Women, Addiction and Nation- My latest article

One of my articles has been published by Ragged University it is a free article and you can access it by clicking the link below.

Women, Addiction and Nation

Based on work that eventually lead me to write my thesis this article tackles some of the issues I came across whilst dealing with an apparently clinical condition. 

AfroFuturesUK- A free conference

Afro Futures_UK, a collective of researchers, artists, programmers and activists exploring new ways of examining blackness and futurism. We are hosting a FREE Afrofuturist Conference and Exhibition on 10th October 2015. Please join us and share widely

St Josephine Bakhita. Black history month

One day I unwittingly made a mistake that incensed the master’s son. He became furious, snatched me violently from my hiding place, and began to strike me ferociously with the lash and his feet. Finally he left me half dead, completely unconscious. Some slaves carried me away and lay me on a straw mat, where I remained for over a month. A woman skilled in this cruel art [tattooing] came to the general’s house…our mistress stood behind us, whip in hand. The woman had a dish of white flour, a dish of salt and a razor. When she had made her patterns; the woman took the razor and made incisions along the lines. Salt was poured into each of the wounds. My face was spared, but six patterns were designed on my breasts, and 60 more on my belly and arms. I thought I would die, especially when salt was poured in the wounds… it was by a miracle of God I didn’t die. He had destined me for better things. St Josephine Bakhita 

St Josephine Bakhita   1869- 8th of February 1947 is the patron saint of  Sudan and  regarded as the patron of victims of human trafficking. She is the only Sudanese saint. She is the first African to be canonized since the early centuries of Christianity where the early Church was established and produced several saints. Cannonised in 2000 on 1st October remembering her is a wonderful start to black history month. 

A Catholic charity Bakhita House Project based in the UK  that works with victims of human trafficking aiming to provide refuge and professional help to those affected. To contribute to the charity click here

Anachronism and the film

Rey Chow’s work has inspired me to watch Chinese cinema. The issues she brings up about the presentation of gender and history. Mainstream Chinese films are enjoyable, they are shot aesthetically and feature lovely costumes and actors. However there is a problem of representation in these films. As someone who watches films to substantiate academic arguments representation becomes a vital issue in understanding the mindset of the director and also of the audience.

Mainstream films are enjoyable primarily because they pander to our expectations.  Take for instance Red Cliff released in 200 by Director John Woo who openly acknowledged he took liberties with historical accounts to make the story appeal to a modern audience. This film is one of many historical dramas to misrepresent history. While the artist does have a choice in the production of their art it is important to understand which choices they make and why. China has a long history, one which it is very proud of yet watching these films is gives the viewer very little information about history but appeals to their expectations. Perhaps this obsession with presenting a comfortable view of history is tied to what Rachel Dwyer has to say about Indian cinemas use of history in film.

“Hindi cinema interprets Indian history, telling stories about the nation – whether under threat or victorious; about sexuality and gender, looking at great figures of the past, implying a contrast with the present; and other such themes, rather than trying to represent accurately the given historical moment. The past is used then as a heterotopia, or another place, more often than a heterochronia, or different time. It is then used to tell us more about the present than the present itself can.”

Both Indian and Chinese cinema seem to present history in a manner that is convenient to telling truths about the present. This is a deliberate attempt to domesticate history to tame it to our convenience. 

Postscript: While I have critiqued Asian cinema for its use of anachronism I do not exempt Hollywood for its deliberate omission of minority characters

Reference:

Dwyer, R. (2010) ‘Bollywood’s India: Hindi cinema as a guide to modern India.’

Asian Affairs, 41(3) pp. 381-398.