Black Panther: An Insult to Africa

Now, I don’t know what you’ve heard about Africa, but it is, noncertain, what Black Panther makes it (sub silencio). Africa does not harbor bald shaven women with spears as guards, world around it descending into chaos, whole clans isolating themselves into the mountains, violence and shootouts in the dark et cetera! 

 These are all red flags to the absurdum to which the film makers hold our rich continent.

The Black Panther creates grim and alarming antihuman figures that have part of their skins surging from the extensions of plate-like objects inserted in to them, the women are naïve and submissive to a fault and are bundled up like cattle during the frequent unrest that seem to characterize the film.

The tribal and chieftaincy rules are all that the communities have to live for in a land hot and dusty and full of wide ‘empty’ spaces.

Africa can relate to agricultural development, our lands are not bare and barren, latest technology is awash in the Africa I know, but why trust me, an African with a name so black Anyona Adawo, come take a safari – as you pretend to while watching films from African game reserves in your white walled Waddington homes.

Black Panther is a renaissance fair – a mere outdoor event that emulates a historic period (pre-colonial) that Africa underwent some time back but for entertainment purposes. An exaggerated stereotype that is spun to debase modern Africa

This bid to find black people, that black hero they can relate to is turning into a world circus; only the circus elephants and monkeys here are the portrayals of primitive and aboriginal traditions of the Africans that are astounding to say the least.  

The jungled lands are inhabited by the skimpily dressed black warriors that are armed to the teeth spooky in all manners and thrive in peculiar speech mannerisms.

While you might be fast to bog me down with the difference between blacks and Africans, I highly suggest that you understand that all black people have an origin, you too have one. The film Black Panther scenes are shot in Africa and so as an African I have all the rights to express myself on this. Covfefe!

In appreciation of the feminist approach the film makers undertook; the women are given roles that would solely be the preserve of men such as to be the guards. Similarly women are given leadership positions and a seat at the decision making table during some of the ceremonial fights.

It is admirable too that the film creates a black hero to counter the decades-old white heroes and heroines with superpowers like Supergirl, Superman, Hulk, Flash, Ironman, Spiderman, Batman, Arrow, Firestorm, Captain America and now BLACK panther – let me not even start with whether Africans know what a panther looks like.

Perhaps I may be kind enough as to suggest that in subsequent shots, film makers, should portray Africans as well-adjusted and pragmatic just as other human beings who inhabit California and London.