By Kamila Yusuf.
Wakanda Forever. And ever. And ever. And ever…
Last week, the highly anticipated Marvel film Black Panther premiered in theatres across the globe. Black Panther fans and enthusiasts showed out in record numbers. In only four days, the film made $427 million worldwide, earning more than Justice League in its entire theatrical run. Not only was this film one of the more successful Marvel films, it holds importance to Africa, the diaspora, Black women and afrofuturism.
The storyline of Black Panther takes place only a week after Captain America: Civil War, and tells the story of how T’Challa (Black Panther) becomes King of Wakanda after the death of his father, the former King T’Chaka. He struggles with coming to terms with his father’s past demons and the critical decision to open up Wakanda to the rest of the world—including sharing its large powerful resource, Vibranium. With the help of his most trusted friends and family, T’Challa goes head to head with resident supervillain (who absolutely had some valid arguments), Erik Killmonger.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src= »https://lagrandeafrique.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/kamila2.png » _builder_version= »3.0.105″ /][et_pb_text _builder_version= »3.0.105″]
Image via Collider © Marvel Studios
Black Panther is the first mainstream superhero film to feature a predominantly Black all-star cast, a Black director (Ryan Coogler, who also directed Fruitvale Station and Creed), Black screenwriters, and an immensely Black supporting cast and crew. From the imagery, the colours, the natural hairstyles, the fashion, to the action-packed fight scenes, the hilarious one-liners, and dynamic storyline, Black Panther came through in all its afrofuturistic glory.
While Black Panther didn’t invent Afrofuturism, the film adds to the already rich artistic history of those who kept the movement alive. Musicians like Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu, writers like Nnedi Okorafor or Ytasha Womack, or artists like David Alabo, have all kept the movement pulsating by reimagining Black and African experiences through science-fiction and mystical cultural elements.
So, what exactly is Afrofuturism, and why does it sound so cool?
Afrofuturism was coined in 1993, but afrofuturist art, music and dialogue has been in circulation and discussion since the 1950s. Afrofuturism is a cultural and artistic movement that seeks to insert Blackness and African identity into science-fiction. It is a type of mystical reimagining of our past, present and future as Africans or African-Americans, by combining traditional culture with futuristic elements. It is a political movement, and it is a feminist movement as it often emphasizes the idea of liberation from oppressive institutions. According to Marlo David, a professor and researcher of African-American cultural studies, Afrofuturism “challenges the post-human ideology of an imagined raceless future.” It reacts against the idea that Blackness, in a White supremacist world, implies “primitive” and opposes technological progression. Afrofuturist artists, writers, and cultural producers have recreated a visionary discourse that will reflect African and African diasporic experiences through science fiction, mysticism, surrealism, and futurism.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src= »https://lagrandeafrique.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/kamila3.png » _builder_version= »3.0.105″ /][et_pb_image _builder_version= »3.0.105″ /][et_pb_text _builder_version= »3.0.105″]
Image via Marvel Studios
Black Panther takes place in Wakanda, a fictional African nation that has never been colonized, and whose technological advances are far superior than any nation in the world. The film has a scene in which Wakandans are celebrating, dancing gleefully on their high-tech futuristic ships and vessels headed to the King’s Coronation. It was a beautiful mix of traditional dance and technology—the spirit of afrofuturism. We also have scenes in which T’Challa enters the ancestral plane, a beautiful starry night sky filled dancing blue and purple lights, contrasting with the image of T’Challa in a Thobe—a clear relationship between African mysticism and the interstellar. Afrofuturism also heavily influenced the costume design of the people of Wakanda. It is said that Black Panther’s Costume Designer, Ruth Carter, spent months researching the traditional and contemporary wear of various African ethnic groups—from the Maasai to the Tuareg. Smith combined the traditional wear with innovative style to add to the overall jaw-droppingly stunning aesthetic of Wakanda, and bringing a true afrofuturistic utopia to life. Black Panther did not only pay homage to the afrofuturist movement, but rather brought it back to the forefront into mainstream media.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src= »https://lagrandeafrique.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/kamila4.png » _builder_version= »3.0.105″]
Kwaku Alston/©Marvel Studios 2018
In the 21st century, Afrofuturism isn’t only an aesthetic or artistic movement, it’s political, it’s grounded in theory, and most of all, it’s exceptionally feminist. It allows a space for Black women and girls to just be. To just be in a world of equality, of opportunity, of fantasy. It allows a space for Black women to just be in whatever shape or form they want, as opposed to a society that policies their hair, bodies, skin, and joy. To my delight, T’Challa was only as strong as the women in his corner (and even then, I’d bet money that Okoye would win in a fight between the two of them). The Black women weren’t subject to common tropes or stereotypes—each one had their character development, personalities, and were lovable in different ways. Nothing makes my nerdy heart soar more than seeing beautiful little Black girls and boys looking up to strong, intelligent superheroes and princesses that look like them.
Black Panther truly was a film for the culture. Not only did it bring afrofuturism back to the forefront, it centered the experiences of Africans, Black women, and the African diaspora. I, for one, am patiently waiting for Black Panther 2. But until then, I’m heading to the theatre to watch it two or three more times.
And if I really feel the need for some afrofuturist, aesthetically pleasing vibes, I’ll go watch the music videos Janelle Monae released this week.
[/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version= »3.0.105″]
Kwaku Alston/©Marvel Studios 2018
In the 21st century, Afrofuturism isn’t only an aesthetic or artistic movement, it’s political, it’s grounded in theory, and most of all, it’s exceptionally feminist. It allows a space for Black women and girls to just be. To just be in a world of equality, of opportunity, of fantasy. It allows a space for Black women to just be in whatever shape or form they want, as opposed to a society that policies their hair, bodies, skin, and joy. To my delight, T’Challa was only as strong as the women in his corner (and even then, I’d bet money that Okoye would win in a fight between the two of them). The Black women weren’t subject to common tropes or stereotypes—each one had their character development, personalities, and were lovable in different ways. Nothing makes my nerdy heart soar more than seeing beautiful little Black girls and boys looking up to strong, intelligent superheroes and princesses that look like them.
Black Panther truly was a film for the culture. Not only did it bring afrofuturism back to the forefront, it centered the experiences of Africans, Black women, and the African diaspora. I, for one, am patiently waiting for Black Panther 2. But until then, I’m heading to the theatre to watch it two or three more times.
And if I really feel the need for some afrofuturist, aesthetically pleasing vibes, I’ll go watch the music videos Janelle Monae released this week.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
