EDITORIAL indigo@palatinate.org.uk
Celebrating Black history month Indigo Editor Cerys Edwards considers the importance of this year’s celebrations
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here are many reasons for which my primary school could be considered unusual. World War Two bunkers in the playground; Bob Dylan songs played during morning assemblies; an unrivalled commitment to the May Day and harvest festivals despite a conspicuous lack of nearby farms (I live in West London, for context). It’s not come as a surprise that such eccentric customs are far from common practise. But it was only recently, after speaking to friends at university, that I realised that our annual celebration of Black history month could be considered equally unusual. First celebrated in the UK in 1987, Black history month aims to highlight the achievements and contributions of Black people throughout history while recognising the ongoing reality of everyday racism. Now in its 34th incarnation, this intention is arguably more important than ever. 2021 has played host to a pandemic in which people of colour have died in disproportionate numbers and experienced greater economic hardship, while the summer of sport was marred by abhorrent racist abuse towards England footballers. On a longer time frame, just 1% of statues in London are dedicated to named people of colour, as reported by The Guardian last week. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that statues should not be used as a metric for historical merit – however, it’s a statistic which helps illustrate the extent to which Black history is continually overlooked in this country. In no area is this more pressing than in education. It is currently not mandatory to teach BAME history in any UK nation and, although that is set to change in Wales next year, I’ve encountered countless students, parents and petitions lamenting this clear academic omission. As we reach the end of October, this edition of Indigo is intended as a celebration of Black history month. Be sure to turn to page 13, where Interview Editor Steph Ormond chats to Hashr Buwembo, President of Durham University’s African Carib-
bean society, about the organisation and their plans for Black history month. When asked about the significance of the celebration, Hashr explains that she sees the month in two components: firstly, as a period to remember “important historical events and people from the African dispora”, and secondly as “a month of gratitude”. Such an eloquent description fittingly describes the approach taken by Indigo this week. For the former, turn to Books (page 5), Film and TV (page 7) and Stage (page 15) for a series of curated recommendations. Regarding the latter, on page 8 Creative Writing offer a letter of gratitude and recognition for notable Black women past and present, while on page 14 Food and Drink discuss how certain recipes provide connection to history and heritage. Enjoy!
Artwork of the week by Verity Laycock
CONTENT
TEAM
CONTACT
Features (page 3), Books (page 4 and 5), Music (page 6), Film and TV (page 7), Creative Writing (pages 8 and 9), Travel (page 10), Style (page 11), Interview (pages 12 and 13), Food and Drink (page 14), Stage (page 15) and Visual Arts (page 16).
Cerys Edwards, Honor Douglas, Adeline Zhao, Isobel Tighe, Miriam Mitchell, Imi Marchant, Samuel Lopez, Katya Davisson, Annabelle Bulag, Ben Smart, Jodie Sale, Charlotte Grimwade, Grace Marshall, Millie Stott, Ella Al-Khalil Coyle, Nicole Wu, Christian Bland, Gracie Linthwaite, Holly Downes, Grace Jessop, Anna Johns, Nia Kile, Josie Lockwood, Emerson Shams, Stephanie Ormond and Abigail Brierley
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Indigo logo: Adeline Zhao Cover image: Anna Kuptsova
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Thursday, 28 October 2021
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Image credits (from left): Adeline Zhao; Verity Laycock
FEATURES features@palatinate.org.uk
Writing a legacy: Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou Features Editors Isobel Tighe and Miriam Mitchell profile two influential writers TW: Death and sexual violence
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rnold Rampersad best captured the essence of Hughes’s writing when he described him as a writer who “simply liked people.” Through his poetry, plays, novels and essays, Hughes was inspired by Harlem’s African American community. It is for that reason that Hughes is remembered today as one of the most important figures in the Harlem Renaissance. He was a writer engrossed by the human experience of black, working-class Americans, yet Hughes’s work didn’t only speak of dreams and black struggles. Behind each dream was a quietly angry murmur of resistance. His words were tiny placards, fuelled by a deep determination to protest against injustice. In 1943, the creation of Jesse B Semple, or “Simple”, solidified his understanding of the African American experience. Published in a series of stories for the Chicago Defender, Simple was depicted as an uneducated, black American living in the city. Through conversations with Boyd, Simple’s story highlighted his frequent oppression. While this oppression was distinctively African American, Hughes managed to present Simple as a universal character. Perhaps that’s why the sketches continued to be published for a further 25 years. The universal qualities of Hughes’s writing allowed him to achieve great literary success. At only 18, his poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” was published in The Crisis magazine. In 1925, his poem “The Weary Blues” won first prize in the Opportunity magazine literary competition. Consequently, Hughes was offered a scholarship at Lincoln University. After his graduation, he won the Harmon gold medal for literature for his debut novel, Not Without Laughter. As such, Hughes became the first black American to make a living from writing and lecturing.
Hughes’s dream is yet to manifest itself Hughes’s legacy was strengthened by his use of realistic idealism. He was realistic enough to know that this segregated America would not alter overnight. He was idealistic enough to hope that a ‘just’ world would come in time. Black History Month gives us time to reflect upon significant figures, like Hughes, who were crucial in the fight for equality. We know all too well that the battle against racism persists today. Hughes’s dream is yet to manifest itself. There is no denying that Hughes successfully provided a cultural platform for the oppressed voices of Harlem. His ability to emotionally connect with people allowed him to make the personal, the universal. We must continue to revisit his work, if only to remind us that we have a long way to go before his vision of a ‘just’ world is achieved. Image credit: Verity Laycock
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aya Angelou (1928 – 2014) experienced great hardship in her lifetime but she also achieved great success as she became a symbol of hope for African Americans. Angelou fought for Black Civil Rights alongside Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. She was the first African American and the first woman to recite poetry at a presidential inauguration. She even went on to receive more than 50 honorary degrees amongst many other accolades. Angelou is, however, perhaps best known for her series of seven autobiographies that focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. Her debut novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) details her life up until the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
She also reshaped the way many people think about race At only eight years old, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, who was then killed by Angelou’s uncles after they became aware of the crime. This situation caused Angelou to enter a period of mutism, in which she chose to remain silent for five years out of fear that her voice would kill people. This did not stop Angelou’s voice from becoming a source of strength for others as she turned to writing and activism. In 2010, Angelou was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. However, her work was still met with controversy. Angelou was one of the most frequently banned authors in America. Her debut novel was removed from school reading lists, taken out of school libraries and discarded as indecent and inappropriate for young readers. In response to these efforts to ban her work Angelou once said: “I feel sorry for the young person who never gets to read it”. Angelou was a keen civil rights activist and was employed as coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference led by Martin Luther King. King went on to die on Angelou’s birthday, 4th April 1968. Consequently, for many years after Angelou no longer celebrated her birthday and instead took the opportunity to reach out to King’s widow, Coretta Scott King. Each year on 4th April they would meet up. The recent emergence of the Black Lives Matter Movement has seen new activists tackling many of the same issues as Angelou once did with the Civil Rights Movement. This Black History Month it is essential we remember the work of Angelou and people like her. Not only did she enthuse generations with her brave championing of the African American experience, but she also reshaped the way many people think about race. As a result, Maya Angelou’s writing and activism continue to have a positive impact today. Thursday, 28 October 2021
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BOOKS books@palatinate.org.uk
The problem with canonisation Books Editor Imogen Marchant discusses how the Nobel Prize influences literary taste
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bdulrazak Gurnah has been awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature – the fourth black individual to have done so in the prize’s history. With this comes the anxiety of becoming, in Gurnah’s words, an ‘eat your greens writer’ - someone who is read because one feels perhaps a degree of obligation. Along with the 10,000,000 Swedish Krona cash reward comes the knowledge that you have been identified as ‘good’. Actually, according to the Nobel Prize’s mission statement, you are now the author of that years’ ‘most outstanding work in an idealistic direction’. But what makes a work ‘outstanding’? And according to whom?
