Date: Tue, 08 Dec 1998 08:18:13 +0200
From: MF Titlestad <TITLEMF-AT-alpha.unisa.ac.za>
Subject: Neo-colonialism and whitening -Reply


Dear Nikki

I know that you have received a veritable barrage of suggestions on this
topic and that you have four days before you have to submit your paper,
but you may want to look for a discussion of 'whitening' and 'hair
straightening' in Steve Biko's "I Write What I Like." While his comments are
quite viciously male and are indebted to the writing of Malcolm X, they
were a very important focus for Black Consciousness in South Africa in
the nineteen-seventies.
Skin-lightening products were/are marketed widely in South Africa (as
they are in other Southern and Central African countries: my (secondary
school) students in Botswana would always include a description of
complexion in any account of appearance and were adamant about
lightness being an important aspect of anyone's appeal). My impression
(and I don't exactly follow shifts in the cosmetic market with close
attention) is that the prevalence of such products has reduced in the last
ten years. A new, and widely advertised range of products is called
'Dark and Lovely'. As a methodological suggestion, I would not
recommend that this be taken as another instance of the Great South
African Teleology of Healing.
Good luck with the paper.

Regards
Michael (Titlestad)


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