By Manali Jama Until recently Marvel Studio, home of the incredibly successful “Iron Man” and “Avenger” franchises, have concentrated on white heroes and white narratives. “Black Panther” has changed everything.
The movie introduces Wakanda, an imaginary country in Africa where most of the story takes place. Wakanda is beautiful and likely the richest and most technologically advanced society in the world: this is a total opposite of the images of Africa today. Most people think of Africa as a famine and poverty-stricken continent, which is not always true. Due to rich reserves of “vibranium,” Wakanda could be one of the most powerful countries but they instead choose to be low-key. Rather than imperialize or colonize, Wakanda hides and as a result other world powers do not know the amount of power Wakanda possesses and consider it a third world country. “Black Panther” not only does a great job in removing the stigma associated with Africa, it also beautifully and appropriately represents different African cultures by presenting various tribes and bringing them all together to show how united Africa can be. The character Shuri is a black female who is very talented when it comes to technology. She designs many brilliant inventions that helps Wakanda as a whole be a better country. She is a great representation of black women in science and technology fields. Although the movie is very empowering, it also shows some very hard truths. Erik Killmonger, who is portrayed by Michael B Jordan, is a great example of the hardships that many Black Americans face. Although his father is a Wakandian prince, others view him as very different since he grew up in America. He had a difficult childhood and struggled a lot growing up. Killmonger’s character showcases the moral failings of not only Wakanda but Black people in power who are not helping their own people. The king of Wakanda had a lot of power and resources but wasn't willing to share to help out other Blacks in need. The king was just used to keep things the way they were; in a world where Wakanda didn't get involved with other countries and maintained its privilege through isolation. Killmonger, who grew up in poverty and understood the struggles of the black community, was so determined to share Wakanda’s power and resources to empower these struggling communities of color. Overall, “Black Panther” had a very strong message behind it. It was a movie dedicated to Black excellence as well as bringing light to Black issues. The movie did a great job in allowing people to finally see Africa through a different lens. Source: http://wallpaperdp.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Black-Panther-2018-Movie-HD-Image.jpg
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AuthorSirena Backham Archives
March 2018
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