OPINION: Why you need to watch Black Panther

Dozens of celebrities and cast members descended onto Fourways in Johannesburg to watch the first screening of the movie on the African continent.

Lupita Nyongo, who plays the role of Nakia, as well as Danai Gurira and veteran actors Dr John Kani and Connie Chiume were the cast members in attendance. 

There are several reasons for you to go and watch the movie:

A MAJORITY BLACK CAST 

Black Panther has the rarity of a majority of black cast. The film has also received quiet a lot of criticism for this from a minority of people. I also don’t blame people for this as society has been socialised to accept that super hero movies are a majority of  a white cast. This movie quickly deconstructs this narrative. I think a few years ago, it would have been difficult to even fathom that a superhero movie with a majority of a black cast could be made.  

BLACK WOMEN 

This was by far my favourite form or representation. I don’t remember a movie where I felt connected and possibly more proud of being a woman, but most importantly a black woman than I did with Black Panther. I also do not recall a movie where black women had such leads and prominent roles.  Black Panther ticked all the boxes for me. Today I stand proud in knowing that I wasn’t represented either as weak, submissive or just a typical homemaker. This is important as it deconstructs the idea of womanhood not only in Africa, but the entire world. 

THE REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA

The movie does not portray the African continent as a backward or dark continent,  but rather one that is advanced in all forms and spheres. The technology in Wakanda can give the Chinese a run for their money. This is really important in changing the narrative in what the African continent isn’t. 

LANGUAGE 

Before the movie came out there was also a lot of criticism about how the Xhosa language was butchered. I too became a skeptic of this. Xhosa is a really tricky language that requires one to get the clicks and the accent right. But much to my surprise, I feel that the American actors did their best. They were audible, they were clear and one can tell that they put it their maximum efforts in learning our South African language. None of this would have been possible without the help or our own veteran actor, Dr John Kani.  To know that South Africa was represented in language as well, really blew my mind.