Omuwami- If you Ask me

i dunno why im so inconsistent with my blogin *hangs head in shame*
it sucks!
anyway all i wanted to post today was a piece on an artist i know very little about. omuwami. she's Nigerian.
i saw her music video last night and i fell in live with it! i love the whole Mowtown feel with an African twist. the video is also speaking out against rape child molestation and crimes against women. im in love with her brave approach, the way she dresses, wears her hair and to top it off she has an amazing voice!

Who invented what

so, this morning i saw another one of google's tributes to people of great achievements. im always impressed by the creative direction and genreal appeal to get people to know their history and commemorate the achievements of people who have shaped our current condition. what i always cannot stand though is how narrow their approach is. i would love to see them acknowledge the people who have shaped my history...african leaders who made the contribution that allows me to sit in front of this screen and stand on my virtual soap box.

the inventions of the muslims, the healing of the chinese and the folklore of african legends and the list goes on. who knows maybe i can land a job at google and be involved in the selection process of these unique commemorations.

http://www.1001inventions.com/ is an awesome website that celebrates the heritage and achievements of muslims over the past 100 years and more. i still dont have the book but will definately get one for my children as they should know they are within a richly cultural, scientific and mathematical environment.

B(l)ack to Basics

Today I was reading that Will Smith’s daughter was set to star in the remake of Annie, a classic in children’s theatre and film. I savoured the idea and was slightly unsure because when I thought Willow Smith I thought two things; “Whip yo Hair” and “Scientology”. Which I’ll tell you aren’t good triggers for my brain! Then I let the idea simmer and it hit me….it was monumental! I think when you have a two year old who is much like a tape recorder you become so paranoid about what you as a parent are allowing your kids to watch. Sometimes I feel it’s a reflection on my own level of awareness about filtering in pop culture to my own detriment.

Growing up to musicals like Annie, you look at the girl and truly believe you are her. You feel like you have a destiny greater than your present situation, much like the moral of Annie’s story. Even though at that moment you aren’t thinking, “this white girl got it good” subconsciously as studies have shown we relate these stories for the people represented in them. So when you see Disney’s representation of a happy life, girl in Soweto is not going to grow up thinking she has a share in this success and greatness that the stories boast. I really do believe this has a great impact on our self esteem as black women. I feel the manifestation of this social trend is none other than the weave revolution. I think for any black woman to think its normal for them to plait their own hair and sew on someone else’s hair for months on end is a deep statement about our social conditioning as black women. I believe that the root is what we were fed as children.

My favourite Disney Story, Pocahontas was about an Indian girl, daughter to the chief, who fell in love with a white sailor who came into her father’s land to settle there. her father ordered to get the white prince killed-why couldn’t he just let “love” take precedence over culture, history and honour which is what Disney ( the West) always argues when it comes to values black people take to heart and mind. Now I realize that the chief was in actual fact correcting this notion he was protecting, not only the honour of his daughter but that of his land and people no matter how small and seemingly insignificant. Today I look at this tale and I’m revolted because in my mind it didn’t dawn on me that these sailormen were in fact invading their land and were racist white supremists who thought they could in fact violate the laws of the natives and completely take over the already established lives of this small tribe; Much like the story of black people across the world. To illustrate my point Pocahontas’ dad eventually “let” the white sailor marry his daughter and they all lived happily ever after….really??? This HUGE concept was being infiltrated in my mind at such a young age….subhanaAllah

So, after the short history of my encounter with something as simple as storytelling and fiction I commend Jay-z and Will Smith for realizing the need for fictional tales being told through the eyes of young black girls and boys. I do challenge us to go back to the root of oral tradition where stories had morals and demanded you walk out of the tale craving to be great people and that we will tell the stories of our prophets our people and the great things they did. Things they did for themsleves, for us. We need to tell them that they didn’t believe we were a wretched people but a people of substance and capacity destined for greatness and splendour! And may Allah make it easy for us. Ameen

The History of Braids

http://photos.essence.com/galleries/hairstyle_file_the_evolution_of_braids

i absolutely love this! i actually love going into the history of trends just to see how far we've come. i think with most things looking back in time helps us go forward. braids are so slept on! well i wont speak about weaves because that is not the focus of my piece *clear throat* but when i went through this slide show i felt like wow these women look real, content and at peace with their look, and their look alone. big up Brandy i think her pics are my favourite!

Ride On Sister....

Hijabs High: On the Street :: Leeds

So this morning i was browsing my favourite muslimah blog Hijab High. its like the satorialist-hijab style(",) i've been meaning to get myself a bike and start using it as a means of transport but i decided to wait until i move nearer to the city for safety reasons. anyway when i saw this hijabi i got awoken to the passion all over again. she looks so free and content with who she is and her identity as a muslim just shines through with no apologies! so inshaAllah i think i'll be riding around town sooner than i thought!

DIFFERENT

this is one of my favourite pictures.

OK the one in the middle is me, *never mind the pose* in the background there's art.

that is my life. I'm a tiny spec surrounded by the glitterings of art.

i think the eye is an amazing thing, it tells you what to look at and how to look at it.

it seemed at first that i stood out and looked different to my friends. in reality though they look different to me we look different to the lady sitting on the bench and over all art sees us differently too. OK it sound a little weird but its the theme of my life. training the eye to master its universe and see beauty in strangeness divorcing the word different to unacceptable and marrying her with art.

flowing fabric

i have no idea where this idea will take me but i wanted to share all my favourite things, things that i believe make me who i am. fashion, love, life, education, children....everything that oozes out of the heart of a hijabi. beautiful things that flow, that speak volumes. things that taste good things that inspire elegance and change; trinkets, gadgets and yes the essence of it all is to get under the flowing fabric of my life.

Bismillah