We do not know why past writers have had ‘Lady Fame’ bestowed upon them
Editor’s Picks
Questions of how to make value judgments about literature are not new, of course – they arise in Chaucer’s House of Fame, which places the fickle nature of Lady Fame at its centre. The exalted former authors (not including Chaucer’s favourite, Boccaccio, of course), are placed against the comely speaker of the poem, conveniently a somewhat satiric portrait of Chaucer himself. This is done to make the point that the grounds on which we elevate dead authors is inevitably shakier than we might think: we do not know exactly why past writers have had (in the case of the poem) the favour of the mutable Lady Fame bestowed upon them. Usually, in Chaucer’s case, it is because Lady Fame decided, without reading their work, that it would be so. Canonicity secured for
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some, and not for others, and all because of whim and chance. Today’s cultural discourse, with its renewed attention to the intersections of race, culture and identity, asks the same questions. Issues about the criteria against which these judgements are made arise with renewed urgency. Gurnah is indisputably deserving – born in Zanzibar in 1948, and a retired English professor from the University of Kent, he has been awarded the prize for his works’ ‘uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism, and for the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents’. He is in the company of household names – Pablo Neruda, Toni Morrisson and Samuel Beckett to name a few. Alongside the assimilation into a collection of writers thought to be outstanding comes the question of how they got there in the first place, and who decided that their position was so. The Nobel Prize is essentially synonymous with canonicity – its inherent prestige has led to many authors being assimilated into a hypothetical collection of excellent writing. As with any awarding body, this designation goes hand-in-hand with a process of selection – works are judged by a group of awarding bodies, all with their own opinions on what the ‘most outstanding work’ might constitute. This selection process inevitably requires a degree of human bias, and a yardstick of ‘goodness’ reflective of the opinions of the awarding body is produced. It depends, of course, if you want to measure ‘goodness’ by ‘appealing to the most people in a room’. Typically, this means that work deemed collectively ‘good’ is usually equated with ‘most reflective of
The Secret Life of Books- Tom Mole: Capivating non-fiction discussing the powerful role books have played in history, and how their role has shifted with the times. A excellent read for literary lovers.
Thursday, 28 October 2021
The Lock In - Phoebe Luckhurst: Relatable and witty fiction with a healthy dose of early Noughties nostalgia. A great calming read capturing the highs and lows of early adult life.
the experience of those in the room’. In traditionally white-dominated rooms (or awarding bodies, if you will) it means that selected authors are more likely to be traditionally white, or rewarded for presenting opinions palatable to a group of white individuals. It also means that Gurnah, due to the relatively few number of Black winners, faces the potential risk of becoming a spokesperson for a monolithic Black identity: a black identity with a value measured by its proximity and palatability to whiteness. Those who choose to write in lesser-known languages, as in the case of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’ who writes in Gikuyu, risk losing elements of their work to the mercy of translators, and individual aspects of their authorial identity get lost. Thus, many wonderful writers can, conceivably, be missed in the process of selection.
Canonicity is secured for some, and not for others, all because of whim and chance The Nobel Prize is not ignorant to these ideas, of course – international outlook and an investment in pioneering literature is its backbone. Derek Walcott, winner in 1992, wrote in a mixture of Creole patois and English. Beckett wrote in French, Solzhenitsyn in Russian, Neruda in Spanish. It aims to highlight idealistic, boundary-breaking work, and if it were to amplify the voice of everyone, it would lose sight of this purpose. The issues come when the decision of the Nobel committee is taken as the single standard by which all literature should be measured. Your Silence Will Not Protect You - Audre Lorde: Bringing together Lorde’s essential speeches and essays, this extraordinary collection articulates the power of selfhood and langauge in confronting injustice.
Image credit (from top): Piotr Makowski via Unsplash; Elliot and Thompson; Penguin Books; Silver Press
BOOKS
books@palatinate.org.uk
Black history month: author spotlights Jessica Donaldson and Ellen Olley discuss the impact of Roxane Gay and Derek Walcott
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here is a wonderful (and supremely unflattering!) photo of me from my holiday this year; wrapped in my towel, I am lying in a position similar to a corpse on Brighton Beach. Beside me? Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. The essay collection had accompanied me over the entirety of the 5 day trip — on the train, on the bus and now on the beach. I had even cracked it open whilst watching England’s defeat at the Euros… this book had been through a lot. I had come across Gay many times before, online or in an article, usually receiving copious amounts of praise and attention. Always meaning to pick up one of her works, it wasn’t until this summer that I finally settled in to read ‘Bad Feminist’. ‘Time’ had called the novel ‘a manual on how to be human’. Gay is “the gift that keeps on giving”. With such praise in mind and little idea of what the novel was actually about, I began it with high expectations. The ability to make the mundane exciting is, for me, part of what makes Gay so special as an essayist. She doesn’t need to discuss ‘big’ or ‘powerful’ topics to draw you in. On the contrary, she shines on a smaller level. A manifesto on How to Be Friends with Another Woman is another one of my favourite essays and provides feminist advice on a human level. Telling us to “abandon the cultur-
W of us struggle to shake off. Gay takes the seemingly mundane and gives it a voice, and manages to stand out as a prominent essayist and voice in feminist literature, despite being a self-confessed ‘bad feminist’. I couldn’t help but wonder, prior to reading the text, why this was. Yet, having reached the final page, I got it. For one, throughout all of her discussions, she never preaches or condescends. Even when she does discuss ‘big’ topics, such as racism in the essay The Last Day of a Young Black Man, she doesn’t utilise academic or complex language. Instead, it is understandable, empathetic, and emotional. Secondly, she also achieves a level of relatability that feminists text often fail to reach. She is honest about her past experiences, no matter how painful. She does not sanitise her experiences, no matter how messy. In not trying to be relatable, Gay
Her feminism is messy and realistic al myth that all female friendships must be bitchy, toxic, or competitive”, Gay speaks to stereotypes and judgement that even the best
becomes even more so. Gay says herself that she embraces being a so-called “bad feminist” because she isn’t trying to be an example.
