The influence of ancient Egypt and Nubia is evident in the works of a multitude of musicians of African descent, including icons of jazz such as Miles Davis and Sun Ra and contemporary artists such as Beyoncé and Rihanna. To understand these imaginaries of ancient Egypt, created by these artists, this exhibition – Kemet: Egypt in Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul & Funk – embarks on a journey through music history. Complementing the exhibition is a full programme of music and events related to ancient Egyptian culture, the combined total of which allows visitors to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of music and ancient history.
In the (social) media there has been a commotion about this exhibition, because it shows Egyptian culture through the eyes of artists with African roots. Therefore, there is an additional web page with information about the content, backgrounds and goals of the exhibition. From Sun Ra to Rihanna Beyoncé and Rihanna have both appeared on stage or in music videos as the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, and the cover art for Nas’ legendary album I Am depicts him as the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. Meanwhile, back in the 1990s, the actor Eddie Murphy appeared as Pharaoh Ramses II in the music video for Michael Jackson’s Remember the Time, while virtually every Earth, Wind & Fire album cover released during this period featured an Egyptian motif or symbol. And in the subsequent decade, artists like Lauryn Hill and KRS-One would go on to rap about ancient Egyptian civilization. This ongoing phenomenon can be traced back to the 1950s, when jazz icon Sun Ra and his Arkestra began combining jazz, Egyptian themes and Afrofuturism into a style of music that evoked the space age and continues to resonate with audiences everywhere.
Kemet Ancient Egypt and Nubia have been an undeniable source of inspiration for musicians of African descent for over 70 years, with artists not only embracing and claiming these ancient African cultures, but also employing
the associated motifs as symbols of resistance, empowerment and spiritual healing. Such motifs include the name the Egyptians themselves gave their country: Kemet, ‘the black’, a reference to the fertile land along the Nile. The resulting expressions of Kemet present ancient Egyptian culture not only as historically important events and artifacts, but also as a means to discuss the present and the future. We see this in the music, lyrics and imagery employed by a whole host of jazz, funk, soul, pop, reggae and rap artists over the last few decades, including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Prince, Fela Kuti, Erykah Badu and Nas, as well as Dutch artists such as Zwart Licht and Ray Fuego.
Music and ancient artefacts Music takes centre stage in this exhibition, its central theme brought to life with the aid of music videos, audio clips, concert recordings, photographs and album covers by famous and lesser-known musicians with a connection to ancient Egypt. The accompanying audio tour is by hip-hop artist Typhoon, and a new single by Nnelg explains the rap artist’s relationship with ancient Egypt and Nubia. Exhibition highlights include Nas’ gold mask of King Tutankhamun and several of Sun Ra’s Egyptian-inspired costumes. In addition, the exhibition explores what research can tell us about ancient Egypt. The visitor is presented a selection of age-old items from the museum collections, including sculptures and figurines of Egyptian deities, pieces of gold jewellery, hieroglyphic texts and royal portraits.
Audio tour and special events Audio tour: download in English or Dutch. The audio tour was made in collaboration with Dutch artist Typhoon. The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of special events, including concerts and lectures. For children from the age of 7, there’s a programme of arts and crafts activities over the summer holidays.
Ancient Egypt and Nubia The ancient cultures of Egypt and Nubia arose on the banks of the Nile in Africa around 5,000 years ago. These were rich and complex societies, ruled by kings and queens. The technological achievements of these civilizations included large temples in urban areas for the worship of the many gods of the Egyptian religion. These existed alongside the distinctive art and hieroglyphs that continue to command widespread admiration the world over. The National Museum of Antiquities is responsible for preserving the Netherlands’ collection of these artifacts.
Egypt is a part of Africa In Egyptology, the academic discipline that specialises in the study of ancient Egypt, Egypt has typically been treated as part of the Mediterranean region. But many artists of African descent are keen to stress the recognition of ancient Egypt as an African culture. Through their music, lyrics and visual representations, they convey their connection to the millennia-long history of the region along the Nile River, and claim this history as part of their past, present and future identity, as exemplified by the cultural phenomenon of Afrofuturism.
