Nita Negrita: From an African-American Point of View

I'm an African-American that just returned from the Philippines. I had a chance to view 'Nita Negrita", and I was curious about other's reactions to the show - and I stumbled across this discussion.



First of all, I understand that the show is trying to expose some of the obstacles being faced by the afro-filipinos. What I don't get is the atrocious makeup used to accentuate the protagonist's 'blackness'. Even if they could not find a qualified actress that was half Filipino and Black (which I doubt), get it right with the look. The makeup does not even look realistic and borders on 'blackface' and caricature. I watched the show and I would not believe that the girl is the offspring of the actor that they cast as the father and mother.

I would say that my experience in the Philippines was 2 parts sweet and one part bitter. While I was there with my girlfriend and her family, we traveled to Manila, Bataan, Tagatay, and all over the Bicol region. While most Filipinos were curious where I came from and kind to me while I was there, I had my sore spots. I would get the occasional laugh and snicker when I passed by a group of people whether in a mall in Manila or a Market in the province. I am not fluent in Tagalog, but I know some terms and my girlfriend was my frequent translator. I know I am being talked about when I heard the word itim. When I would be stared or pointed at and hear the following:

"Oh my God, his skin is the color of coal." (followed by laughter)

"This is how dark they are in America."(followed by laughter)

When I would go out with my girlfriend who happened to be a Filipina, i would get mostly curious stares with a smattering of disapproving stares. For those that fell in the latter group, I would stare back only to have those individuals look away.

I understand that many Black people are not seen in the Philippines. I understand that I would stand out immediately. What hurt was that others saw me as an opportunity to mock/laugh at me because of the color of my skin.

While I was in the Philippines, I saw that many of the Whites did not have fingers pointed at them. They were not laughed at by others (from what I could see) and went about there business without a hitch.

In all honesty, I would return to the Philippines again because of the warmth of the people that I made connections with during my stay even though my bad experiences unnerved me at times.

During my stay in PH, I could not understand the entertainment industry's obsession with whiteness (the creams, the pills, skin treatments, the celebrities). I would read local entertainment magazines, and I noticed how they always wanted to accentuate the fact that a good-looking celebrity had porcelain-white skin or if they were half-white (aussie, brit, swiss, etc.). Does it matter? I was surprised to see that many of the dramas and romantics films had featured actors with very white skin and/or western features. If I did see an actor/actress of a browner hue, they were either the comedic relief or the friend/sidekick.

While I was in Manila, I happened to watch a program in which teenagers competed in dancing and singing for some type of recognition/contract. Towards the end of the competition, two boys stood out - a homegrown pinoy through and through and a half-white boy with western features and a western surname. In the competition, I thought the homegrown Pinoy was a better singer and dancer, but guess who they chose in the end?

Believe me, I have encountered racism in it's many incarnations. I lived all over the US (Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, etc.) and all over the world in Europe, Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia. Luckily, my experiences have been far and in between but an experience leaves a mark in your memory. I've experienced blatant racism and institutionalized racism. I experienced racism from whites, hispanics, asians, and even other blacks. Yes, black people can be very racist whether or not they wish to admit it - to whites, asians, and other black people. Since my parents originated from a country outside the US, many African-American students taunted me because of my darker features while I attended middle school.

In New York City, I've done some indie films and theater, and I am sometimes put off by some of the castings offered to minorities. In many of the castings offered to African-American men here, many perpetuate stereotypes. Some of the castings asked for a thug, drug dealer, rapper, basketball player, etc. Sometimes you get tired when the roll of the lawyer or doctor is never offered to you. Yes, there are castings with open ethnicity, but you would be surprised by the number of film roles offered that ask for you to play a two-dimensional stereotype.

One poster mentioned that all black people use the N-word all the time. That is not true. For those that do use it, they are heavily influenced by a rap culture that uses that word without abandon. I'm aware of America's history with slavery, and it baffles me when I see another African-American use the N-word as one of warmth and endearment considering it's derogatory meaning and past. My philosophy is that if you become enraged by a non-black person using the same term, you should not use it because you send the mixed message that it is okay for others to use. That's just me.

For Nita Negrita, the show carries the weight of a heavy message as well as mirroring the obstacles experienced by those who happen to be half black and filipino in the Philippines. So, they have to get everything right or have to suffer a constant wave of criticism. The subject matter of the show is very tricky and they should have got it right starting with casting. If they can't , they need to find a better make-up artist to make the character relatable and believable instead of a mockery.

I'm sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to share my point of view with everyone. Thanks.

OpuniK

The post is taken from PEX, for discussions on Nita Negrita please visit the PEX forum