hen one reads the poetry of Derek Walcott, one cannot help but be transported. Like many other great artists before him, Walcott’s poetic process was instinctive. A segment would come to him, a couple of lines perhaps, and the journey would begin of the authentic construction of verse around this vignette. Much of his poetry captures this feeling of journey and development and it is this balance of the dynamic and the delicate which underlies the mastery of his work. His talent is best demonstrated in Omeros, the epic which would seal his Nobel Prize, awarded in 1992. Walcott takes the European Homeric epic form but sets it amongst the Caribbean islands of his youth. He takes a complex cast of characters and uses their individual journeys, both literal and emotional, to elegantly tease out the themes which haunt all of his poetry, conceptions of home, History, and the self, in a post-colonial world, as well as confronting his own poetic journey. His themes are often placed in conflict in Walcott’s dramatic early work. He explores the conflict between “Africa and the English tongue I love” in The Schooner Flight - his African heritage and the European oeuvre he so admires. He was heavily influenced by Milton, Shakespeare and Yeats, amongst others. However, he knows many of the European poets were “ancestral murderers” too (Ruins of a Great House). Much of his work references this conflict in the oblique. It was this treatment of heritage which brought significant criticism against Walcott in the middle of his career. This was the
Image credit (from left): Roxane Gay, Bert Nienhuis via Wikimedia Commons
time of Black Power, and many of Walcott’s contemporaries sought to create a stark divide between the colonial and post-colonial world, rejecting European influence. Walcott’s response to this, as he explored in The Schooner Flight, was that to reject the colonial aspects of Caribbean history was tantamount to the rejection of African history by the colonists: “The first chain my hands and apologize, “History”; / the next said I wasn’t black enough for their pride.” He may have been “absolutely a Caribbean writer”, as he once said, but he was one that stood noticeably apart from his contemporaries.
His poetry captures a journey...The balance of the dynamic and the delicate underlies the mastery of his work Walcott’s legacy is yet to be decided. His memory is coloured by unorthodox views and misconduct allegations. However, it is clear that his poetry will live on as an example of his prodigal talent in capturing the effervescence of his Antillean home.
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MUSIC music@palatinate.org.uk
Pinkpantheress: the voice of Gen-Z? Jieyi Li comments on the rise in TikTok artists and their relevance to the Gen-Z female
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here is something very apt about PinkPantheress’ label of her own style of music as the ‘new nostalgic’. The masses of fans and music magazines who have rushed to experience and apprehend the boom of this year’s most recent breakthrough artist have noted the interweaving of mid 2000s D’n’B and UK Garage music with contemporary movements of lofi and bedroom pop in her sound. Indeed, if her internet presence is anything to go by, PinkPantheress has been accepted as the ultimate voice of GenZ. After posting her music on TikTok at the beginning of the year, her music hit viral popularity with hundreds of millions of streams, and numerous top 40 chart entries. She is now signed with a label with which she recently released her first mixtape to hell with it, and her face is the cover of Spotify’s ‘Our Generation’ playlist. Chris Deville of Stereogum writes “this still mostly anonymous 20-year-old university student from South London could not be more zeitgeist-y if she tried”, and her audience can’t seem to agree more.
These artists usually fit into the new category of DIY artists who create everything in their bedrooms
Editor’s Picks
PinkPantheress’ emergence on the music scene can be seen as one of many waves of new, young, internet-born super stars that have made their initial mark through unpredictable social media algorithms and the mass consciousness of netizens. Olivia Rodrigo’s escalation to fame in 2020 is attributed to the use of her songs in TikTok videos, and beabadoobee met a similar fate when her song ‘Coffee’ was sampled in a song that garnered 4.1 billion plays on TikTok in March 2020 alone.
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Easy on Me by Adele Described by The Guardian as “reliably, relatably Adele-esque”, this leading track asks for forgiveness and understanding. The single promises to be inescapable this Autumn, and we can’t wait for the album on November 19th.
Thursday, 28 October 2021
Here, there is a defiance of industry-generated stardom. These artists usually fit into the new category of DIY artists who create everything in their bedrooms – PinkPantheress’ TikTok sounds were all created on Garageband in the evenings of working weeks and university terms.
...the parallels between her music and diary-keeping should not be ignored. Less noticeable but equally crucial is the voice that these young female artists have carved into mainstream music for women their own age. The early to mid 2010s saw the rise of artists such as Marina and The Diamonds and Lana del Rey, yet there was a detachedness between their music’s ideas of femininity and that of the 2010s teen. Both artists were in their mid-20s when their music was released, and their reflections of being a young girl are mostly retrospective. What Pinkpantheress and recent artists like her introduce is a perspective that seems like it’s straight out of a present-day eighteen-yearold’s diary. Written in her bedroom in the evenings after a long day, the parallels between her music and diary-keeping should not be ignored. A disillusionment over the promises of adolescence, where they find that their expectations for themselves and those of others have not been met
is shared across these artists’ music. In her song ‘Brutal’, Rodrigo mocks, “I’m so sick of seventeen, where’s my fucking teenage dream?” Pinkpantheress voices a more jaded sentiment in ‘Nineteen’ where she sings “I wasn’t meant to be//This bored at nineteen”. Here, there is a tangible sense of existential crisis caused by intense loneliness. PinkPantheress describes life moving on around her and being left behind, an experience shared by most in that transitional period where you return from university and your home has changed. It is also worth noting the cultural diversity represented by these artists – PinkPantheress’ mother is Kenyan, Olivia Rodrigo is half Philippino, and beabadoobee migrated from the Philippines at two years old. As the historical contributions of the black community are being recognised this Black History Month, the waves they are making in the music world ought also to be celebrated. This internet-facilitated group of Gen-Z women are announcing the Gen-Z female experience to girls just like themselves. As these diverse artists share their experiences and display true vulnerability through their lyrics, their female listeners can feel less alone as they navigate life as a late teen.
Hymn for St Cecilia by Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge The Choir of St John’s has had a big week. The first track released from their upcoming album Sicut Aquilae (available November 19th), this setting of Howells’ is simply magnificent.
