During the last weeks of class, the main focus and discussion has been centered around the book Fault Lines. This book opens the door to the voiceless people of Haiti , that society as a whole simply forgot about or pushed to the side. The book too speaks of the destruction that was left behind after the horrific Earthquake, as well as what the people themselves were left behind with. Also alluding to how the aid that people thought the Haitian nation as whole was receiving, only replenished about 10,000 homes out of 300,000, basically saying how nothing was done. The way I plan to tie this into a recent news scene is by comparing this entire disaster to the newly released visual album by Beyoncé entitled Lemonade.
Over the weekend Beyoncé released her latest album, which of course sent cyber space into a frenzy of overzealous fans and supporters. Personally I am not a huge fan of Beyoncé , I just never felt the diehard urge to be apart of the "Beyhive" but still I decided to see what the huge uproar was truly about. The video its self is about an hour long I'll attach a link to the bottom. During the visual album Beyoncé begins to release some well kept secrets to her fan base. She begins to expose hidden parts of her life and relationship with her husband that she was able to keep well under wraps. The destruction that relationship brought into her life. This is where I began to think back to class videos, as well as the book and articles we had been reading. Destruction in Haiti of course is ten times as massive as the destruction done by Jay Z's infediltiy issues, but unfortunately this is what society tunes into. As the video continued, Beyoncé seemed to go through some mistrust, betrayal, and problems within herself due to the ways of her husband(the storm). She speaks on how it literally destroyed her for awhile, her pain felt as real as the Haitians to me , still no real comparison as far as situational , but the emotion is what I'm more so reaching for. Mid way through the video her mood shifts from destructed to enraged. Here another strong emotion (rage)the feeling that I received while reading about everything that went on in Haiti as well as the feeling a lot of Haitians felt themselves for themselves. First the Haitian community was destroyed by the massive storm that sent there lives into chaos and destruction, a few months pass and that feeling too turned into rage, because of inadequate help and concern. Coming closer towards the ending of the Lemonade video, Beyoncé feelings yet change again(trying to express how she is truly only a human, just as everyone else) as she begins to pick up the pieces that she at one time thought could never be restored. Relaying this back to the last video we watched in class, in that video I feel the Haitians left behind voiceless finally begin to restore the pieces as well, having to live and make work the best way they could with the destructed but still usable resources. To wrap up the Lemonade video Beyoncé goes into a mood of forgiveness and hope, willingness to look for better days ahead. The way I tied this to the Haitians was by simply realizing that they too are human beings, vulnerable at a time of loss, they really had no one to blame or forgive but my point is the other aspect of how , they had to pick themselves up and simply move forward the best way they could.
Learning about the Haitian nation was a great way to close this semester, because it allowed us to dig deep within ourselves and pull out genuine emotions for the people who were effected and forgotten. In no way does the Lemonade video express how much of a tragic loss the people of Haiti faced but it does tie in when you look at it as a cry for help, in which I did. I think Beyoncé's purpose was too open up and show the world the storm she too had to come out of as a women. Proving my point with the Haitian Nation , it seemed society after the storm recognized the citizens as something other the humans with needs and emotions just as you and I. Her cry for help was given a voice just as the cry from the Haitians was given a voice through Fault Lines. Breaking free from silence and restriction, allows one to enter restoration and I feel the Haitians as well as Beyoncé can now begin that restoration process since the storm is over. Life gave them lemons, now they must turn it into Lemonade
https://goo.gl/wV2OEH — with Beyoncé.
Interesting connection Lauren!
ReplyDeleteBeyoncé's recently released visual album was emotional and impactful. She allowed her many, many fans access to her own personal reality. Beyoncé artfully sheds light on the manner in which she, personally, has been affected by a damaging popular discourse.
In this case, the empathy that we feel for the individual must be enlarged and applied to the vast swaths of people who have been victimized by the dominant narrative--i.e. the Haitian people. The individual may be easier to relate to; but it is the masses of marginalized peoples who stand to benefit the most from widespread reform.
Thanks for your blog post, Lauren. I was hoping someone would post about Beyonce, and you tied it wonderfully to the readings about Haiti that we have had the last two weeks. I am BeyHive Adjacent to be honest; I don't really care for Beyonce on a deeper level, but I can appreciate what she does only after the hype dies down. Many people have read Beyonce's "Lemonade" as a venegful, angry woman but forget that the main message of this video is healing. Healing, accountability, and reconciliation are all parts of the process of going through trauma that many ignore, and for Haitians, I believe that is true as well.
ReplyDeleteThere is intense hurt and vulnerability on both parts and then accountability, adnd finally healing. However, regarding Haiti, is atonement and accountability that easy? Not saying that Beyonce had it easy with her husband cheating on her, but with concrete and abstract structural violence affecting Haiti, where and how does the healing began? Does the oppressor, the "cheater" of Haiti deserve forgiveness? I suppose Beyonce forgave Jay Z because there is some form of deep love still there between. I don't beleive this can ever be the cause for Haiti.
In the wake of betrayals of the highest forms, at what point do people actually acknowledge hurt, rage, and shame and then began to reconcililation? When is reconcililiation worth it, and when is it time to make a clean break?
Awesome connection, Lauren! Although I have not watched Lemonade from beginning to end, Beyoncé’s message to be heard is forceful. Dealing with any disaster, whether it be a tornado, familial problems, or romantic fall-outs; everyone deserves to be heard. To have the opportunity be vulnerable and allow people to reach out to them and let them know they are not alone. This, requires communication. I often find that the lack of communication between people, communities, countries, etc. is beyond damaging.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Beyoncé, the people of Haiti deserve a chance to be heard without people silencing them or using their more dominate voices to overshadow them. Haitians and their stories deserve to be recognized without influence.