Wood, water, and missed opportunities
Jamaica is not such a "small" country, when we think of the impact that Jamaican people have had on the world stage. Academia, tourism, literature, music, fashion and sports. Jamaica is a nation with presence.
Unfortunately, though we have a big impact, we are still so small-minded that we missed out on the opportunities that are presented for further growth as a nation. I'm not talking about World Bank handouts. I'm talking about getting people to buy our cultural products. I made reference to this issue when McDonald's pulled out of Jamaica.
Let's take fashion models, for instance. Quite a few of the popular ones are from Jamaica. They model for Bill Blass, Emanuel Ungaro, Gucci and even Victoria's Secret. So, how come we don't have all the designers and press agents come to Jamaica and spend their money here? Yes, we have a Caribbean Fashion week, but that's not the same thing. What's the point of paying highly visible models to appear on the runway just because they're Jamaican? These girls were chosen because they could sell clothes. They fit a certain designer's image. The investment backfires because the model gets rich, and people don't buy the local designer's clothes.
Now, at the risk of sounding like some of the contributors to the Jamaica Star Forum, I would like to add my own twig of thyme to this "Miss Jamaica World Pageant" soup.
Within our culture, I believe there is a syndrome that I'll call "BEAUTY PAGEANTISM".
Beauty Pageantism works like this. Some of the working class people of a post-colonial nation are periodically misdirected from pressing social, political and economic issues by focussing their attention on the mediocre bodies of a few selected women from the local population.
Here's a contrast. Our strength and economic viability as a region will be tested when we host the World Cup of Cricket in 2007. There have been quite a number of difficulties with managing and organising the event, but we keep saying that our girl will win in China. Star Forum Moderator Tobi, for example, was very disappointed that all her trumpetting and coercion has come to zero. Here is what she said after returning from an overseas trip and realising that no-one cared:
Since I've left Jamaica, I've met many people who have no idea where this country is, or who think that everyone here has dark skin. I explain that if you want to find a Jamaican, you have to listen for the accent or the belly laughs because we're such a diverse culture. For about 2 years, I would show photos of Jamaican women in different contexts to the people who are interested in our culture. Well, the full-bodied women on the post cards, who are washing their clothes by the river, get very good reactions: "hmm...nice!" But, when I show photos of haute couture models and the women who enter our local beauty pageants, I get puzzled looks. "What?! They're cute?!" I felt self-conscious about my audience's lack of enthusiam, so I didn't bother to ask, but I can understand why Tobi felt that people were rather nonchalant about Jamaica's participation.
It seems that as a nation, we cannot feel as if we're on the map unless the majority of 2.3 billion people say that Jamaican women are beautiful and sexy as hell. Can't you see? We're already on the map, and beauty pageants aren't that big a deal. It's just entertainment.
Watch the reaction to beauty pageants in nations with thriving economies. A victory like that would get swallowed up in a few hours.
I don't think it makes sense for us to pin our nation's future on one individual who is only trying to raise her social capital at the expense of our time and attention.
"I see this competition as a way of improving self", says Terri-Karelle Griffith. Peta-Gaye Walker chimes in with, "this will help to improve my social skills, confidence and etiquette. Besides being able to put the Miss Jamaica on my resume, it gives me an opportunity to meet people that I probably wouldn't have the opportunity to meet."
Most young women enter beauty pageants for the same reason that I dive off clifftops: because they want to boost their egos. I don't see a "national pride" agenda here.
Unfortunately, though we have a big impact, we are still so small-minded that we missed out on the opportunities that are presented for further growth as a nation. I'm not talking about World Bank handouts. I'm talking about getting people to buy our cultural products. I made reference to this issue when McDonald's pulled out of Jamaica.
Let's take fashion models, for instance. Quite a few of the popular ones are from Jamaica. They model for Bill Blass, Emanuel Ungaro, Gucci and even Victoria's Secret. So, how come we don't have all the designers and press agents come to Jamaica and spend their money here? Yes, we have a Caribbean Fashion week, but that's not the same thing. What's the point of paying highly visible models to appear on the runway just because they're Jamaican? These girls were chosen because they could sell clothes. They fit a certain designer's image. The investment backfires because the model gets rich, and people don't buy the local designer's clothes.
Now, at the risk of sounding like some of the contributors to the Jamaica Star Forum, I would like to add my own twig of thyme to this "Miss Jamaica World Pageant" soup.
Within our culture, I believe there is a syndrome that I'll call "BEAUTY PAGEANTISM".
Beauty Pageantism works like this. Some of the working class people of a post-colonial nation are periodically misdirected from pressing social, political and economic issues by focussing their attention on the mediocre bodies of a few selected women from the local population.
Here's a contrast. Our strength and economic viability as a region will be tested when we host the World Cup of Cricket in 2007. There have been quite a number of difficulties with managing and organising the event, but we keep saying that our girl will win in China. Star Forum Moderator Tobi, for example, was very disappointed that all her trumpetting and coercion has come to zero. Here is what she said after returning from an overseas trip and realising that no-one cared:
folks... no one really cares about Miss World or Jamaicas participation it would seem, I guess everyone just struggling & too busy hustling or trying to stay 'safe'.Gugu Simelane notes that "beauty pageants are the most eagerly-awaited events of the entertainment year in small countries like Swaziland...because we are poor, we don't have many extravaganzas. These are glamorous functions." No offence to small, poor countries, but is this where we are?
Since I've left Jamaica, I've met many people who have no idea where this country is, or who think that everyone here has dark skin. I explain that if you want to find a Jamaican, you have to listen for the accent or the belly laughs because we're such a diverse culture. For about 2 years, I would show photos of Jamaican women in different contexts to the people who are interested in our culture. Well, the full-bodied women on the post cards, who are washing their clothes by the river, get very good reactions: "hmm...nice!" But, when I show photos of haute couture models and the women who enter our local beauty pageants, I get puzzled looks. "What?! They're cute?!" I felt self-conscious about my audience's lack of enthusiam, so I didn't bother to ask, but I can understand why Tobi felt that people were rather nonchalant about Jamaica's participation.
It seems that as a nation, we cannot feel as if we're on the map unless the majority of 2.3 billion people say that Jamaican women are beautiful and sexy as hell. Can't you see? We're already on the map, and beauty pageants aren't that big a deal. It's just entertainment.
Watch the reaction to beauty pageants in nations with thriving economies. A victory like that would get swallowed up in a few hours.
I don't think it makes sense for us to pin our nation's future on one individual who is only trying to raise her social capital at the expense of our time and attention.
"I see this competition as a way of improving self", says Terri-Karelle Griffith. Peta-Gaye Walker chimes in with, "this will help to improve my social skills, confidence and etiquette. Besides being able to put the Miss Jamaica on my resume, it gives me an opportunity to meet people that I probably wouldn't have the opportunity to meet."
Most young women enter beauty pageants for the same reason that I dive off clifftops: because they want to boost their egos. I don't see a "national pride" agenda here.
Blogged by Shaggy's girl at 11:37
1 Comments:
Mediocre body? I thought her body was pretty irie still! Sure, these pageants are not really important, but they can be amusing... and I admit, I like the idea that the world thinks Jamaica's women beautiful. I think plenty of them are too... Don't you think so? ;-)
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