THE PEACEFUL PROTEST
A PROCESS BY FAOU BIERA

‘’You have confidence in the world that rewards you for compliance. But you aso need to acquire confidence in order not to comply with that very world: you have confidence that you can survive the expire of challenging the system.’’
Source: https://feministkilljoys.com/2016/03/01/losing-confidence/

If I only study Western society and it's world views, then how am I able to create one? How am I able to speak aboutt the world if I don't know about it?

The Panopticon
Jeremy Bentham
18th century

''Racism is a symbolic, personal and institutional grammar within our society.''

Source: http://www.theblackarchives.nl/gloria-wekker---witte-onschuld.html?lang=en#

STUPID
FRIVOLOUS
UGLY

I HAVE NO CONNOTATION TO THE WORDS

Within the post from Ahmeds blog which dates back to 2016 Sara Ahmed writes about confidence and how confidence is shaped throughout people’s lives. Sara Ahmed describes how racism and sexism is a measurement tool within the social structure of our society.

‘’You have confidence in the world that rewards you for compliance. But you aso need to acquire confidence in order not to comply with that very world: you have confidence that you can survive the expire of challenging the system.’’

Having confidence within this society goes hand in hand with that what is considered ‘’good’’ and ‘’bad’’ within the system. The panopticon gaze is a metaphor of an unknown silent overseer within our society. The concept dates back to 1791 when Jeremy Bentham, an English philosopher, wrote in his book ‘’El Panoptico’’ about a observation tower within a large circular courtyard ringed by a cellblock several stories high but only one room deep. He argues that the prisoners would always show good behaviour as he would place the guards within the tower and the prisoners within the courtyard.

When applying this theory to our society, we could argue that the reason the way we have confidence in a world that rewards you for compliance is because we have imprisoned ourselves by continuing to live within standards and social structures. We have become the guard and the prisoner by rewarding those who comply with ‘’good’’ behaviour.

Sara Ahmed, British-Australian scholar whose area of study includes the intersection of feminist theory, lesbian feminism, queer theory, critical race theory and postcolonialism.

AS THESE TERMS LIMIT ME

INTELLIGENT

BEAUTIFUL

DESIGN

CRAFT

IMPORTANT

The work of Kerry James Marshall
School of Beauty, School of Culture, 2012; acrylic and glitter on stretched canvas.

The work of Shani Crowe for her exhibition ''Braids''.

The film ''She's gotta have it' by Spike Lee, 1986.

The work of Delphine Desane
for Vogue Italia 2020.

The work of Seydou Keita, a Malian photographer from the 1950's.

GOOD

The story that intrigued me most while researching cornrows was the story of Benkos Bioho, an African Prince who escaped slavery in Colombia. Bioho created his own language and intelligence network where women would create maps and deliver messages through their hair. Enslaved Africans would do this to leave plantations and the home of their captors. The history of cornrows can be found in Africa for women at least 3000 B.C. For men, particularly in Ethiopia, as far back as the nineteenth century. Cornrows were used to indicate your kingship, status, age, religion identity and so forth. An ancient form of self expression. To me, cornrows are a intricate form of art which connects me to my culture. My hair symbolises overcoming the prejudice and struggles I personally have faced regarding braided hairstyles. It took me years to find my hair beautiful due to lack of representation and discrimination. It can not be denied, blacks had to fight for the right to wear cornrows. When non black people wear it, to me, it erases all history.

The reading of Gloria Wekker has been a verbalisation of many thoughts and experiences throughout my lifetime which I could give place to as I did not have a wide understanding of the structures that have been built within our society and how these structures relate to one another. As the Afro-Surinamese Dutch professor discusses the paradox within the Dutch society she dismantles the relation between race and gender, and how the Dutch always have been progressive when it comes to gender but not when it comes to race. Why is that? When Gloria Wekker published her book, ''White Innocence'' in 2018, she was seen as someone who brought a new perspective as this subject is not discussed among the Dutch. The history books within school don't cover the subject of racism and therefore the Dutch are not aware of their patterns of thinking.

Besides this perspective, Gloria Wekker brought a new perspective to my understanding. Black women are not safe within this society. Hearing the consequences that came with the professor writing her book has made me hyperaware of the fact that black women have never been seen as an intellectual being within our society. Black women may be anything else, other than the initiators of most inventions and leaders. I was shocked by her resilience. And it was this feeling that had me ruminating about a previous reading. The Willie Lynch Letter and the Making of a Slave. The chapter where they describe the taming process of the African woman.

Are black women safe within this society?

01

02

03

The wooden comb

Have we become the guard and the prisoner by rewarding those who comply with ‘’good’’ behaviour?

How are we able to speak about cultural diversity, if we don't include other cultures? To me, there lies the problem.

I can't be a singular expression of myself
There's too many parts, too many spaces
Too many manifestations, too many lines
Too many curves, too many troubles
Too many journeys, too many mountains
Too many rivers, so many

Solange - Can I Hold The Mic? (2019, When I Get Home)

My return to home

Njumbani