A Film by Zola Maseko
When 20 year old Sara Baartman got on a boat that was to take her from Cape Town to London in 1810, she could not have known that she would would never see her home again. Nor, as she stood on the deck and saw her homeland disappear behind her could she have known that she would become the icon of racial inferiority and black female sexuality for the next 100 years.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SARA BAARTMAN is the fascinating story of this Khoi Khoi woman who was taken from South Africa, and then exhibited as a freak across Britain. The image and idea of "The Hottentot Venus" swept through British popular culture. A court battle waged by abolitionists to free her from her exhibitors failed.
In 1814 she was taken to France, and became the object of scientific and medical research that formed the bedrock of European ideas about black female sexuality. She died the next year. But even after her death, Sara Baartman remained an object of imperialist scientific investigation. In the name of "Science", her sexual organs and brain were displayed in the Musee de l'Homme in Paris until as recently as 1985.
Using historical drawings, cartoons, legal documents, and interviews with noted cultural historians and anthropologists, THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SARA BAARTMAN deconstructs the social, political, scientific and philosophical assumptions which transformed one young African woman into a representation of savage sexuality and racial inferiority.
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The horrifying depiction of the above soul's journey truly speaks to my spirit. It stirs something inside of my spirit which has caused me to create this blog. It causes me to examine my own way of thinking as well as strive to educate others regarding the particular mindset displayed above. This story causes me to examine the close correlation between the action's and views displayed historically and the actions/views displayed today. What is the difference between what Sara endured & what many black women endure today whether it is via video, movie, or overall outlook? I don't see much of a difference outside of the fact that some may voluntarily expose themselves & place themselves in a position of being a sole source of sexual exploitation. Many will argue that there is a difference because of this notion but the question you should ask yourself is WHY do young women openly embrace this mindset as being OKAY? Why do some of our African American queens turn this degrading lifestyle and mindset into an expression of empowerment when in reality it is a source of humiliation? It has become a source of pride to show our backside and have men react and practice the same degrading antics that Ms. Baartman was exposed to. How many pictures do you see black women flaunting their body parts and giving the portrayal that it is the only thing that we have to offer when in reality we represent so much more? I've personally normalized and ingrained that it is ok to constantly pose in that manner without actually taking into consideration as to why I feel that it is ok to do that. It is time to take responsibility and take back my authority of my own body and portrayal of it. It is not abnormal to find some of us using the same venacular that our former oppressors have dissrespected us with for years as a term of endearment towards each other. Why do some of our black men glorify the terms h*e, b***h, & s**t as a reference to black women whether it is lyrically or just an everday conversation and some of us readily accept that label as normal while even referring to each other in the same manner? We live in a culture that teaches women to find their value and self-worth in how many men find them sexy. The culture teaches that a woman's ultimate goal is to be a man's eye candy as well as a man's self worth and "arrival" being calculated in how many women he's slept with. Why is it ok and even celebrated to see black men blatantly disrespect black women? These are the questions that we should ask ourselves. Many may say that other races have strippers,groupies,video dancers, and the such but to that I say while this may be true, there is a huge difference between our history, culture, and status. Our history contains the constant act of objectifying and exploiting Black women's physique by using it as some kind of 'side-show' freakish object to be put on display for the viewing pleasure of others. It is true that Ms. Baartman was not giving a choice into this degrading lifestyle during that time & today some CHOOSE to be put on display in this same manner but please keep in mind that there is a similarity that these two different times share & that is the financing and images that portray a black woman's sexuality aren't created by black women. Both times share the same bond of these images being created & controlled by others. While some women choose to be strippers,video models, groupies, etc.,they don't WRITE the roles. If we were truly given sole rights to writing and creating the image in these fields as we wish without the fear of backlash, would any of these occupations,roles, and scenes even exist or look the same? Ponder that for a moment. Feel free to give feedback & spread the message. Thanks for reading.
Peace, Love, & Blessings,
Nata Bee
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