Partnerships This exhibition was put together with the help of several parties:
A team of external experts worked with the museum team in developing the themes and content of the exhibition as well as the related educational programmes. This team consisted of Beylula Yosef, Katayoun Arian, Kiran Sukul, Michael Ghebreab and Richard Kofi.
The exhibition design is by AFARAI studio, and was realized by the sustainable construction studio Fiction Factory. The accompanying audio tour is by hip-hop artist Typhoon, and the rapper Nnelg recorded a new single especially for the exhibition. Musical expertise was provided by DJ and music connoisseur Rob ‘Manga’ Nanere. Project curator is Dr. Daniel Soliman, curator of Ancient Egypt at the National Museum of Antiquities. He was assisted by the following academic advisers: Dr. Lara Weiss, Egyptologist and curator; Prof. Rita Lucarelli, Egyptologist specialising in ancient Egypt in Afrocentrism and Afrofuturism; and Prof. Erik Steinskog, specialist in twentieth- and twenty-first-century music. The programme of special events was organized in collaboration with a host of partners including Paradiso Amsterdam, Super-Sonic Jazz Festival, Leiden International Film Festival and Afrispectives. The exhibition was realized with support from the VriendenLoterij, the Mondriaan Fund, the VSB Fund, Sublime and Plato record store in Leiden.
The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw.
The Rijksmuseum was founded in The Hague on 19 November 1798 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808, where it was first located in the Royal Palace and later in the Trippenhuis.
The National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands organized an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities purportedly in support of the Afrocentric theory which states dark-skinned Africans were the actual rulers of ancient Egypt, according to antiquities expert Abd al-Rahim Rihan, who heads a campaign to defend the Egyptian civilization.
The exhibition presented showed a restoration of Tutankhamun’s mask portraying King Tut with black features.
According to Rihan, the National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands committed two grave mistakes: the first was insulting Egyptian civilization by portraying Tutankhamun as black, and the second was cloning an Egyptian antiquity.
Article 39 of the Protection of Antiquities Law No. 117 of 1983 and its amendments, stipulates that only the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt may produce modern models of antiquities, provided that it is stamped by it.
The council may license others or cooperate with any party it determines to produce these models according to specifications and conditions that the council determines, Rihan said.
It is prohibited to circulate any models produced in violation of these specifications, he added.
A member of the House of Representatives Ahmed Bilal al-Burlusy submitted a request for a briefing addressed to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa, regarding the measures that were taken to confront the distortion of Egyptian civilization in the Amsterdam museum.
This follows the controversial Netflix “Queen Cleopatra” documentary which also supports the Afrocentric theory by casting an African to portray the titular Queen.
Former Egyptian Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass described depicting Queen Cleopatra as a black woman as “falsifying facts”, adding that “This is completely fake. Cleopatra was Greek, meaning that she was blonde, not black.”
Queen Cleopatra, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, was born in 69 BC and died in 30 BC in Alexandria.
The documentary received massive backlash and prompted Egypt to respond with its own film.
posted
Yay another thread for you and your suspected Neo-Nazi brethren to complain about "the blacks"
Whilst the curator Dr. Daniel Soliman is clearly a white eurasian
I wonder if the reason behind the curator presenting this collection is going to be discussed in this thread? Or is this just going to be another thread full of whining about "blacks" and "afrocentrism"
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A team of external experts worked with the museum team in developing the themes and content of the exhibition as well as the related educational programmes. This team consisted of
Beylula Yosef, Katayoun Arian, Kiran Sukul, Michael Ghebreab and Richard Kofi.
quote:About the reactions to the 'Kemet' exhibitionThere has been commotion in the (social) media about the exhibition Kemet. Egypt in hip-hop, jazz, soul & funk. In response, we provide additional explanations below about the content, background and aims of the exhibition.