Illustration and Images (left to right): marcen27 via Flickr, Rosie Bromiley, R D via Flickr
FILM AND TV film@palatinate.org.uk
What to watch this Black History Month Film and TV Editors Charlotte Grimwade and Grace Marshall give their recommendations for Black History Month By Charlotte Grimwade
By Grace Marshall
n my opinion, film and television are potentially some of the best and most accessible ways to learn about different cultures, identities and history. As a history student, I for one know that films have the incredible ability of capturing contemporary attitudes and mindsets, regardless of whether they are depicting true or fictional stories. My recommendations happen to be set around the same time period, yet all of them continue to raise vital questions about our modern-day perceptions of race and social injustices. Even if you only watch one of the films or shows explored in this article, I hope they provide you with greater insight into the continued importance of Black History Month.
s we enter Black History Month, it is imperative that we broaden our knowledge of such history – no longer can we simply accept brief knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr as wholly encompassing of Black history. It is time, instead, to learn about, and celebrate, the all-too often unsung champions of such history. Films such as, The Help and 12 Years a Slave attempt to capture the torturous past of Black history, challenging overt racism, slavery, and disenfranchisement, yet they fail to celebrate the rich, powerful accompanying Black history that contributed to the most important advancements in society. This is precisely why my first recommendation for this month is Hidden Figures – a powerful acknowledgement of the contribution of Black women to America’s self-determined ‘space-race win’. A 2016 biographical drama, Hidden Figures celebrates the real work of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – three powerhouses dedicated to their work at NASA, all the while battling the discriminatory attitudes of the institution on two fronts: gender and race. Brought to the big screen by Taraji P. Henderson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe respectively, the film is both awe-inspiring and gritty, managing to celebrate these successful, and integral, women in STEM, whilst simultaneously exploring their plight to achieve recognition for their invaluable contribution to the early years of the US space race.
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One of the most impactful and important films of the year, if not the decade Directed by Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing depicts one sweltering day in Brooklyn, following the life of protagonist Mookie, played by Lee himself. Released in 1989, the film was credited by many as being one of the most impactful and important films of the year, if not the decade. Over the course of the film, we are witness to the casual racism, discrimination and prejudice prevalent in this small neighbourhood alone. Originally inspired by the racially motivated murders of Michael Griffith and Eleanor Bumpurs, the film doesn’t shy away from depicting police brutality and the rage it righteously incites. The deeply moving subject matter is contrasted by the colourful set design and stunning cinematography, encapsulating the heat of New York in the summer. One of my favourite television dramas from the last few years, Pose follows the ball culture scene of 1980s and 1990s New York. The show’s predominantly African American and Latinx cast contend with the drama of the underground ballroom scene, as well as the discrimination and challenges they experience throughout everyday life. Mj Rodriguez and Billy Porter shine as the immensely likeable Blanca and Pray Tell. Alongside the show’s loveable characters and well-developed plot lines, the series also depicts real life events, including the AIDs crisis and the harrowing impact it had on the LGBTQ+ community. The series strikes the perfect balance between depictions of real-life events and drama, culminating in a plot that is both enjoyable and historically informative.
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A stark reminder of the inequalities built into the justice system It is impossible to ignore the ongoing systemic racism faced by people of colour across the world. And so, as we celebrate Black History Month, we may also wish to solemnly acknowledge that striving for equality is not solely a thing of the past. When They See Us, a poignant Netflix drama contributing to their Black Lives Matter series, is a heart-breaking reminder of this. Released in 2019, the series tells the tale of ‘The Central Park Five’, a group of five young men of colour wrongly accused and imprisoned for an attack on a young woman. The show is truly phenomenal, yet utterly devastating. It serves as a stark reminder of the inequalities built into the justice system itself and thus reinforces the need for continued work to dismantle such built-in prejudices.
Image credit: Rosie Bromiley Thursday, 28 October 2021
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CREATIVE WRITING creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk
Using Our Voices Michaela Makusha writes a letter of gratitude and recognition to the black women who came before for this black history month TW: Mentions of racial violence
But as much as I would like to thank black women and the women who inspire me, to say thank you without an apology ignores the pain Celebrating Black Women this Black History Month we all go through. To the sisters that died unnecessarily so that ear Black Women, people could learn the phrase Black Lives Matter, please rest knowing that we will not forget Thank you. Thank you for paving the way for me to be able to sit at this university and write this letter the names of Sarah Reed, Breonna Taylor, and to you all. Our mothers, grandmothers and aunties are the very backbones of revolutions that look Sandra Bland and so many others. for equality for all. To the mothers that have died unnecessarily in To our aunties and mothers who are still fighting for change, thank you. To Baroness Lawrence, the throes of childbirth, becoming martyrs for whose son Stephen was taken away too soon, and who used that to fuel a movement exposing the movement that should never have been needed, but is here, nonetheless. The pain that we systemic racism of the police force. go through doesn’t make front page news, beTo Diane Abbott, who fought her own party to get elected. She paved the way for black women in cause we aren’t seen as newsworthy politics by showing it was possible to win an election despite every party, including her own, working To Simone Biles, Meghan Markle and Naomi to stop her. I thank you for showing us perseverance and strength. Osaka, I’m sorry that when you said, ‘enough To Claudia Jones, who didn’t let political persecution stop her and continued to raise the conscious- was enough’, you were met with hatred and ness of the black British community. She made Notting Hill a place of culture and fun. This is some- scorn because society doesn’t know how to thing black women have been doing for years – turning their lemons into lemonade. Turning trauma give us a time out and so goes to war against into progress. Society has the expectation that black women are strong, fearless, frontline soldiers in black women who break the mould it tried to place us in. every battle there is. And they’ve answered that call, paying a heavy price.
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“there are coutless of us still fiighting in a battle that was “to say thank you without an apology ignores the pain we all go started long ago, when our through” acestors’ lands were first invaded” To Olive Morris, who died too young, sowing the seeds of a movement which told Britain that black women matter. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see the fruits of your labour.
I know these words can never repay the debt that is owed to so many, but I can only hope but it provides comfort to know that there are countless of us still fighting a battle that was started long ago, when our ancestors’ lands were first invaded, when they were kidnapped, and when others became oppressed for centuries in a place they called home. We haven’t stopped fighting since then and I doubt we will, not for a while. This won’t fix anything; this is the bare minimum I can do. A show of gratitude is long overdue. Sincerely, A young black girl doing her best with the tools you have given me.
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Thursday, 28 October 2021
Image credit: Anna Kusptova
CREATIVE WRITING creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk
Yazz Dean discusses the University’s response to the spiking incidents before reflecting on the moon’s renewing cycle TW: Mentions of spiking and victim blaming.
Don’t Get Spiked
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tudents – tell your friends of the new advice we are sharing, #Don’tGetSpiked. I hope it is made clear to all of our students, and to all staff, that we are doing the bare minimum to protect you. Bare minimum. No more. When a woman is spiked inside our city’s clubs do not expect sympathy. We shall create a hashtag that blames the victim and will carry on as usual.
“when a woman is spiked inside our city’s clubs do not expect sympathy” Our hashtag declares that you should be doing more to prevent spiking – have you tried keeping your eyes on your drink at all times? It is too much to ask of us to provide adequate reporting services to help prosecute the criminal? It’s not our problem. We want our issues kept hidden; we can’t damage our reputation. Your lack of prevention will lead us to ruin.
“we tell you, students, that you can prevent this from happening to your friends. The blame will be set on you” You’re worried about your safety? You don’t want to be injected by a random stranger with an unknown substance? No? Then we will tell you not to. We tell you, students, that you can prevent this from happening to your friends. The blame will be set on you for letting him accept a drink from a stranger. You will be shamed by our institution for letting this happen. On the off chance you disagree with our insensitive campaign then we will simply delete it, sweep it under the rug. Who said that? We didn’t.
