THREAD ON SYMBOLISM IN #Blackisking THROUGH LION KING AND AFRICAN TRADITIONS (rt and fav to spread 🙏🏿✨) hope you enjoy !
It starts with a Baptism scene, representing circle of life the birth of Simba. The use of white signify “purity” like in Akan Societies wore by the Komians priestess that were considered a bridge between spirit world and ours.
This body painting on the face is usely created with Kaolin (White clay) with round circle, or painting on the face and body in ritual and symbolize Joy for Dan people in Côte d’ivoire, peace and mourn in other societies like Fang from Cameroon, Myene and Ogooue in Gabon
Here White is also represented to picture death, and mourn. Fang people in Cameroon 🇨🇲 its a symbol of crossing the spirit river to become a ghost the same for Ogooue in Gabon 🇬🇦. White was also refered in ancient egypt as mourning.
It symbolize death through bandage with mummification, shroud, The Nile music video represent “The king has died” and fight against the image of funeral always symbolized by black.
Here we have representation of the Adinkra symbol, created by the akan people printed on clothes but has a meaning, represent a form of writing. This symbol is a symbol of wealth, power abundance and solidarity.
Celebrating African woman curves that have been dehumanized through history and sexualize till this day. Busiswa as saartjie baartman south african slave that lived a terrible life because of racism.
In Find your Way back she representes the universe and put the woman in the center of the creation of the world inspired by the Cosmogony of Dogon people in West Africa. They have a strong traditional belief rooted in astronomy, nature and the universe.
The Kanaga masks in the second picture wore by Awa is used in Dama ceremony and is a connection between the earth and the sky. Them dancing show the creation of the world to Simba and meet with his older ancestors the celestial bodies.
The Green/Blue Man represents a Water Genie who was created during this creation of the world by God Amma for the dogon from foam. In other tribes Azuza genie(Ghana,Benin), Ireyi cult in congo, Toula in Niger are genie represented by water too
Calabasasbare really symbolic, for the one that didn’t know its a non edible fruit that grows in Africa and America, and used for utensils and musical instruments fabrication (kora, balafon) Its round form represents cosmic energy, and women perfect recipient for holding life.
Snakes ca be seen as evil ( i am afraid of them too) but in Benin, Togo vodun, and even Dogon tribe where they represent their past ancestors lives they are seen as sacred protectors and even have temple in Benin.
Mood 4 eva is a funny, joyful video that reminds a lot the #lionking film from Just can’t wait to be king to Hakuna Matata, celebration of life and strong desire. The pool scene reminds us of the flamingo scene, the animal print outfit represents the animals of the film
Animal were the fashion moodboard for this scenery,
Other references like the morning report from Zazu with Beyoncé reading her news paper, It also represents dictators wealth in African societies we can easily think about Mobutu and Marie Antoinette his wife in their mansion
The scene of good and Evil remind us of Gods in Vodun Liza and Mawu, Maat goddess of justice in ancient egypt. The light cannot exist without darkness
African spiritualily is rooted in animal sources of power and representation to portray divinity. Here is Bull head of Batammariba in Benin and Togo, Also exists in Mursi tribes in Ethiopia. Bull was symbol of fertility in ancient egypt, horns wore by Hathor Godess of love.
Lip disc in East africa, popular in ethiopia Chad, Mozambique, represent social status. Akan crown and baoule gold in Already video. The Umbrella Ohenekyinnie means authority of the king in Akan people
Masai jumping contest from Kenya and Tanzania, Mary Kuksie (RIP) as Rafiki
Brown skin Girl was a statement to Disney itself, in the lack of representation of Black Girls in its film. Pushing them in scenes that reminds of Cinderella Ball room is for the misrepresentation of beauty versatility that exists in Black Girls and women
She even included herself in different princess narrative as Rapunzel with her long hair this time being braids. (We send prayers to the braiders hand)
An Ode to generational black beauty, and versatility of their hair, denouncing colorism societies as South Asia where brown woman use bleaching product to be accepted. We can also see Mangbetu with Lipombo skull elongation sign of beauty and power, reminding us of Nefertiti
Water is source of life, purification, regeneration, and is important in the circle of life. We see rivers that are linked to the otherside world and the migration of africans through the continent We see women dancing vibrant dances like Mazina Maganda from Uganda in the water.
Multiple scene, colors and symbols are representing the Orishas in #Blackisking and pays homage to them. Yemaya (igbo) also known as Mami Wata in Benin, Togo, Faro in Mali which has a strong relationship with water being a Saheli country, they have song based on water.
Oshun and Otin represents rivers
Obatala considered sky father
We can see art from the Ndebele of South africa, Masai Jewelries of Kenya
Orisha Oya representing the Thunder, lightening and storms, representing power. We can also see an outfit that reminds of Akan mask called Zaouli
People from Omo in Ethiopia mastered the art of body painting and head flowers
Himba Woman in Namibia with their Ref ocre used for their Skin are seen in the film and represent women’s spirit/genie in the sense of duality
Dances centered on the hips like assiko in Cameroon and traditional dance in Congo are portrayed, We’ve seen Zulu isichulo hat.
Black is king shows the hair all over the continent. Here we have similarities with the Hamer people of Ethiopia
Otherside shows biblical story of Moses protected from being killed by his mother as he starts his first journey on the Nile, Powerful scene where we can see that he will after meet his mother in the otherside, these two world existing through one another. “Book of exidus”
We can see Bogolan print from Mali maybe referencing ancient lineage with the hebrew?
#Blackisking is a true celebration of blackness by joy, love, art, and presenting us as extraordinarily creatures and counterbalance this narrative of hate and incomprehension towards us that we face everyday in this world ! The one that suffers are the most incredible.
In this thread i focused a lot on similarities we share with other countries in Africa, because we share more things than differences. Its an undeniable force. Hope you’ll like it #blackisking ✨❤️❤️✨✨
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