The museum has worked long and carefully on this exhibition with many external advisers, and fully endorses its content. The museum welcomes respectful dialogue on the cultural heritage of Egypt and Nubia. However, the museum also receives comments via social media that are racist or offensive in nature. These are not tolerated by the museum as the museum is emphatically against any form of racism and discrimination. Comments on the museum’s social media that are offensive or racist will be removed. Finally, we cordially invite everyone to visit the exhibition and form their own opinions.
Background to the ‘Kemet’ exhibition at the Leiden National Museum of Antiquities
The aim of this exhibition is twofold:
1) to show and understand the depiction of ancient Egypt and the messages in music by black artists, and 2) to show what scientific, Egyptological research can tell us about ancient Egypt and Nubia.
1) Kemet. Egypt in hip-hop, jazz, soul & funk explores music by black artists whose work refers to ancient Egypt and Nubia: music videos, record album covers, photographs and contemporary artworks. This music often reflects on experiences of black people in the West and tells stories about the African diaspora and pre-colonial Africa, including ancient Egypt as part of the African continent. The exhibition explains why ancient Egypt is important to these artists and musicians and from which cultural and intellectual movements the music emerged. Their artistic tradition in connection with ancient Egypt has not been studied before as thoroughly. The music offers relevant perspectives on how ancient Egypt has traditionally been depicted and studied in the West.
Reactions on social media show that misconceptions arise when the content of the exhibition is taken out of context, for example about the sculpture of musician Nas. The exhibition explains that this is not a replica of Tutankhamun’s mask but a contemporary artwork made in 2019 by an artist based on the cover of a 1999 record album by the musician.
2) Kemet. Egypt in hip-hop, jazz, soul & funk showcases ancient Egyptian and Nubian objects to illustrate what archaeological and Egyptological research tells us about ancient Egyptian and Nubian cultures. Through the objects, elements in the music are interpreted, illustrated and sometimes contrasted. Current public and academic discussions are discussed, for example on the skin colours of the ancient Egyptians. The exhibition discusses how ancient Egypt has been studied from Eurocentric and Afrocentric perspectives. Afrocentrism looks at history and society from a pan-African point of view and the perspective of black African diaspora communities. You can sometimes see and hear this in the music in the exhibition. The music, for instance, reveals biases in historiography and counters anti-black racism. This is important to the museum.
Contemporary Egyptian perspectives on ancient Egypt are also important to the museum and are regularly featured in exhibitions and events at the museum. It is currently part of an art exhibition at the museum. In addition, the discussion on cultural appropriation and the meaning of ancient Egypt for contemporary Egyptians is a small part of the Kemet exhibition.
You can read more about the exhibition on the exhibition page Kemet and anyone with questions can contact info@rmo.nl.
posted
Daniel Soliman is Curator Egyptian Collections at The National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden
I don't know what is ethnicity he is The last name Soliman is most numerous in Egypt though and he posted on this Islam blog although these things don't prove anything
stupid people look at a person and assume they know what their ancestry is
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The one defending the Museum exhibit in article quotes I've seen (quotes in the OP) is the Museum Director Wim Weijland
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I didn't say there's anything bad about the exhibit Some people who think there is are jumping in to blame "white" curators (or whoever you want to point to)
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quote:Originally posted by Archeopteryx: Some more information about the exhibition
quote:Background to the ‘Kemet’ exhibition at the Leiden National Museum of Antiquities
The aim of this exhibition is twofold:
1) to show and understand the depiction of ancient Egypt and the messages in music by black artists, and 2) to show what scientific, Egyptological research can tell us about ancient Egypt and Nubia.
stupid people look at a person and assume they know what their ancestry is
Soliman/Suleyman is a Turkish last name.
It's as Turkish as Mcgoldrick or Keane is Irish, but keep the ad hominems up Im here for it you suspected Neo-Nazi pig.
