Home 
Columns The Hofverberg Column Mo’ black, mo’ better… maybe
Columns The Hofverberg Column Mo’ black, mo’ better… maybe
| Mo’ black, mo’ better… maybe |
| Written by Christian Hofverberg |
| Tuesday, 27 October 2009 23:09 |
 ”… It incenses me that our own people don’t realize our own heritage, our own culture, this is our music man” “Everything you just said is bullshit… That’s right, the people don’t come because you grandiose motherfuckers don’t play shit that they like. If you played the shit that they like, then people would come, simple as that” - Excerpts from the movie Mo’ better blues
by Spike Lee The conversation between Bleek and Shadow Henderson (played by Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes) could be symbol for all forms of black music. A constant struggle between being true to the art and being true to your audience, or perhaps being true to yourself. But in fact, this conversation could very well summarize the never-ending conflict within black culture. Whether it be African-American culture, African culture or Afro-Swedish culture. Drawing from some of the comments we got from last weeks Ubuntu Film Festival and from the experiences I’ve had on other events related to black culture here in Sweden, there is pattern so obvious that a child couldn’t miss it; the more traditional, the more intellectual, the more serious an event is, the less number of black people you’re going to find at that event. No surprise there you say. It’s like that all over the world. And I hear ya’ll. Nevertheless, this is a problem. In a small country like Sweden, with a black minority who up until recently only been recognized by which African country one came from, this is a major problem. ‘Cause we are only in the beginning of forming an Afro-Swedish identity, and therefore, we need as many people as possible within our minority to take part in the events that shapes and moulds us. So what are we to do?
Well, sometimes I think that being black is to be schizophrenic. Or at least have a divided soul like Marvin Gaye. So I do respect the challenge an arranger of a film festival, the club owner or an entrepreneur faces when organizing an event connected to black culture. But you have to ask yourself; do I want this to become an event for a mutual admiration society?Maybe you need a more commercial or hyped film, artist, product or person to draw a broader audience. And when you have managed to get them there, then you bring on the quality material, the critically acclaimed album, the actors’ actor, the entrepreneur of the entrepreneurs. There’s a flipside to all of this of course. A lot of us Afro-Swedes, yeah you read me right, a lot of us Afro-Swedes likes to complain that enough things aren’t being done for us. But when things do happen, we don’t show up, we don’t attend and we definitely don’t get involved. Instead it is the old white lady with her well meant, though stereotypical and exotic, dreams about Africa that gets down with the gitdown. So sista, brotha! Swipe off that ignorant look on your face and bring your thoughts to the table. ‘Cause mo black makes it mo’ better… maybe? So what do you think? Lets discuss! Comment below.
|
Comments
You are right about the old white lady syndrome that black cutural events are suffering from but has it been like that always?
With nostalgia I remember back in the late 1990´s, which is not long ago but feels like a life time, the seminar series Diggante. A forum where black intellectuals would be invited and which did draw a quite big black audience making the white old ladies seem fewer. Paul Gilroy, Valentine Y Mudimbe and Angela Davis were some of those who honoured us with their presence.
I often wonder what was different then. I was younger then. I grew uo with a popular culture that was more political, more about resistance. I grew up with Spike Lee, music videos teaching about resistance. I got the tools to participate in these discussions. I got to know more and more people from the older generation who taught me the history of black consciousness or black unconsciousness as some would call it.
Today´s popular culture is killing us.
At our barber shop (Afro Söder)we still have these discussions. They are highly informal but just as important as the Diggante seminars. The shop becomes a place with different rules surrounding blackness different rules surrounding whiteness. It is a schizophrenic place in a post modern realm.
Perhaps we need other means of reaching out to people. Before we can have an intellectual discussion we need to provide the tools for it. Sometimes I believe that we get stuck in an academic environment that is too rigid and too stuck in Western ideas. We need to embrace this schizophrenia of blackness. The only way we can do that is through art and culture.
I\'s it the organisation, Lack of entrepreneurs or too uncool events that is the problem?
We have to identify the main issue and fix it! Look at other places, try to get an rough idea of how they\'ve done in other countries that had the same difficulties in building the foundation of a strong community. Countries or cities that had about the same percentage of people with African ancestry as Stockholm.
Thank you for putting words to the endless thoughts that were spinning in my head at last months concert with creol singer Sara Tavares. Just as described, I was a amazed by the commitment and presence of white men and women showing a genuin interest in black music and culture. And I was equally as much sad to see that me and my family were among the few black people represented. What is it that makes it so hard for so many to attend something else, with a depth, culture and more rare than the average RnB club scene on the weekend? I believe that Its not that we have a lack of choices, on the contrary... the opportunities are all around! We just have to try a little bit harder to get engaged, and make it visible, for the ones putting an event like an african filmfestival together, that its worth the while and appreciated. If only for the reason that this will inspire other creative minds to do the same.
RSS feed for comments to this post