Rarely do I totally bite a post from other blogs but after I seen’t this video over on Concrete Loop & just had to bite. Yes, I do read Concrete Loop! Most often I read shaking my head in disgust sighing oh hell no; what is wrong with some of these damn Negro celebs, who the hell are these “new” singers/actors, & am I the only person in the world sick of hearing about B-yon-say, that Um-ba-rell-a girl & other no count talents??? Occasionally the Concrete Loop put me up on something that I am talkin’ bout, which I guess gives it some balance after all they are one of the most popular Black blogs ever.
So I officially got me some black history this week.
Thx Concrete Loop!
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Hottentot Venus: The Story
“Je est an autre” – I is another – A. Rimbaud
Saartjie Baartman was a Quena (or Hottentot) woman who was brought to Europe in 1810, to be exhibited for public inspection as an example of her tribe. Like many African tribes, the Hottentots were a significant part of ethnographic study during the 19th century. Indigenous tribes around the world provided cultural and intellectual challenges to European notions of civilisation, spiritual belief, and human body ideals – beauty and health.
The Hottentots were particularly interesting to Europeans not only because of the unpronounceable click in their language but also the physical characteristics of their women. The most significant of these were their external hanging genitalia and their large, pronounced bottoms – both of which posed a significant contrast to the bodies of women in Europe.
When she arrived in Britain and later France, Saartjie was confronted with the astonishment, curiousity and cruel heckling of a public that had limited contact with native Africans, but already had preconceived notions about them. In London Saartjie was displayed as a freak show display piece amidst the hairy women, vitiligo sufferers and obese people of the time. Since the freak shows were established on the premise of exhibiting difference, Saartjie was a marketable attraction.
Georges Cuvier, an anatomist who was familiar with the Hottentot natives, noted his astonishment about Saartjie in particular:
“What is striking about her shape is the enormous size of her hips, wider than 18 inches, and the protuberance of her buttocks, which was more than half a foot” – Georges Cuvier, 1817 Extraits dobservations
African women in particular were viewed as exotic and represented a ‘native’ eroticism, relative to ‘forbidden’ sexual life. In France, black women were used to promote brothels and their visual presence amidst white prostitutes on postcards and later in photographs, usually ensured successful patronage. Saartjie’s extreme physical difference to the established black prostitutes in Paris made her an instant target for lurid sexual advances.
Saartjie died of an infection in 1816 after prostitution and excessive alcohol abuse had consumed her body. Following her death, Cuvier made a cast of her body and dissected her brain and genitalia to be pickled in jars for ethnographic display at the Musee de l’homme in Paris. The jars remained on public display there until 1985, when they were finally put into storage.
The subject of Saartjie’s remains highlights the problematic history of acquisition and display in museums. Since Europe had a complex power relationship with Africa, it stands to reason that the development of ethnographic collections was driven by beliefs about Africans as savage peoples from a dark and uncivilised continent – notions which colonialism help to quantify.
‘Rare things or beautiful things here learnedly assembled to educate the eye of the beholder like never before seen all things there are in the world’ – Inscription Musee de L’Homme, Paris
Worldwide collections continue to grapple with the legacy of this history, and the foundations of the Musee de L’Homme were shaken when the Khoisan people (descendants of the Hottentots and Bushmen) officially asked for Saartjie’s remains to be taken back home. Since 1994, the museum has battled with the politics of her display and continued to stake their claim to her remains.
In a significant and historic feat, human rights activists, the South African government and the Khoisan people ensured that in 2002 her remains were taken back to South Africa where she was given a traditional burial. (Source: The Image of Black)
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If you are interested in large African clits click here
muslimahlocs / March 14, 2008
my head started spinning reading this even though i am familiar with the story. although arguably less offensive, the mummy displays all over in the uk and paris have given me that same feeling of naseau. i will take this as my cue to go lie down and rest my head.
ayankha / March 14, 2008
Yeah, I gave props to CL for this one. I sent this one out to my peeps a while ago and everyone has been like “dang”. I guess folks will think twice before they get all excited by the booty shake of neo-video vixens.
My take
I think it is a very informative video and I lament the degredation Black woman have had to endure for centures- I live it everyday. On the other end of things I don’t mind the Black woman’s body being CELEBRATED. And this is where there is a fine line and lots of confusion. Celebrating the body involves an essential element: respect (okay and a lil admiration). And in these videos/mags (esp what happened to Sarah Baartman & countless other women) this is what lacks (or is non-existent)… respect. Could the body be respected and printed in mags/videos where people often get their jerk on? I’m not entirely sure, but I’m not hatin either.
I just want people to know that it is a different thing when a woman is being forced (or short changing herself) into putting her body on display to get scum sprayed all over her and making your booty clap for your man and enjoying the tear it brings to his eye.
Thanks Tafari for posting this!
Los Angelista / March 14, 2008
So glad you reposted this. Knowing our history serves to make us think twice about repeating it voluntarily.
