Creation of Illusion: Cross Cultural Issues are blaring the lines between white and black. Is this the beginning of a colourless society? Cutting the racial umbilical chord, painful as it may. Beyonce has been in the media to some; bad media for others good press. Admittedly she is pushing cultural, sexist and racial boundaries. Has she become a modern day activist and advocate for correction of social ills in an unconventional way?

Political: Beyoncé's dance routine was clearly designed to evoke the Black Panthers and make reference to African-American issues - but it was not intended to be about the death of Mario Woods

Academics are uncomfortable with her “theory-less” encroachment, might she be getting disdain even? This is not a surprise, the academia has for ages engaged with its self, if you want to go any further it is in the library in case you may have missed one of the many conferences where they get intimately and animatedly intellectual. Practitioners are at loss as she is taking all the limelight from them by not only being a music super star but occupying their space. Beyonce’s audience is vast across the globe, she engages with anyone who cares to and maybe even those who chose not to care because she is into your face! Your TV, your radio, your internet, your magazines and newspapers, she is like a pest, a needed but unwanted pest!

Beyonce sparks discussions and dialogue through performance and art,(even when it is a an awkward less than super “starish” show of the Indian dance moves! Really Beyonce!!) an occupation for centuries that has been regarded as lesser and not worthy of abstract attention and normal intelligence and brilliance unless its Shakespear, Soyinka, Achebe, Rashdi. The  new breed of females; your Chimamandas and Beyonces are challenging the space. Does this spell a scary journey forward for you know who…?

Is Beyonce not only challenging, culture, race and  gender norms but the education system as well? Defiance that the classroom is not the only place a girl child is assured to succeed in life given the chance. Is Beyonce proof enough that creative industries offer an alternative robust space for girls and women to silence the guns and raise their “voices- less” aggressively in tackling social ills?

By far, these are interesting times, depending on which side of the dialogue you are on…lets continue talking!

mpho letima

 

Published by Gem Institute Group

Gem Institute started to volunteer on social responsibility issues in 2010 .GEM aims to create awareness, advocate and provide capacity building on human security and development issues on the following issues: Breaking the digital gap by providing easy access for internet services, film and other media platforms to address the following issues: a. Promoting active and accountable citizenship b. Engagement of men in gender issues to promote positive masculinities to improve the quality of life of women and families c. Building the capacity of women and youth to participate in economic growth through organic entrepreneurial initiatives d. Promote positive, creative cultural and innovative practices for artistic expressions to improve livelihoods e. Building the capacity of communities to be efficient and effective in their human development initiatives through advocacy, policy and research GEM Institute provides innovation hub platforms that will create a safe space for young people to avoid destructive behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse. A space to conduct community dialogues and interactions to promote social inclusion using the human rights approach and positive cultural practices that promote humanism. Women and youth will be encouraged to use technology to improve their enterprises and to help improve technology skills of the general community members in the use of information to close the digital gap between the marginalizes (rural and mountainous) place from urban centers.