This article was inspired by the conversation I overhead while on the line at Pick and Pay till. “Black people don’t support each other” I switched off right there because I heard that narrative before.
I think this narrative needs to be debunked and challenged once and for all. My friends who happen to be my flat mates know that I always buy veggies and fruits from black street vendors. I always cut my hair at a road side salon owned by black people. I am very conscious of where I spend my money, honestly it is not always possible to spend money on black people but I try. I know to use myself as case study in this issue is problematic because I begin to project my own subjective experiences as if they represent a holistic narrative.
However I have evidence in abundance to show you black people do support each, the problem is that we have made a conscious decision to not see anything good about ourselves. Who buys and download Kwaito music, House music, Maskandi music, Gospel music, Jazz music, Afro Soul music produced by black people? Is it white people? Hell no! All the festivals where black artist perform their different musical genres, those festival are supported overwhelmingly by black people supporting black musicians. I don’t remember Joyous Celebration concert filled up by a white audience nor do I remember a Maskandi concert or BiGNUZ concert supported by white people. So what do you mean when you say black people don’t support each other?
The reason why our streets in cities and small towns are filled up with black street vendors 365 days it is because black people buy from black street vendors. Who support road side hair stylists? The answer is simple black people. The Shisanyamas in townships are owned and supported by black customers. Who filled up the stadium when Chiefs and Pirate are playing? abantu abamnyama. You must check who filled up the stadium when Manchester United play against a local team; all of a sudden we have whites and Indian soccer fanatics. I don’t even know how many black soccer talents that were unearthed by Jomo Sono. Just think about other ways black people support each surely examples are endless.
We have been fed negative images of blackness for centuries. Anything associated with black as a color is frowned upon. Negativities that are associated with blackness were and still are a deliberate plan to dehumanize Africans and reduce fully functional human beings to a state of nothingness. For example Black Market, Black Sheep of a family, Black Listing, Black magic, we know these words smack of trouble and are usually used to reinforce the stereotype that anything associated with the black color is bad and should be shun upon.
In the world where blackness is seen as a negation of whiteness, where in our social media and the main stream media are filled with negative images of blackness. It is not surprising that some black people have internalized the inferiority complex to such an extent that we refuse to see anything positive about ourselves despite the overwhelming evidence that points to the contrary. As black people we owe it to ourselves to desist any temptation of finding fault in any positive story about ourselves.
Article By Khulekani Ntjana
About the writer: I am pamphleteer, Aspiring writer.I am anti white supremacy, anti debauchery and anti philistinism. I strongly believe we should always read even if we are not placed within the four walls of class rooms. Humanities graduate who just got along at varsity