I first really read about this about 10 years ago after seeing Dr. Joy Degruy-Leary speak. She featured her in her lecture and afterwards, so many people talked about how they’d never heard about this.
Bygbaby / March 14, 2008
Muslimahlocs – I never thought about the mummies being offensive but I see the parallel. If the nap fails I can send you a few vicodin. They always work for any ailment.
Ayankah – It is so funny can have a bunch of kidde/20’s/immature 30’s + non-sense pop shit up & have something so profound like this in the middle. I guess they call it edutainment???
Don’t trip but I thought of Garcelle Beauvais’ Playboy spread from last year while reading this.
Although I loved looking at all them titties & ass, I was still like, why did she have to go there. One of the most attractive Black women in entertainment then short changed herself IMHO, but again, I loved all them titties & ass.
Just Google her now, & all you see are links to her Playboy spread. I am sure that is not what she wants or wanted to be famous for.
Yes I am a little bit of a hypocrite. Shit, I am a man that gets excited by tig ole bittles
“I just want people to know that it is a different thing when a woman is being forced (or short changing herself) into putting her body on display to get scum sprayed all over her and making your booty clap for your man and enjoying the tear it brings to his eye.” Damn!!! I hear you boo. That comment is going to make it real hard for me to pop in one of my booty talk videos (holding head down in shame).
Being more serious, we all need to do better & that includes teach out daughters to be strong & teaching our sons to be respectful & protecting as they should be.
Liz – “So glad you reposted this. Knowing our history serves to make us think twice about repeating it voluntarily.” So true. This is a great example why we need to be thinking & learning about Black History every day, not just 28 days a month.
So many things to know & understand about us outside of the peculiar institution of slavery & a handful of notable figures that the educational system in the west puts in our text books.
We need to know more about African history, the diaspora & unsung (s)heroes.
Bygbaby
ayankha / March 15, 2008
LOL, Bygbaby, I ain’t even hatin on guys watching that stuff. I am the last to be critical of such. I’m just saying that I think the Black body SHOULD be celebrated and folks need to know the difference. Some folks watching/responding to the video express that Black women should get covered head to toe in order to be respected. And that is not the case at all, IMHO. Now, I wouldn’t randomly walk around with my booty cheeks hanging out, but I am an advocate of displaying (in film & print mostly) the Black body & sensuality appropriately (this is very subjective). It is beautiful when I see that reflected in media. Now I am not a huge fan of the hardcore stuff, but I’ve seen some I thought were kinda tasteful. I’m not trying to knock anybody’s hustle & pleasure… I’m just sayin that we are all complex individuals…most things are on a continuum and not so Black and White. So, I really don’t like the “hypocrite” label (unless you are Spitzer conducting yourself like some type of moral authority while getting your $80k creep on) when it applies to things that are pretty average.
I feel you on teaching our future… that is really what’s important.
Sorry for another long comment.
ingridspeak / March 15, 2008
Its been a while since I swung through your site. I loved this post!
Welcome back to my blogroll… I missed reading you!
Tyreek James / March 15, 2008
Mr. Byg,
I read about this on other blogs. Rather interesting stuff.
-TJ
Bygbaby / March 15, 2008
Ayankah – Thx for letting me off the hook!!! I hear you & agree. It is ok to be a little revealing IMO but to leave nothing to the imagination is going to far & cheap.
Ingrid – Hey boo, happy you are back & I need to check you out as well, you always have great topics.
Tyreek – First of all, thx for stopping through! I hate being last but learning is life long…
Mr. Byg makes me think of a few R Kelly songs. Why did you put that in my mind!!! LOL
Bygbaby
Smitty / March 19, 2008
I saw this over at CL too. I was almost in tears learining of this for the first time. the parallels with black women today are astonishing. I think every stripper and video hoe should be made to view this video. Shit is disgusting. How did White folks justify shit like this back in the day. And nowaday they wonder why some black folks don’t like whites….beacuse historically ya’ll did some fucked up stuff to people of color on damn near every contenent on the globe,let alone the problems here in America.
Bygbaby / March 19, 2008
Smitty – “I think every stripper and video hoe should be made to view this video.” They would still pop that shit on videos just for a chance to fuck a rapper, not all but I bet a heck of a lot. How far can your career really go with a long list of “video modeling”???
I don’t understand how they do or did justify any of the shit they did & do but the funny thing is that they want people to forgive & forget about the conditions that they created & in a lot of cases today perpetuate.
Bygbaby
Ms. Bar B: / July 24, 2008
I just wanted to stop through and thank you for calling attention to Sarah. I literally JUST learned about her briefly in an article that I just read for a Gender & Women's Studies course that I am taking this summer (which is the field that I am currently earning my B.A. in). I googled Hottentot and your blog popped up. This video and another youtube video is going to help me out alot with a media analysis that I am working on right now.
The whole thing just saddens me and I hope that Sarah's story will keep being recirculated because WE (black women), all women and all people need to know her story and actually learn a thing or two.
Sorry for the book, lol, just wanted to show some love for a great post and your unintentional assistance with my analysis =)