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is the Arabic name of the Quranic king and Islamic prophet Solomon meaning "man of peace", derived from the Hebrew name Shlomo.
The name is also spelt as Sulaiman, Suleman, Soliman,Sulayman, Sulyman, Suleyman, Sulaman, Süleyman, Sulejman, Sleiman, Suliman, Solomon, Soleman, Solyman, Souleymane.
The name Suleiman is a diminutive of the name Salman (سَلْمان salmān). Both names stem from the male name Salaam.
I wonder if the reason behind the curator presenting this collection is going to be discussed in this thread?
Let us know, what's the reason?
Also if the curator is "white" I don't give a damn, so what I'm just posting info on this exhibit.
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I'm going to make a prediction, I could be wrong but I think controversy on this exhibit may last for several days but I don't think it's going to last long
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Tazarah
Why are you stalking my social media?
Member # 23365
posted
Hey lioness
why did they strip ur moderator privileges
were you misbehaving
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posted
Someone started a petition against the exhibition
Quote from the petition
quote: We, the undersigned, express our deep concern regarding the misrepresentation of ownership of cultural heritage through deceptive practices. We urge the National Museum of Antiquities – Leiden, The Netherlands, to reconsider its upcoming exhibition, 'Kemet: EGYPT in Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul, and Funk,' and to take steps to ensure that the exhibition does not misrepresent the cultural heritage and identity of the Egyptian community.
We recognize that the civilization of ancient Egypt is a unique and treasured part of our collective history and the identity of the Egyptian people. We believe that it belongs solely to the Egyptians, and it is essential to protect their cultural identity and heritage from being appropriated or misrepresented.
We call upon the National Museum of Antiquities – Leiden, The Netherlands, to abide by the international agreements and conventions established by UNESCO and WIPO as legal instruments for protecting cultural heritage and identity. These agreements emphasize the importance of safeguarding the cultural expressions of communities, including their language, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices.
Therefore, we ask that the National Museum of Antiquities – Leiden, The Netherlands, take immediate steps to ensure that the 'Kemet: EGYPT in Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul, and Funk' exhibition does not misrepresent or appropriate the cultural heritage of the Egyptian community. We further request that the museum consults with the Egyptian community to ensure that the exhibition accurately represents their cultural identity and heritage.
We believe this petition is an opportunity to promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity, as outlined in the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
quote:Originally posted by Archeopteryx: Someone started a petition against the exhibition
Quote from the petition
quote: ....we ask that the National Museum of Antiquities – Leiden, The Netherlands, take immediate steps to ensure that the 'Kemet: EGYPT in Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul, and Funk' exhibition does not misrepresent or appropriate the cultural heritage of the Egyptian community. We further request that the museum consults with the Egyptian community to ensure that the exhibition accurately represents their cultural identity and heritage.
Interesting to see how many will sign the petition
Would you advise Egyptians to sign a petition where no particular problem is described and asking for steps to be taken with no description of the steps?
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posted
Indeed the petition seems rather vague. If they had demanded the exhibition to be shut down at least it would have been a more concrete measure to contemplate.
I actually think they make a too big issue of the whole thing. But identity is obviously a very touchy subject.
And accusations of cultural appropriation is rather common today, concerning everything from dreadlocks to art, to food and dance and other things.
-------------------- Once an archaeologist, always an archaeologist Posts: 2684 | From: Sweden | Registered: Mar 2020
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That is the same image and although the text describes Egypt in hiphop,jazz & funk that version of the image merely says "Kemet" on it without "Egypt in hiphop,jazz & funk"
These are the little games they play
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posted
Seems that those who made the petition have edited the text some and centered the word "Kemet" over the the text under it. They also edited away "Nu Te Zien". They also seem to have enhanced the word "Kemet".
