“Black symbols are on the rise, but in the hands of white people”

On November 20th, Black Consciousness Day is celebrated. To reinforce the importance of this date, this month, CLAUDIA sought out black women opinion makers and activists of the cause to discuss topics such as cultural appropriation, racism and representativeness. As a result, we launched a series of interviews on the importance of increasingly debating racial issues in Brazil.

Patricia Anunciada teaches Portuguese and English at two public schools in São Paulo. She is proud of her Afro hair, her black features and her studies in Afro-Brazilian Literature. “But it wasn’t always like that,” she says. Two accidents changed her life: 10 years ago, when she underwent a chemical procedure, her hair fell out: “I promised that I would never do that to myself again and I started to treat the hair naturally”.

The other chance was having found research by Nilma Lino Gomes – pedagogue and former Minister of the Secretariat for Policies for the Promotion of Racial Equality – on black aesthetics. “It changed my mindset and my look,” she says. Both in Elementary and High School classes, Patricia makes a point of addressing the racial issue so that her students don’t need chance for their lives to change. For her, the key is in education.

Read too: “Women are the mainspring of black cultural manifestations”

CLAUDIA: In your opinion, how is black beauty seen in schools?
Patricia Announced: When I was a teenager, I was ashamed of my features and my hair, I wanted to hide. I still see this attempt in schools. I see girls straightening their hair, applying gel, trapping the strands. But I also identify a change in the understanding of beauty itself. Some girls say they want to have hair like mine, they ask me what products I use, where I get my hair cut. Today I’m proud of my beauty and I’m happy when it inspires other women to recognize themselves. Because it’s not just a matter of aesthetics, it’s a political act.

See too: “The black woman is not seen as a subject to be loved”.

And is black culture addressed in basic education?
We have black roots and many black students in public schools, but it took a law to force the study of Afro history and culture in institutions. We are developing projects and receiving books on racial themes and African culture. It makes a difference for students.

How do you see the space of black culture in Brazil today?
Unfortunately, it remains attached to the peripheral. Artistic production is large in places like Capão Redondo, where there is a predominance of the black population. Poetry, for example, is rich and widespread in soirées. There’s Soiree do Binho, Cooperifa and Fala Guerreira! (formed only by women). But, little by little, this is becoming more known at events outside these areas and on the internet. This is the case of the poets Jennyfer Nascimento and Elizandra Souza, and the poets Sérgio Vaz and Allan da Rosa.

Read too: “We want representation beyond the shampoo commercial”.

At the same time that black culture is pushed aside, it is incorporated into white culture in a way. Do you think there’s an appropriation in that?
Yes, several symbols of black culture are on the rise, but in the hands of white people. The problem is that they are being commodified and are losing their meaning. Afro-Brazilian religion became almost an anthropological study, something exotic. Iemanjá had her skin lightened, acarajé is being known as Jesus’ cake and the turban became a simple accessory. The turban is a historical, religious and female empowerment piece. And worse, the black population is being diminished for making use of these symbols. I’ve already suffered prejudice for wearing a turban and I see prejudice against black people with braids, dreadlocks and dreadlocks. People feel entitled to attack and belittle them. When it’s on someone’s white head, it’s “stylish.” There are two weights and two measures for equal things.

See also: “To be black in Brazil is to be born knowing that you will have to resist”.

How can we change this?
People need to think about it. There is a flaw in education. We need to educate them to respect these symbols and also understand the Afro religion as something sacred. Not just in November, all year round. But it is difficult to work with this and have the support of public authorities and society. There is opposition that makes it difficult for black religions to enter schools, for example. We need to address these issues, talk about them.

And in Literature, your area of ​​study, how is the issue treated?
Lack of representativeness. Interestingly, most authors who write books with black themes are white. And that brings up the problem of stigmatized reproduction. Many appropriate the theme without breaking with stereotypes. We need the black vision, the protagonist. The black author is still seen as minor, treated superficially. And the black author finds it even more difficult to appear. There is a lot of quality content being produced, but there is another problem which is dissemination. We also need – and are entitled to – space.

Read more: “How is there no racism in Brazil?”