Image credit: Tim Li, Ella Al-khalil Coyle
Meeting The Moon
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ou were shy, a slither of silver Before the month was in full bloom And now you turn your luminous face Upon my earthly body below Your head is of serene pearl Your cheek of glistening sterling Your eye of bright argentite The most splendid I have known Your lips of steel never part But oh, what a smile you have The month dies soon after And with it your crescent will What a privilege to look away To the remotest stars For company you stretch your hand Reaching for the sun But I will miss your gentle glow Until the next month anew
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TRAVEL travel@palatinate.org.uk
Celebrating Black history around the world Visual Arts Editor Christian Bland explores how cities commemorate Black history
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DESTINATION 1: PARIS, FRANCE
raditionally, cultural tours of the City of Light prioritise nationalist monuments like The Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Versailles. Such a rigid focus distorts the capital’s diverse history, from the 1930s, where it became a haven for African American creatives, to the present day, where approximately 5 million people of colour reside in Paris. Independent tourism agencies such as Walking the Spirit and Black Paris Tours have long challenged the exclusionary narratives visitors are normally fed, instead highlighting the significant role the Black community has played in shaping the city’s modern culture. In the process, they have shone a light on forgotten locations from the Chateau Rouge, a bustling urban centre now dubbed ‘little Africa’, to the glamorous Montmartre, a district made famous in the jazz age by black icons like Josephine Baker and Ada Smith.
DESTINATION 2: AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS The municipality which flourished by tapping into the booming sugar trade has a grim, if rarely discussed, underbelly to its allegedly ‘glorious’ past. Though monuments to the seventeenth-century ‘Golden Age’ remain the primary focus of travel and leisure companies, there has recently been a revival of interest in the exploitative practices of the Dutch East India Company which supported the city’s rapid expansion. In a telling statement earlier this year, Femke Halsema, the city mayor, declared it “time to engrave the great injustice of colonial slavery into our city’s identity”, even offering guidebooks about the global slave trade to every Amsterdammer. Today, tourists can attend Ketikoti, an annual festival commemorating the release of slaves from Suriname, observed in the Netherlands since 2002.
They have shone a light on forgotten locations Tourists can also visit the coffeehouses frequented by abolitionists such as the Café de la Régence, a favourite of Marylander Frederick Douglass, or Les Deux Magots, a rendezvous for literati like James Baldwin, Chester Himes, and Richard Wright. It is no secret France has still got a long way to go before it comes to terms with its past, but there’s no reason that should put visitors off. Black history is a surface the French leisure industry has barely scratched, making it all the more important for tourists to take up this exciting and eye-opening opportunity.
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The internationally renowned Rijksmuseum has also offered its first exhibition educating visitors about the history of slavery, retelling the real-life stories of ten individuals from across the empire. Tour guides have also brought attention to previously overlooked landmarks like the ‘West India House’, which served as a headquarters for the agrarian West India Company and forms an essential part of Amsterdam’s Black heritage. Though the polarised reception Halsema’s announcement received perhaps underlines just how far the Venice of the North is from acknowledging the abuses of its past, an increasingly vocal party is nevertheless making the city’s Black history more accessible to visitors than ever before.
DESTINATION 3: DETRIOT, AMERICA One of the best places in the world to learn about Black history – Detroit was at the heart of the American slave trade as well as the abolitionist and Black Power movements. Notorious for its racial tensions, this city has a difficult history, demonstrated again last year by the mass protests against the killing of George Floyd.
One of the best places in the world to learn about Black history To learn about this challenging past, visitors can take tours of the underground railroads, which numerous slaves journeyed in the hope of liberation by crossing the Canadian border. Perhaps the most important stop in this regard is the Second Baptist Church, which sheltered over 5,000 fugitive slaves between 1836 to 1865. Tourists more interested in learning about the transformative effects of Black culture after the emancipation can alternatively visit the Motown Museum, an immersive historical experience set in the stylish ‘Hitsville USA’ property, that served as a recording studio during the 1960s Additionally, to learn more about the present, visitors can check out the annual African World Festival at the Wright – a showcase for the work of African American artists, performers, and chefs. With such a divisive heritage, Detroit, unsurprisingly, is renowned for many of the wrong reasons – such as the 12th Street Riot and the city’s recent economic collapse. Yet, it remains an essential stop for any tourist interested in learning about how Black American history still has ramifications for today.
Image credits: Paris and Amsterdam - Gracie Linthwaite; Detroit - Picturegift via Flickr
STYLE style@palatinate.org.uk
An interview with DUSEF Style editor Grace Jessop speaks to Imi Gallego, Emily Gray and Isabel Igbokwe
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tyle speaks to the DUSEF exec the Durham University Sustainable & Ethical Fashion Society.
Imi: “...These mass marketed collections by fast fashion brands stifle creativity of individual style! Lots of fast fashion brands rip off smaller, ‘slower fashion’ designers too, which is completely unethical”
Talk me through the beginning of DUSEF, and why was there a feeling that there was a space for it in Durham? Imi: “DUSEF was founded last year, but didn’t get off the ground as much as we would have hoped due to Covid-19. Making people aware that how they choose to shop is so impactful on the environment and people’s human rights is so crucial so we hope as a society that we can spread the word! There was a feeling in the founding exec that Durham was a perfect demographic for DUSEF, and that a lot of good could be done with it here!”
… so, what are the main aims of DUSEF? Imi, Emily & Isabel: “Our aims, as stated on our website, are to ‘raise awareness, provide choices and fundraise for charity’.
We think that Durham is one of the best places for these messages and goals to be spread A lot of people in Durham are really interested in fashion and so if we can educate people on the impact clothing has on the world, we will be fulfilling our aim! We are aware that the sustainable fashion movement is rooted deeply in privilege and that good quality clothing is sometimes expensive so we are committed to making it an accessible lifestyle for everyone.” “... with regards to charity, we think that financially helping charities that actively work against the widespread slave-labour market so prevalent in the creation of fast fashion is key, so all the money raised that we don’t put back into DUSEF goes to the charities Labour behind the Label and Anti Slavery International. We are also partnering with Women for Women this year who help female war surviors.”
What does sustainable and ethical fashion mean to you guys? Image credit: Grace Jessop
How do you shop ethically and sustainably? Emily: “I love finding smaller brands with ethical business models. Nobody’s Child is one of my favourites - they use sustainable fabrics, create jobs for women in the UK and abroad and pay a living wage to their employees”
Emily: “For me, it’s being aware of both the environmental and humanitarian impact our clothing has... that what we buy and wear creates a chain reaction, and so making that chain a positive one rather than a negative one is the aim” Isabel: “We have to reject the current trend cycle of the mainstream fashion industry - Zara does a new collection every Monday, it’s completely insane! It’s clear this constant stream of production isn’t ethical or sustainable - and being swept up with the social media trends - only exacerbated by TikTok - encourages this constant buying and then labels clothes from last week as ‘outdated’ is completely unsustainable. Realising this isn’t normal or ethical is so important.