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https://www.tiktok.com/@jana_osamaa/video/7223573697473318150 Don't' you find it peculiar that this Egyptian girl on TikTok is so adamant that this full lipped gold mask of Tutankhamun has no "sub-Saharan" traits? And the nose while not particularly wide on the mask has somewhat round nostrils, some prognathism Jana above, in this one except TikTok of hers without makeup covering the cute freckles, I think she herself has some "Sub-Saharan" qualities to her overall face, although lighter than most .
Look at the comparison of each person to Tutankhamun
Does the President of Egypt have a nose more like Nas? Could it be?
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posted
It is interesting some of these young people say that Egyptians come in all colors from dark to very light. But at the same time they are rather particular in separating Egyptians from Sub Saharan Africans. They sound a bit like Zahi Hawass when he claims that Egyptians are a race of their own.
Interesting by the way to see a muslim girl with a hijab also wearing an ankh.
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Tazarah
Why are you stalking my social media?
Member # 23365
posted
lioness
will you ever talk to me again
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posted
Another article about the exhibition, on Artnet news
Excerpts:
quote:A Sculpture Depicting King Tut as a Black Man Is Sparking International Outrage
“This is a very difficult topic and that is the thing with this exhibition: I think you really have to give it a chance,” Daniel Soliman, museum’s Egyptian and Nubian curator, told The Art Newspaper. “There are Egyptians, or Egyptians in the diaspora, who believe that the pharaonic heritage is exclusively their own. The topic of the imagination of ancient Egypt in music, predominantly from the African diaspora, Black artists in different styles, jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, had long been ignored.”
Nevertheless, the exhibition’s thesis has led to backlash, particularly due to the David Cortes statue, I Am Hip Hop. The 2019 sculpture is based on the 1999 Nas album I Am…, in which the African American rapper was photographed to look like the famed mask of King Tut.
An outraged article titled “Dutch museum claims Tutankhamun was Black” in the Egypt Independent cited a complaint from Egyptian antiquities expert Abd al-Rahim Rihan. Not only does the statue inaccurately depict King Tut’s race, he claimed, the artist has actually created an unauthorized copy of an Egyptian antiquity, which can only be produced by the nation’s Supreme Council of Antiquities under Article 39 of the Protection of Antiquities Law No. 117 of 1983.
The claim has reportedly prompted an official inquiry from Ahmed Bilal al-Burlusy, a member House of Representatives, as to whether Cortes violated Egyptian law. (The piece is a contemporary artwork, not a replica, the museum said in a statement.)
But the exhibition has also fueled long-running arguments about racial identity and cultural appropriation, including on the Facebook group Egyptian History Defenders, which describes itself “defending Egyptian history and heritage against Afrocentric culture vultures.”
quote: “The exhibition does not claim the ancient Egyptians were Black, but explores music by Black artists who refer to ancient Egypt and Nubia in their work: music videos, covers of record albums, photos, and contemporary artworks,” museum director Wim Weijland said. “The exhibition also acknowledges that the music can be perceived as cultural appropriation, and recognizes that large groups of contemporary Egyptians feel that the pharaonic past is exclusively their heritage.”
posted
Maybe one can think that the Egyptians would concentrate their efforts more on getting back all the artifacts and monuments that are housed in museums all over Europe and also in America. Such efforts have been done but it obviously takes more since there is still thousands, if not millions of ancient Egyptian objects in foreign museums.
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Egypt bans Dutch archaeology team from Saqqara due to museum’s ‘Afrocentric’ exhibition
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Published 8:59 AM EDT, Wed June 7, 2023
CNN — A team of archaeologists from a Dutch museum has been banned from carrying out excavations in Egypt’s rich Saqqara necropolis, after the museum mounted an exhibition that drew condemnation from Egyptian authorities.
After the opening of “Kemet: Egypt in Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul & Funk,” the National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) in Leiden received an email from the head of foreign missions of the Egyptian Antiquities Service saying that the museum is “falsifying history” with its “Afrocentric” approach, Dutch newspaper NRC reported on Monday.
