remember that the styles, thoughts, etc. from the "western" or "west" is not to be mistaken to be the road to modernization. The "western" ways are for a certain wazungu (caucasion european) culture. If we are to take on any type of modernization, then it needs to first be filtered through the highest ideals given to us from the Mother/Father Creator or the natural laws of the universe. These natural laws promote life-giving principles. So, if "modern" or "western" or any other culture's ways are anti-life, then it need not be integrated into our lives at all. My hair is natural and my clothes are Afrikan and I get beautiful comments from all cultures on my Afrikan beauty. I am learning Kiswahili and the Mdw Netcher (Ancient Egyptian-Afrikan hieroglyphics). We love our sisters and our brothers on the continent and love your beauty. Please let as many know as possible that there are many Sisters and Brothers in the Americas that want you to show the world your natural beauty in skin color, natural hair styles, African clothing, language and other African cultures. Have them share with the world the reasons about their lifestyle/culture as taught to them by their elders and fore-parents. Tutaonana.
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