We have to reject the current trend cycle of the mainstream fashion industry “… also, ethics conversations in the fashion industry are mainly centred around the unethical labour used to produce the garments but it’s important to note other ethics issues too in the fast fashion industry. For instance, due to the fact Zara is so popular on TikTok it is now being purchased by 12 or 13 year olds and so they have drastically changed their sizing in a lot of their clothing so it fits children - some women who used to buy a large are now having to buy an XXL! This is in turn creating shame for women, and is completely not ethical!”
Imi: “I buy clothes that are second hand or thrifted - I buy less, but spend more on the pieces I do choose to buy. I think it’s important to support the creativity of small designers, as we were previously saying.
Renting is great, to try things out properly before buying and going off them or just renting a dress for an event! For instance, there’s this amazing cardigan by Hope Macaulay which is definitely an investment piece, so I’m renting it for a week from ‘Hurr’ so I can see if I like it so I’m not creating waste if I don’t!”
What can we expect from DUSEF this year, and how would you encourage people to get involved with DUSEF? Imi, Emily & Isabel: “We’ve got lots of events planned. We’ve got a few fairs and stalls in the works, like the clothes sale at Scoop this Saturday the 23rd, and have a fair on the 28th of November at the SU, which will have loads of stalls with representatives of small, ethical brands - not just selling clothes but also beauty stalls, homewares and accessories! So we would really encourage people to come along. Members will get discounts for these events, so don’t forget to sign up! We are also launching college rep schemes soon so keep your eyes peeled for these and other opportunities!
DUSEF Instagram: @dusef_ Thursday, 28 October 2021
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INTERVIEW indigo.interview@palatinate.org.uk
Durham Book Festival: its regional impact Interview Editor Abigail Brierley speaks to Grace Keane, the Programme Manager for this year’s Durham Book Festival
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ach year the Durham Book Festival invites a range of writers, thinkers and performers to Durham city and events to promote literature from the North and to make it accessible across the region. Culture is at the heart of Durham and the festival allows the County to come together to celebrate the joy of books. Every year, the prestigious Durham Book Festival returns to county Durham, with a wide array of invited writers, thinkers and performers to appear. With past guests including Phillip Pullman, Bill Bryson and Simon Armitage, the weight of the festival is not to be underestimated. Alongside more traditional author events, they commission new writing each year across all forms; the commissions originate in Durham and often go on to tour to other festivals or
books, a novel or memoir and a picture book, and distribute them for free across Durham. This year, the Big Read is Lemn Sissay’s incredible memoir My Name is Why”. Lemn Sissay’s My Name is Why, is a memoir reflecting on Sissay’s own childhood, and focuses on ideas of self-expression and Black Britishness. Through this, Sissay explores the UK’s institutional care system, racial identities, the concept of family and the meaning of home. Durham Book Festival is giving away 4,000 copies of the book throughout Durham, to schools, community centres, libraries, prisons and the University. You can pick up your free copy of My Name is Why in the Bill Bryson Library. The Durham Book Festival has a programme of community work, beginning with shared reading around My Name is Why and bringing communities to see Lemn (the author) at the Gala Theatre in Durham city. This work will continue throughout the year. “Every year the festival works with local schools in a number of ways. We run a series of author events for local schools and also offer school-based poetry workshops working in partnership with Durham University and our Festival Laureate – an acclaimed poet, who is invited to produce a new piece of work to be premiered at the festival each year.” Additionally, to help engage younger audiences across the county, and to spread the joy of literature across the region, they are sending at least one free copy of the 2021 Little Read, Look Up! by Nathan Byron and Dapo Adeola, to every primary school and nursery in County Durham, along with free resources that can be accessed by parents and teachers. A central part of the Durham Book Festival is amplifying authors and writers from the North East. Northern writers are always a big part of the Durham Book Festival and the 2021 programme celebrates a range of books from the North. The connection of the Durham Book Festival to the North East, and the surrounding region is also strongly exemplified through the festival’s Gordon Burn Prize. This prize takes place each year at the festival, and it is growing towards becoming one of the UK’s most exciting and up and coming literary prize. The prize is named in honour of the late Gordon Burn, a writer and journalist from the North East, and seeks to “reward writers who embody the spirit of Burn’s own bold and innovative literary methods”. The festival saw Carnegie Medal-winning writer David Almond coming to the Gala Theatre for a special families’ event, and also brought together schools from around County Durham for a digital event with picture-book maker Richard O’Neill.
Durham Book Festival is giving away 4,000 copies throughout Durham to be published in the national media. The festival believes that culture belongs to everyone, and they work with communities throughout County Durham to encourage enjoyment through reading and writing. In light of the recent news that Durham has made it onto the longlist for City of Culture 2025, the importance of this is only amplified. Community work is an important part of the Durham Book Festival and one of the primary ways they increase engagement with literature in County Durham is through their Big and Little Read programmes. “Each year we choose two 12
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These are some of the top events to look out for from Northern writers – with all digital events still available to watch up to the 31st of October: “[they have] featured Booker Prize-winning author Pat Barker with her new novel The Women of Troy and brilliant debut non-fiction events with both Tawseef Khan and Anita Sethi. We have a whole series of free, digital commissions, curated by local artist Vici Wreford-Sinnott, on the theme of ‘Disability and the Politics of Visibility.’ If you’re a poetry fan, we have a North-East Poetry Showcase at the Gala Theatre with readings from Jo Clement, John Challis, and Jake Campbell”. Finally, here are some top recommendations from features in the Durham Book Festival: “There’s honestly been too many to choose this year but if you’re interested in podcasts then check out our new Sleep Stories series, bringing together experts in sleep from around the world and exclusive short stories by Salena Godden, Andrew McMillan and Jenn Ashworth”. The Durham Book Festival has done wonders for promoting and spreading accessible literature to all demographics across the region. Be sure to make the most of the incredible festival, and pick up your copy of Lemn Sissay’s incredible memoir My Name is Why, from the Bill Bryson Library. Image credit: Victoria Cheng
INTERVIEW interview.indigo@palatinate.org.uk
Durham ACS and Black History Month Interview Editor Steph Ormond talks to ACS President Hashr Buwembo
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urham University’s African Caribbean Society was founded in 2015 by first-year students who wished to provide a welcoming space for students to celebrate African and Caribbean culture. Six years on, let us turn to the group’s current President Hashr (Ashley) Buwembo [first left in the photo], a second-year International Relations student from Hatfield, as she discusses Durham ACS and what Black History Month means to her and the society. Q. What is an ACS and its significance within the university community? A.“The ACS is a society to come and appreciate African and Caribbean culture which incorporates music, food and games, just the
were approximately just over 400 full-time students of Black and Mixed-race heritage. Compared to the whole student population, that came out to around 2%.Nonetheless,Durham ACS still have their fair share of prominent alumni. Q. Are there any famous or notable alumni who were members of the ACS? Where are they now? A.“So I do know of Ifeoluwa Bayo-Oluyamo. She was a previous Vice-President for ACS who graduated in 2020 with a degree in Law, so not too long ago. Now, she is currently an AS Aspire candidate training to be a solicitor.” Q. What does Black History Month mean to you? A. “Initially, Black History Month for me is about remembering important historical events
A society to appreciate African and Caribbean culture works. It is a place for individuals to meet each other and acts as a safe haven for those who are similar to them. Q. How many members do you have? A.We have approximately 200 members this year from first-year to postgraduate students which is quite good.” According to the Student Registry statistics from the 2020-21 academic year, there
and people from the African diaspora who have contributed to how Black history has come about. Including the remembrance of tragedies within this history that have occurred. After that, I think that it is certainly a month of gratitude gratitude to o u r s e l ve s from ourselves a b o u t Black excellence. In this month especially, we highlight the appreciation of Black history by other members of soci-
ety in general. By that, I mean not just by African or Caribbean people, but by people from all backgrounds.” Q. Do you have a favourite Black figure from history that you can say has inspired you and why? A. “Like a favourite? I have an Angela Davis poster, typical I know - but yeah, let us start there. She is both a very strong advocate for prison reform whilst being a passionate educator for Black people. I do think that she is one to go the full way in what she does. And I admire that. Likewise, I have got to say Angela Davis is my favourite Black figure from history. In my opinion, things cannot go wrong with her.” Q. How is Durham ACS celebrating Black History Month this year? A. “This year, we are doing different tributes to celebrate various people via our stories on our Instagram profile @DurhamACS. Every couple of days, we post about a few people who represent
us from different eras of Black History. For example, we had Angela Davis, Malorie Blackman, and Mary McLeod Bethune. Bethune was a pioneer for Black education in the United States and fought for education rights for African Americans. Also, we are hosting Black History Month movie nights, so people can vote for the movies that they want to watch to celebrate it.
