It was my maiden visit to South Africa. It was a ‘look and see’ trip which one does before deciding to move to a country. Most people check on housing and schooling. We went to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg instead.
Ten words printed on a plaque held us captive. “Humanity was born in Africa. All people, ultimately, are African.”
That said, and that known; let us face it, and more importantly accept, that we are racists.
When you enter the museum you are randomly given a ticket that says ‘white’ or ‘non-white’. You then take a path that is classified for your color type reflecting apartheid-era laws. The exhibits are disturbing. They are critical to understanding South Africa. You are appalled at the shallowness of the strain of thought- of color being the sole decisive segregating factor in the apartheid era.
And then you walk out, shake your head in dismay and know it is still like that across the globe. People don’t talk about it explicitly, openly, publically (unless you are Trump) but racism is alive and thriving. Discrimination on basis of color is a reality. Fairness creams sell like hot cakes in India (with successful film stars endorsing them) and China sells a detergent that promises to be so effective that it could whiten a black man.
Racism is a reality. The ‘other’, whether it is a woman, a muslim, a hindu, a dalit, a homosexual, a north eastern in Delhi, an African in India, an Indian in Australia, America, basically any ‘other’ that is perceived different from us is abused- physically or verbally or mentally in the attitude towards them. Tolerance is challenged, acceptance is far fetched.
Ten days ago a Congolese national was beaten to death in Delhi, India. A week later, at least seven other African nationals were allegedly attacked in three separate incidents in the country.
What we do well is debate and discuss whenever a case of racism surfaces in India. Funnily enough the first question is always, “Is it a racist attack?” A chunk of people say Indians have a history and philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). They skim the case as an aberration. The second group traces it back to the caste system. The caste system of India became racism after the British arrived, and stayed; is their take. The third says it is the continuation of the tussle between Dravidians and Aryans and has economic overtones. And another, albeit small group says, they do it too.
What it also is, is a false sense of superiority and a deep sense of insecurity. The browns that we are yearn to be white. That is the aspiration. And because that is perceived superior, black is considered inferior and we want to distance ourselves from them. My sister-in-law once rightly pointed out that she looks completely washed out in the pictures that are taken and developed in India by professional photographers. It’s true, in their effort to keep clients happy; they brighten and lighten Indian skin so much that the naturally light complexion washes out totally. Actor Nandita Das has recounted how she has faced directors and make up artists wanting to ‘lighten’ her complexion for playing the role of an educated, successful woman. When do you think L’Oréal will sign up a dusky brand ambassador from India?
Color is an issue as is the ‘koop mandook’ mentality. Koop mandook is a concept which demonstrates that a frog living in a well believes that that is the entire world and that he is supreme. The thought of something else beyond- a bigger river in the case of a frog, doesn’t even exist because the vision is limited.
We need to move out of our well to know what exists outside. There is a world beyond the color we are trained to see and emulate. We need to know that Africa is not a country. It is a continent. It has more than fifty countries. We need to be mindful that Africa is probably the friendliest block of nations that India has today.
We need to remember we are all ultimately African.
And, we need to remember that colored photography is an advancement of black and white photography. Advancement is a sign of evolution