Wim Weijland, the museum’s managing director, confirmed to CNN via email that the Egyptian authorities have denied the institution a permit for the next excavation season at Saqqara. He also confirmed that the journalist who wrote the NRC article had seen the email from the Egyptian authorities.
A vast burial ground that sits nearly 20 miles south of the capital Cairo, Saqqara is home to Egypt’s oldest pyramid, the pyramid of Djoser, and has been the site of multiple important discoveries in recent years.
The museum has been carrying out annual excavations there for more than 40 years. Its most recent excavation campaign took place earlier this year, between February 19 and March 23.
“The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden has been working at Saqqara since 1975,” Weijland told CNN. “For the upcoming season, the museum has been denied the permit to excavate here.”
Weijland said the reason for the permit’s denial is the “presumed ‘falsifying history’ in the current exhibition,” adding that the museum is trying to “open the dialogue” with the Egyptian authorities about the matter.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Weijland went on to say that the aim of the “Kemet” exhibition is “to show and understand the depiction of ancient Egypt and the messages in music by black artists,” as well as to “show what scientific, Egyptological research can tell us about ancient Egypt and Nubia.”
Nubia is an ancient region in northeast Africa that extends from the Nile River valley in Egypt, all the way down to Khartoum in modern-day Sudan. The area was once home to the Nubian Kingdom of Kush, or the “Black Pharaohs.”
According to its web page, the exhibition, which opened in April and runs until September 3, “embarks on a journey through music history” and looks at “the influence of ancient Egypt and Nubia…in the works of a multitude of musicians of African descent, including icons of jazz such as Miles Davis and Sun Ra and contemporary artists such as Beyoncé and Rihanna.”
In recent days, the museum’s social media posts about the exhibition were flooded with comments, mostly by Egyptians who deemed it disrespectful. Some commented with photos showing light-skinned ancient Egyptian drawings, next to ones with darker skin tones, which they say the museum is propagating.
In response to the controversy, the museum added a note on its website with further information about the show’s content, background and goals. It also said it would remove offensive or racist comments from its social media platforms.
The museum encouraged visitors to “visit the exhibition and form their own opinions,” saying it “welcomes respectful dialogue on the cultural heritage of Egypt and Nubia.”
This isn’t the first time Egypt has objected to the depiction of its ancient ancestors. It recently criticized the Netflix docuseries “Queen Cleopatra,” which portrays the ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt as a woman of color.
Zahi Hawass, an Egyptologist and former Egyptian minister of antiquities, wrote last month that “no one with even a little education could make a film showing Cleopatra as black.”
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quote:Egypt angry about exhibition: Leiden museum is no longer allowed to do excavations in Egyptian necropolis
NRC, June 5
National Museum of Antiquities Egypt is angry about the Kemet exhibition , now on display in Leiden. The Leiden museum is no longer allowed to carry out excavations there.
The Leiden National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) is no longer allowed to carry out excavations in the famous Egyptian necropolis Sakkara, as a result of the Kemet exhibition. Egypt in Hip Hop, Jazz, Soul & Funk . In an e-mail, the head of Foreign Missions of the Egyptian Antiquities Service writes that the museum is guilty of "falsifying history" because of the "Afrocentric" approach of the exhibition.
In the exhibition, the museum goes in search of “the significance of ancient Egypt and Nubia in the work of artists from the African diaspora”. Shortly after the opening at the end of April , a flood of negative and sometimes racist reactions from Egypt came through social media . The RMO was accused of participating in the appropriation of Egyptian culture by black artists from the United States. This fuss is now having sensitive consequences, because the RMO has been active in Sakkara every year since 1975 and is leading an excavation there with partners.
Director Wim Weijland is touched by the decision of the Egyptian authorities, but also very angry about the accusation of falsifying history. “That is indecent. This exhibition has been made with great care. Scientists don't blame each other like that. I therefore want that qualification to be taken back.”