Black History Month is certainly a month of gratitude - gratitude to ourselves from ourselves about Black excellence The list features movies directed by Black people, featuring prominent Black figures, famous events from the past. So that’s how Durham ACS is celebrating Black History Month.”
Image credits: @DurhamACS via Instagram Thursday, 28 October 2021
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FOOD AND DRINK food@palatinate.org.uk
My food, my heritage, my history Three students discuss how food connects them to their heritage Nigerian jollof rice
Ghanaian jollof rice
rom a casual lunch with friends, to a family birthday party, all the way to a wedding menu, jollof has always been a unifying dish across Nigeria. It’s been used as the main dish in celebrations and its rich flavours always seem to bring the whole community together. At its core lie three main ingredients: rice, tomato and seasoning, although additional ingredients such as vegetables can often be added to the main recipe to further enhance the flavour. In my experience, every jollof recipe has varied from family to family and so the taste can range from sweet to spicy. But, the main thing binding all the ingredients together is the rich, flavourful tomato base which is traditionally left to simmer for hours and allowed to stew before the rice is added in, hence why it has such a deep flavour. In my family, we usually eat jollof during celebrations such as Christmas or Easter, in addition to also having it regularly on Sundays. Whilst jollof on its own is great, it’s the combination with other foods that really makes it special. As shown in the picture, usually we would have the rice alongside salad, plantain and chicken, or assorted meat and fish. Jollof means enjoyment and this celebrational food has been passed down through generations to today, where it’s now Nigeria’s national dish.
he most debated West African food, which has managed to separate people for as long as I can remember, has to be the special delicacy called jollof rice. Originally from Senegal, taking its name from the Wolof tribe, this delicious dish made with rice, tomatoes and various spices has become extremely popular even in the diaspora. Ghanaians and Nigerians have been contending for decades over who makes the best jollof, and though I might be biased due to my own origins, I have to say, Ghana jollof is by far superior to any other. There have even been many competitions throughout the years to settle this everlasting dispute. The most recent one was the Onga Jollof Battle, which took place in Accra, and Ghana was crowned the winner in 2019. Despite causing a lot of agitation, jollof rice is also a celebratory food. It defines West African heritage for many people, representing a link to the traditional way of living that we don’t get to experience from outside of our parents’ countries.What some people may dismiss as just a plate of colourful rice has been an intrinsic part of my childhood. To this day, it connects me to my roots and I have many fond memories attached to it. This experience is certainly one I hope to pass forward to my children and hopefully, they too will defend Ghana jollof, as I have.
By Vanessa Ohanebo
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Taste of Cabo Verde
By Lois Mensah
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By Andreia Tavares Semedo
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y heritage hails from the shores of West Africa, Cabo Verde, an archipelago of ten islands barely visible on a world map and even less so in the consciousness of the rest of the world. Despite our small population, our cultural cuisine is still as rich as that of nations triple its size. Food is an integral part of being Cape Verdean as it serves to connect our large diaspora; more Cape Verdeans live abroad than in Cape Verde itself. Food is also an important part of our collective cultural identity: growing up, cooking together with my mum and tias was instrumental in forging relationships and passing recipes down. I have strong memories associated with the food I was surrounded with growing up: leftover catchupa (the national dish of Cabo Verde, made from a mix of maize, yams, plantains and more) refogada with a fried egg, is tied to the comfort of a lazy Sunday morning. Also, Feijoada, a hearty bean stew associated with joy and familiarity. It is a staple at any large family gathering, paired with varieties of rice brought by each household. With a fraught history of slavery and colonialism, Cape Verdeans have had to build up our culture from the fragments of our stolen ancestors’ previous ancestral lands combined with Portugal’s colonial influence. The result is a hybrid Afro-European cuisine filled with comfort, heartiness, and a culture equating food (and its preparation) to love and survival. 14
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Image credit: Vanessa Ohanebo (top two photos); Juju Soares (bottom right)
STAGE stage@palatinate.org.uk
Blackness in theatre Emily Oliver considers contemporary presentations of blackness on stage
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heatre has always constituted a space within which social boundaries can be transcended. On stage, a marginalized voice can be lifted up, and celebrated. Untold stories and silenced perspectives can be heard. Nevertheless, the systemic discrimination faced by people of colour does not end when they enter the theatre doors. Both classic and contemporary pieces of theatre alike are united in their depiction of the often painful, often painless, often unifying, often divisive, often empowering position of a marginalized person existing within a society that insists upon their marginalization. There is a certain freedom to existing in the margins.
