South African Black Woman
Black in Space…
Black in space explores the ghost presence of a black woman upon entering a room, her blackness becomes more apparent than the reason for being in the room.
The discomfort is expressed through a wearable prototype made of a deformed wire, cardboard wrapped in black denim clothe that forms uneven rings and attaches itself on the black female form, along with an ‘enslavement bracelet’ tightly warm around the arm with shards of broken mirror pieces emphasizing the awkward ghost presence that is experience by the black female user of the institutional space.
upon exiting the room the garment speaks to emancipation and recognition beyond being black. The rings are then detachable and the ‘enslavement bracelet becomes a crown to crown the moment.
Scene 1.Series of 3 scenes, 3 rooms and degrees of acknowledged or welcomed or unwelcome black ness.
Scene 1 :
Ekhaya
My impressive vocabulary in my English accent from Egoli doesn’t matter here
Here I am Siwelile Senamile Mathenjwa not Siwe .
Mgabadeli Ndabezitha wena ongayidli imbuzi
Osaba umsila lobheke phezulu. Clan name recital
Here my grandmother thinks my half shaved hair is strange
How could a black queen like myself discard parts of her glory
A woman's beauty is in her hair she says as she braids what is left of it.
Scene 2 :
School.
I have come to get an education, to learn the tongue of the economy, to speak it well to get a job to secure my future.
My braids are too long they say..
Untidy ! they say..
Make me sit outside the class as punishment
They are not your natural hair color ! they say..
But they are fighting a bigger fight in menial tools
They are fighting my ancestors that have made it to this room
OMageba madoda.
Against my blackness.
Scene 3 :
Work
Ubaaas uyasatwa (you are to be afraid of ‘the white man’ the boss)
Or so my grandparents were.
You nod you smile .
Even if He dishes insults and looks of disapproval .
You take what he gives you Ngezandla zombili ntombazane (with both hands)
He is doing you a favor.
When month end comes you’ll be afforded the chance
To accumulate debt
To enslave yourself to your master
Be gracious now.
Here you speak English, you wear a weave and smart casual.
You wear those heels as you dash past Bree taxi rank
You relieve your swollen ankles with those pumps you bought on sale eWoolworth’s mtase momentarily until you have to make the clients tea.
“But I’m not a tea lady”, I think defiantly to myself.
otat’ omkhulu ( My Grandfathers) didn’t take me school ,to university on garden boy wages to make tea dixibe(wearing) smart casual ‘yo ha ah.’(No man)