From #WAKANDA TO #SOUTHSUDAN: Tribalism and Greed
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| Here I am, in a theatre in Calgary, watching the film with good friends on February 17, 2018. |
Two weeks prior to the film being released I was truly excited to see it when I had the opportunity to see it. I am a fan of movies with a strong cast and usually movies centred on history and ancient folklore. When I realize that the ''Black Panther'' was coming out and that I would be represented I was extremely excited. All my social media friends have seen the excitement. The film didn't disappoint. All the topics of tribalism, greed, abandonment, colonized mentalities and futuristic Africa were addressed in a way that is empowering for African people and their descendants in the diaspora. The topic and generational pain surrounding slavery and African American people were addressed in a powerful way. In this post, I will discuss the themes of tribalism, greed, generational wounds occurred as a result of slavery and a futuristic South Sudan (a homage to Lupita Nyong'o for putting Nilotic people on the map).
Tribalism and Greed:
King T'Chaka killed his brother who feels betrayed the Kingdom of Wakanda. When he found out he stole Viberaium and was hiding it in the United States away from the knowledge of the Kingdom. After he killed his brother, the son of his brother, his nephew was left behind. Angry and abandoned the nephew began resentful and revengeful towards Wakanda. He felt that he was not wanted and was an outcast. He trained his whole life to fight for his father and the right to the throne. When his opportunity came, he fought his cousin King T'Challa at the time. He won and threw him in the waterfall to die. While the Kingdom thought the real king was dead. Tribalism loomed and grew. Now everyone wants a piece of power and access to the throne in some way. In this scene, I realize when there' no unifier, there's always going to be chaos.
The perfect case in South Sudan. The country is destroyed by tribalism. Every tribe wants power and nobody trusts each other. Every tribe in a sense wants the throne and wants to rule the kingdom according to their own terms while oppressing other tribes. We need a leader that can unite all of us or else we will perish. Because in this scene King T'Challa unified the tribes and held it together but in real life there' no real leader to united people and that's a real problem.
Resources can be shared among tribes in African countries. There should be equality and not oppression. One tribe shouldn't control everything but redistribute the wealth among the citizens. Invest in health care, education, technology and betterment of society. That should be our focus on getting better. Hoarding resources will lead to our ultimate demise and despair.
Generational wounds occurred as a result of slavery:
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| ''Erik Killmonger – specifically the villain twist of who he is and how he came to be is – is Black Panther‘s secret weapon. Portrayed with majestic ferocity by Michael B. Jordan.'' |
Another symbolism in this scene is the grudge between Africans and African Americans. King T'Chaka nephew, was a symbolism for the African American brothers and sisters that feel resentment and anger towards mother Africa. Some of them believed that they were sold and abandoned on purpose. That anger displayed itself when the nephew wanted to arm all hopeless and unprotected African people worldwide. Because he knew what it's like to be unprotected and neglected. He wanted to arm the people against the colonizer. The rift happened because King T'Chaka didn't tell the truth of his brother's death and the nephew he had. He wanted to protect his Wakanda at the expense of his relationship with his brother's son.
The wounds between African people and their descendants that were stolen from the continent many moons ago will begin with honesty, transparency and courage. We have to tell the truth of our situation from the past and in the present. We are suffering the same traumas as a people. No one is immune from the effects of slavery and colonization. Whether we were on the ship or not. We all suffered. We have to be open about our suffering as a collective to get to healing. We cannot heal telling half-truths. We have to be OPEN. The scene where the young man saw his father killed with no explanation bred anger and revenge in him. That's symbolic of the people sold on ships. That moment of helplessness they bow to not connect to Africa in that way because they have been failed greatly. They felt unprotected and unwanted. Ther situation bred multiple generations that grew with pain as normalcy.
We have to validate the pain of both sides to move on, heal and rebuild our own Wakanda in the 21 century. Wakanda is our story of healing and triumph. To get there we have to validate and peel back the layers of hurt.
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The Connection between West Africa and East Africa: OKOYE AND NAKIA
Zimbabwe’s Danai Gurira is playing the lead General OKOYE and Lupita Nyong'O of Luo of Kenya is playing Nakia love interest of King T'Challa and saviour.
I don't know if it was intentional or not but these two are my favourite. It shows unity, power and sisterhood in a people that cannot see eye to eye in real life. There's a rift between east and west Africans. BUT this film brings them together to save the Kingdom of Wakanda that is the power and wealth source of African people and their descendants. I love the imagery and the fact that so many themes were addressed. Here both west and east Africans worked together to bring about the desired change.
A futuristic South Sudan (a homage to Lupita Nyong'o putting Nilotic people on the map):
Lupita Nyong'O is from the Nilotic people called the Luo. They are people of the Nile and are currently based in Kenya. Former president Barack O'Bama is half Luo. The Luo are distant relatives of the Dinka, Nuer, Bari and Maasi to just name a few. The people of the Nile are found in modern-day east African countries and some of their descendants like the Senegalese people are in West Africa. We have a rich history of the pyramids, to writing, to governance and just being great humane beings. We all love Lupita because she has exposed our people to an arena that we are not represented in enough. Even though we are the cradle of humanity, we are not always looked at a positive way.
Our image is broadcasted globally. I urge all of us to unite and begin working together again to rebuild our broken society. We have so much goodness, talent and untapped geniuses to offer the world that we cannot afford to express. We have the brightest minds, loyal hearts and the pride of pride in Africa. We have so much culture, knowledge, wisdom, creativity and intuitive existence. It is the time we reign in our power without fear.
A futuristic South Sudan is a South Sudan where all tribes share power, wealth, knowledge and wellbeing. I will make sure it comes true in my time because there's no other reality beyond unity. This is the time that selfish ways are shunned and a new reality is embraced. South Sudan it is time.
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