Change does not come easily. It is often violent, bloody and not everyone lives to see the fruits of their labour
Editor’s Picks
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, written in 1982 by August Wilson, is a play centering around racism, the depiction of racial struggle through art, discrimination, and the systemic and continual exploitation of marginalized communities by white people. Set in Chicago in 1927, the play follows Ma Rainey, a jazz singer just signed on with white producers, and her band on their first day of recording. The ambitious trumpeter, Levee, dreams of change, his trumpet signifying him as a herald for better times. Despite this, the tragic end of the play roots his narrative firmly in the experience shared by so many black people and other marginalized communities today. Change does not come easily. It is often violent, bloody, and not everyone lives to see the fruits of their labour. Despite being set nearly one hundred years ago, events of the play still ring frighteningly
All the Natalie Portmans by C.A. Johnson A coming of age comedy both hilarious and heart breaking, well worth catching when you can.
true, forcing an examination of how far society has truly progressed. The 2020 film adaptation, centering around compelling performances given by Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman, compounds the relevance of the narrative for a contemporary audience. The commodification of ‘blackness’ is a concept that has newly entered mainstream conversations around race. The Kardashians are often criticised for appropriating the lips, hips, and hairstyles of African American people, despite having distinctly Caucasian heritage. Their use of plastic surgery, waist trainers and fake tan to take on fetishistic appropriations of African American beauty standards has brought the idea of commodifying ‘blackness’ to the forefront of media discussion of race. Works such as Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom encroach on the thematic relevance of white exploitation of black culture. Ma Rainey is criticized by Levee for surrendering her blackness. He accuses her of sacrificing her own identity in order to appeal to a mass white audience, allowing her artistic voice to be commodified for their comfortable consumption. The controversy surrounding Boseman losing out on his Oscar to the (rightly) celebrated, caucasian actor Anthony Hopkins for his performance in The Father engages us further in how the themes of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom are still relevant today. One, a black man lost unexpectedly to cancer and never decorated by The Academy for his considerable contributions to film and television. The other, an old white man on holiday in Wales with a previous Best Actor Oscar win. This is not to negate the quality of Hopkin’s performance and deservedness of the award. It merely forces an examination of the systems of power in place over critical acclaim, and those
which define cultural weight and significance. The position of black artists is examined by many more contemporary playwrights. Notably, C.A. Johnson’s coming of age comedy All the Natalie Portmans adopts the eyes of sixteen year old Keyonna with which to see the world. ‘Too smart,’ ‘too gay,’ and ‘too lonely’ to fit in, Keyonna depicts the struggle of living on the poverty line whilst examining the escapism offered by art. On National Theatre at Home, Three Sisters adapted by Inua Ellams after Chekhov is currently available to stream. The iconic narrative is relocated to Nigeria, in 1967, a country on the brink of the Biafran Civil War. The bold and striking adaption is a brilliant assertion of black excellence, and is, in my opinion, far more compelling than the original. The National Theatre Black Plays Archive has an incredible range of resources, the perfect way to diversify one’s theatrical education past Tom Stoppard and Samuel Beckett. With recent criticisms of Hamilton arising from casting people of colour as slave owners, we are reminded of the necessity to continually direct a critical eye to all forms of art. It has been criticized as left-wing liberal appeasement, written in order to make liberals feel self-gratified due to the diversifying and subsequent dilution of America’s violent history. The dialogue surrounding depictions of racial conflict in theatre is ongoing. The conversation is not fixed. Like all theatre, it should be inherently inclusive. And yet a necessary prerequisite to enter into the conversation is ensuring that marginalized voices are put at the center, and are not drowned out.
Small Island by Andrea Levy adapted by Helen Edmundson This play traces Jamacia and Britain’s intimate history as individual hopes and dreams clash against the harsh reality of 1948
Image credits (from left): lis-n; Unification France; Alana-Marie Gopaul - all via Flickr
Thursday, 28 October 2021
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VISUAL ARTS visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk
‘Bold, Black, British’ Travel Editor Holly Downes discusses the ultimate agenda of Christie’s latest exhibition
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hristie’s ‘Bold, Black, British’ exhibition traces the legacy of creativity through diversity – aiming to acknowledge, showcase and celebrate the art produced by influential people of colour over the last forty years. Brought to life by renowned curator Aindrea Emelife, the exhibition offers a splendid and immersive introduction to names the industry has long overlooked. She presents viewers with her “utopic vision for the future” – a future free from the racial inequality that plagues the art industry and respects the voices of its creators.
Black creativity is not merely limited to the canvas This story is told through a series of multimedia rooms, packed with different mediums, from sound art to film, eloquently proving that Black creativity is not merely limited to the canvas. Moreover, with every piece being handpicked from different eras, her audience are guided down a timeline of Black artistry. From pioneering icons of the 1980s, like Sonia Boyce and her outstanding political work, to more contemporary names like Samson Kambalu, audiences are able to appreciate the depth and heritage of Black British art – which in the past auction houses and museums have concealed.
Her audience are guided down a timeline of black artistry Throughout her interviews, Emelife has reiterated that “taking up space is resistance”. It’s an assertion that encapsulates what this exhibition is all about – taking concrete steps to make sure 16
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utopic visions don’t remain distant dreams. Literally covering Christie’s gallery from head to toe with the old and the new of Black art is far more profound a statement than any speech or press release. By looking beyond white artists, Emelife is forcing viewers to challenge their internalised conceptions about art history, as they are bombarded with Black creativity from all angles. Emelife claims she wanted “people to go into the exhibition with one idea, and have other ideas leap out … at unexpected turns” – and she certainly sends her audience into a whirlwind of shocking realisations, as the knowledge they assumed absolute is challenged by a curator born to re-educate.
Forcing viewers to challenege their internalised conceptions about art history In this respect, Sahara Longe’s artworks prove particularly captivating. Replacing traditional Old Master paintings with black bodies her portfolio creatively marks a time of liberation where black artists can reinvent and overcome a history of suppression. By intertwining our preconceived view of art with postmodern thinking, her two-metre high oil portraits truly bring Emelife’s intentions to life. It’s not all utopia though. ‘Bold, Black, British’ may seem intended
purely to celebrate Black artistry, but this comes with complex financial qualifications. Every work showcased will soon be auctioned off through the Christie’s website, which advertises private viewings for those interested in purchasing Emelife’s hand-picked pieces. Rather than supporting the artists, the profits this process generates will go straight to the private auction house. This seems contradictory. A desire for profit appears the driving force behind the goal to celebrate Black creativity. Longe’s beautiful portraits may commemorate the autonomy of Black individuals, but once it is successfully sold, Longe will no longer own the rights to her work. This would appear to verifiy the industry’s ‘common perception’ of Black artistry – constraining those of a different colour. Nevertheless, Emelife has insisted that it really is all “about Black art not being a sellable fad”. Instead, the selling process
is tailored to “celebrating and recalibrating what a ‘platform’ is”. Perhaps, auctioning is such a deep-rooted tradition, that engaging with it is necessary to further diversify the industry. After all, excluding Black artists from auctions would only alienate them further.
A desire for profit appears the driving force The ‘Bold, Black, British’ exhibition is creating a new narrative, one that assaults the internalised prejudices of the art industry and gives Black artists the honour and respect they deserve. By giving the public an opportunity to learn about the richness, buoyancy, and liveliness of Black art, it marks a major step forward in striving for an industry that represents all cultures and races. In the words of Emelife, it’s reclaiming Black creatives a “space in art history that is long overdue”. Image credit: Adeline Zhao