The museum will formally object to the decision, says Weijland. “And we have asked our partner, the Egyptian Museum in Turin, to take over our concession. Hopefully that will work, then the work can at least continue.”
'The reason for this is not good'
Curator Daniel Soliman worked on the exhibition and has been visiting Sakkara regularly in recent years. “Egypt can handle that excavation as they please, because it is their country. But the reason why they do this is wrong. No one has come to look at the exhibition and no one from the Antiquities Service has yet contacted us about its contents. All the fuss comes from images that have been released from their context.”
Soliman, who is half-Egyptian himself, thinks that the Egyptian reaction to Kemet is so strong because of surging nationalism and anti-black racism in that country. “And of course there is the fact that ancient Egypt has often been spoken about without involving contemporary Egyptians, especially from the West. That is still very sensitive.”
The RMO would like to talk to the Egyptian antiquarian authorities, says Weijland. “When the commotion broke out, we wrote a letter explaining our exhibition. We know they read it, but they choose not to respond.”
The museum would like to return to Sakkara, but will not pay any price, according to the director. “We are not going to make excuses and we will not adjust the exhibition. I am willing to add a sign with Egyptian commentary, but then someone has to come and have a look first.”
posted
I assume that the museum has done other exhibits like this, documenting media/music social trends
I wonder about the timing of this exhibit, if it was already planned to come out at this time with all the controversy over the Netflix Cleopatra going on at the same time.
Maybe this is some sort of strategy that critics will have to split their time getting mad at both but to me it looks like the worse timing possible unless their goal is maximum agitation. we can see it has lead to consequences
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Tazarah
Why are you stalking my social media?
Member # 23365
posted
Lioness why are you no longer a mod
This is a travesty
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quote:Originally posted by the lioness,: I assume that the museum has done other exhibits like this, documenting media/music social trends
I wonder about the timing of this exhibit, if it was already planned to come out at this time with all the controversy over the Netflix Cleopatra going on at the same time.
Maybe this is some sort of strategy that critics will have to split their time getting mad at both but to me it looks like the worse timing possible unless their goal is maximum agitation. we can see it has lead to consequences
One can wonder if this ban at all would have occurred if it not had been for the Netflix Cleopatra controversy.
-------------------- Once an archaeologist, always an archaeologist Posts: 2684 | From: Sweden | Registered: Mar 2020
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posted
Talking about a black actress playing a very ancient Egyptian queen, we should not forget Aliyah in her role as the vampire queen Akasha in the film Queen of the Damned (2002) after a novel by Ann Rice. I have not heard if the Egyptians ever protested against that film.
posted
The Nile Valley Collective website has examples of how the Nile Valley civilizations influenced popular culture around the world, inspired by the controversial Dutch exhibit.
posted
As regarding films there has been different reasons for Egyptians banning films, not only because some black actor playing Egyptian historical persons. Many times films have been banned out of religious reasons. Other times it has been because some actors supported Israel, or Israeli actors wanted to play Egyptians. So the reasons can be different and they might also change depending on the political climate in Egypt at a special time.
posted
The controversy is because black people in America decided to dress like ancient Nile Valley Africans. And the people of Egypt today don't see themselves as Africans and are trying to argue that the ancient Nile Valley Kingdom wasn't African. Obviously it just shows how far these people will go to promote anti black/anti African propaganda.
And there are some folks who literally believe that this is a legitimate complaint which is why they are bringing it up here as if this forum hasn't been discussing this topic to death for decades. But I guess they feel this is ammo for them to promote such propaganda against Africans "appropriating" African history.
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posted
Maybe it is not so much about Africans appropriating African history but more about Americans appropriating that history. But I can agree with that they make a difference if Black Americans or White Americans do it.
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quote:Originally posted by Archeopteryx: Maybe it is not so much about Africans appropriating African history but more about Americans appropriating that history. But I can agree with that they make a difference if Black Americans or White Americans do it.
