Accent struggles, my Encanto obsession & more
recs no.11
Hello and welcome to another edition of recs. Thank you for being here :) These are some things I came across recently and felt moved enough to share.
This article explores the prevalent belief in Nigerian society that accented English is something to be embarrassed of, pointed out, and laughed at. It reflects on the way Nigerian languages and accents are viewed as inferior when compared to the English language and accent.
I enjoyed reading this because, for a while, I’ve been very interested in Nigerians’ relationship with both their language and the English language. Especially since “royal English”—which aims to teach children the proper way of speaking British English but essentially makes them talk in a singsong voice and add unnecessary Rs to words—cemented its presence in curriculums across Nigerian primary schools.
Generally, I’m interested in the different ways we perpetuate colo(nial) mentality and this is just another aspect of it when we look down on our accents and our native languages and perceive them as inelegant.
(In the article's title, the author intentionally spells ‘annoying’ with an H in front of it because people who speak with Yoruba accents tend to either add or omit the letter H from the start of certain words. This is commonly referred to as ‘the H factor’ and a cause for mockery—a topic the author discusses in the article).
Here are some quotes pulled from the article:
The notion that unaccented English is synonymous with sophistication and that native languages are dismissed as redundant has inadvertently contributed to the erosion of linguistic and cultural ties within Nigerian households. The ramifications of this trend extend far beyond mere language use; it profoundly impacts the transmission of traditions, values, and connection with one's culture.
There is, however, value in acknowledging the potential power of a collective refusal to uphold Western ideals as inherently better. The ongoing association with Westernisation and elevation reinforces the perception of “Africanness” as inferior an epidemic that has subtly infiltrated collective consciousness.
I watched Encanto for the first time with my nephew and siblings last month and woah, I’ve been missing out on so much.
First off, it’s such a beautiful movie with a beautiful story. I was touched by how the characters had different internal struggles they battled with and how close those struggles are to real life—which shouldn’t be surprising as art mirrors reality. But they did it so well: the family dynamics, the closeness and care juxtaposed with repressed grievances, the reconciliation. How can a Disney animation elicit such deep emotions and tears from me? It was also funny and I have to add: the family did both Bruno and Mirabel dirty, though.
Then the music??? It’s obvious they put a lot of work into it. The soundtrack has had me in a chokehold ever since I watched the movie. It will inevitably appear on my Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year. If you haven’t watched the movie, I’d advise you to do so before listening to the music because knowing the story behind it makes it so much better. And if you’ve watched it and listen(ed) to the songs, indulge me, what are your favourites?
At the moment, my top 5 are: We don’t talk about Bruno. It was so popular—rightfully so—that they performed it at the Academy Awards in 2022 (though everyone hated it for good reason because we wanted the actual cast to perform the entire song and that didn’t happen). Did you hear the part where their voices melodiously intermingle as they belt out different lyrics but manage not to get confused? Ugh, it made me wish I had enough lung capacity to sing well. Surface Pressure still has me in a chokehold. I’m enamoured with Jessica Darrow’s voice. The more I listen, the more I fall in love with the songs. I’ve recently fallen for Waiting on a Miracle and What Else Can I Do? Lastly, Dos Oruguitas touches my core.
I have no idea when this infatuation will fade, because it definitely will, but I’m enjoying myself for the time being. A treat if you’re a fan of the soundtrack and haven’t watched some of their live performances: here’s a playlist.
Also, you should listen to the Spanish version of the songs, they are just as, if not more, beautiful. You can find them here along with the rest of the soundtrack.
And last, a line I love from What Else Can I Do? which I think is a great question for people who create stuff:
What could I do if I just knew it didn’t need to be perfect? It just needed to be.
The Oracle Africa Writer’s Workbook Journal
This is a recommendation, but it’s also me shamelessly plugging myself. I created a workbook journal for writers to help them discover their intentions, goals, and struggles, and make the most out of their writing journey. It includes writing prompts, affirmations, etc. I finished filling it in last week, and I have to say I did a pretty good job with this journal because I discovered a lot and also enjoyed myself. So if you’re a writer (or aspiring writer) or you know someone who’d be interested in it, you can download your copy here. It’s free!
I’m trying not to become desensitised to all that’s going on. But I’m having a hard time keeping the fire burning. How do people do it? At the same time, I’m struggling with how to make this section of the newsletter both sustainable and non-performative. I don’t want to ever feel as if I’m doing it merely to feed an image I’ve created here. I don’t want it to not be genuine. I’ll figure it out eventually; step by step.
One thing I’ve realised recently is how easy it is to get overwhelmed by all the wrong and evil going on in the world. Almost to the point of paralysis. But I’ve been thinking about how much of the world’s suffering, if not all, is man-made. I’ve been thinking of how important people’s actions are. And though we can’t necessarily directly influence the actions of the people in power, I’m reminded that we encounter and are surrounded by people every day. Our actions are important too.
There are areas we can do better. We have to pay attention to see where. Our actions, even the minimal ones, have a ripple effect. We need to pay attention and see where we can be kinder, more generous, offer some help, a listening ear, some time, some money, a smile, a compliment. That one thing can change people’s lives and give them hope that there’s better in the world. The same way that one thing can ruin them.
Here are some links:
A very detailed article that narrates the timeline of the ongoing conflict in Congo and includes the role of foreign parties like Rwanda, other neighbouring African countries, the US and China. If you’d like to understand what is happening and why, it’s a good place to start.
Focus Congo
Focus Congo is a non-profit aid organisation that provides medical aid and hunger and disaster relief amongst other things to the people of Congo. The founder left Congo when he was 12 years old to South Africa, because of the war, and became a street child. He went back home and created this organisation to better the Congo. You can find out more about what they do and donate to the organisation here.
The genocide is still going on in Palestine, whether we talk about it or not. Here is a fundraiser for Ameer Nasser, a Palestinian photographer and filmmaker, his family and the community in Gaza. It details his experiences and what he plans to use the money for. They’re still so far away from their goal so it’d be amazing if you could donate, and if not, share.
The Justice Defense Fund
The Justice Defense Fund caters to victims of online sexual exploitation and fights to bring justice to them.
I found this organisation some years ago and signed up to receive updates. Through it, I discovered how Pornhub enables and benefits from criminal activities like human trafficking, child sexual abuse, and generally, online sexual exploitation. In recent years, so many people have sued Pornhub over videos of themselves shared there without their consent and this includes rape and sexual abuse videos.
For a summary of the findings on PornHub and the work the Justice Defense Fund does, you can watch this video. If you want to sign the petition, donate to the fund, or find out more about the organisation, what it does, and its findings, you can go here.
That’s it! I hope you enjoyed this or resonated with something. I’d love to hear from you so talk to me in the comments or by privately replying to this email to share your thoughts. Bye <3
great rec list as usual!