Its about dark skinned individuals "appropriating" their history. Don't play dumb..
It has everything to do with "black" Africans. They even do not believe the darker skinned native Egyptians that live in the South are descendants of Ancient Egyptians. It has nothing to do with Americans, please.
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posted
I do not claim Japanese history even if many Japanese people have similar skin color as I have. I do not claim Greek or Roman history even if I am European like they are. I do not even claim British history even if many Brits look the same as me.
I can understand if dark skinned Egyptians want to claim ancient Egypt, but often one see African Americans online claiming Egypt. Still most of them have nothing to do with Egypt at all.
In the case of the exhibition in the OP, Egyptians felt that the mostly African American artists who were presented misrepresented ancient Egyptian culture. Seems the Egyptians do not want their ancient culture being associated with black American pop culture. So in the case of Netflix Cleopatra or the Dutch exhibition it had to do with America.
-------------------- Once an archaeologist, always an archaeologist Posts: 2684 | From: Sweden | Registered: Mar 2020
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quote:Originally posted by Archeopteryx: I do not claim Japanese history even if many Japanese people have similar skin color as I have. I do not claim Greek or Roman history even if I am European like they are. I do not even claim British history even if many Brits look the same as me.
I can understand if dark skinned Egyptians want to claim ancient Egypt, but often one see African Americans online claiming Egypt. Still most of them have nothing to do with Egypt at all.
In the case of the exhibition in the OP, Egyptians felt that the mostly African American artists who were presented misrepresented ancient Egyptian culture. Seems the Egyptians do not want their ancient culture being associated with black American pop culture. So in the case of Netflix Cleopatra or the Dutch exhibition it had to do with America.
You are talking about "claiming"
They mention that word twice in the Kemet exhibit intro
Ancient Egypt and Nubia have been an undeniable source of inspiration for musicians of African descent for over 70 years, with artists not only embracing and claiming these ancient African cultures, but also employing...
Egypt is a part of Africa In Egyptology, the academic discipline that specialises in the study of ancient Egypt, Egypt has typically been treated as part of the Mediterranean region. But many artists of African descent are keen to stress the recognition of ancient Egypt as an African culture. Through their music, lyrics and visual representations, they convey their connection to the millennia-long history of the region along the Nile River, and claim this history as part of their past, [/b]present and future identity, as exemplified by the cultural phenomenon of Afrofuturism.
but what is "claiming" here?
It seems vague someone can claim they are say, a descendant of Napoleon but it's just empty talk unless they try to take possession of something or get some special entitlement
Nas had himself depicted in Egyptian garb a couple of times but it's not common he even raps about anything Egyptian
So where does this "claim" threat come in?
In the past it had been claimed that Egypt was part of the "Near East", divorcing it from Africa
Posts: 42920 | From: , | Registered: Jan 2010
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posted
Seems some African Americans claiming, or feeling a sort of connection with ancient Egypt, even if they are not Egyptians or have any relatives or descendancy from Egypt. I wonder if Egypt had been a pure "white" civilisation, with blonde people would African Americans felt that connection? Probably not. Only reason is skin color or perceived skin color. To obsess over another culture just because of skin color seems a bit odd, and a product of racial thinking. As if similar skin color makes people have anything in common.
But I can agree that some Egyptians overreact concerning Netflix Cleopatra or the Dutch exhibition. But they have also banned other products of American (and other Western) popular culture (like films) because of religious or political reasons. There were protests against Gal Gadot as Cleopatra even if the film was not made, and also films with biblical figures have been banned. So they do not only ban things out of racial reasons.
But people online claiming that todays Egyptians are just invaders and do not belong in Egypt does not improve the situation. Egyptians are also on the net and see those things.
-------------------- Once an archaeologist, always an archaeologist Posts: 2684 | From: Sweden | Registered: Mar 2020
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