Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
By Lago Gatjal Riaka
December 6, 2007 — Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures because beauty is not defined base on physicality of the body of the woman in Southern Sudan. Miss Malaika is base on the beauty of the physical body of the woman. Last week, young women in Southern Sudan compete in Juba, the capital city of Southern Sudan to win Miss Malaika. After the final competition, a winner was announced as the most beautiful woman among those who competed. This scenario will bring physiological consequences among women in Southern Sudan. Bringing Miss Malaika to Southern Sudan is a recent tradition, which Southern Sudanese women never practice throughout our history. It is not our culture. The idea of competition among women for beauty is a western phenomenon that has sent some women into rehab in the United States and across Western world.
In the Western World, women tried hard to be models. By beautifying their physically bodies, women in the West believe that they will be one of the most influential women in the world since they will be picture by the media as the most beautiful woman among all. Particularly, this scenario has taken shape in Hollywood in the United States, where it is believed most of the beautiful women live. Women like Britney Spear and the rest of the women in Hollywood think that they are the most beautiful women among all. To experience this ideology among young women in the United States, young girls try hard to become like those women in the Hollywood by dressing like them, becoming thinner, and imitating their styles. Imitating models in the main stream media and in the Hollywood have caused problems among young women in the United States and across the Western World. In some situations, young women have starved themselves to death to become thinner. Cases of eating disorder have been studied across United States among young women.
Therefore, bringing Miss Malaika to Southern Sudan is not the only problem among women but a threat to our cultures. Beauty in most of the Southern Sudanese cultures is not base on physical body but include several values posses by the woman. Beauty among Southern Sudanese women might be defined in the form of hard working, respect, obedience, honest, and caring. These are some of qualities a woman might posses in order to be considered good woman. But, Miss Malaika takes away these values away from women turning them into physical form in which young women must have shinny hair, smooth body skin; walk confidently in front of the crowd in a way that would turn judges on, and wear some unique clothes. This Miss Malaika show will perpetually and psychologically affect young women in Southern Sudan. Young women will try to copy this style in order compete in Miss Malaika but at the end, it will be a disaster to both mothers and fathers who have raised their children to be good girls and good wives.
To give you a brief background, marriage in our customs is a very traditional thing that we confidentially practice. Traditional, men are very conservative in choosing who to marry base on the personality of the woman but not how beautiful they are physically. Although some individuals might argue that physical body is part of the woman body, it might be only few. Also, fathers and mothers raise their girls to be good wives once marry and to get good husbands in their lives. But, Miss Malaika will destruct these societal structures because as girls in Southern Sudan look onto becoming part of the Miss Malaika show, they will forget that they are leaving their cultures behind, humiliating their mothers and fathers since their status will dictate their possibility of getting married.
We must hold tide to our cultures and traditions. A rapid adoption of the Western system will bring destruction to our values, norms, and teachings. Once we lost our cultures and traditions, the next one will be a cultural ethnocide in which we will live like animals. I hope that will not happen in my life time because I see how destructive our societies will be by then. That is why it important to keep our cultures by avoiding penetration by outsiders’ cultures. There are some of the Western cultures that we must take in but we must be careful, otherwise, the result will be cultural chaos in Southern Sudan. If that happen, I would rather live in the Western World instead. As somebody who is living in the West, I have no problem with Miss Malaika as a name but my problem comes when they bring it our society because I know how destructive it will be to our cultures.
* Lago Gatjal Riaka is based in Moorhead, Minnesota, U.S.A. He can be reached at [email protected]
Chance Baniko
Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
Mr.Riaka culture is dynamic,which simply means it changes over time.If we look into your own culture hundred years ago,Iam not sure if it is the same.Iam not saying we take everything foriegn into our own culture,but that beauty contests are one of the ways our women can choose to make a career.This is what you didnot mention in your article.
The south sudanese culture you are trying to defend has impacted negatively on our women for thousands of years,and only suceeded in rendering our women poor and vulnerable to exploitation of various kinds by people like you who want to maintain the statusquo without any justification for it.
we want to empower our women,in all areas of life to stand out.What is wrong if a winner of a competition can walk away with 10000 dollars or even more?
We should begin to think wider and not narrower.
European
Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
Once again, a US – based editor, enjoying western lifestyle and comfort telling his countrymen how to live their lives in Southern Sudan. As said in previous comments: Cultures change and adopt to development and technology. And I have the feeling, that a change in sudanese culture, especially in terms of tribalism is desperately needed. So why be afraid of changes, they might be a chance.
Angelo Achuil
Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
I think we need to be careful about how we handle the so-called “Progress.” We got to admit that Not everything old is bad, and not everything new is good for us- so there is some insight in Lago’s article, only that we need not fight this recklessly, Hollywood is pervasive everywhere and will prevail until the end of the world, we need to let our fellow citizens do it if they have to do it, but discourage it within our circle of influence (e.g family and friends).
I know something about Hollywood’s way of life, and I don’t know if I would advise my daughter or sister to join this game of body display. IT will always lead to other abomination. would let your sister join? I don’t know.
I think that it is Biblically questionable in my understanding. So let this be judged from our own conscience, instead of writing it off without being thoughtful. It is about worshipping and lusting human flesh and toying with their bodies.
DengLeek
Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
Mr. Riaka,
I would like to bring to your awareness that we are in the 21st century and your line of thinking which protracts back to the old days is alarming especially you being in the United states. I am not against everything that you have just talked about. It’s rather not convincingly conveyed in the sense that you don’t give us the genuine reasons why cultural approaches to women and beauty should be conserved. Things like “respect, obedience to husbands, making good wives etc.” all but melt down into one pot: Male superiority over women. There is a lot of potentials in our women that is significant enough in the development of that country. Advocates of cultural conservations (those that neglect women in any aspect) should be warned. Change is inevitable. It has to come. It really has to. If you put yourself into the shoes of say the owner of a “FIVE STAR HOTEL” built in the heart of Juba, will you not appreciate the services provided if you see thousands flock into your hotel because of the availability of charming and beautiful female workers? Let’s not confuse the past with the presence. Those who still live in the old days need to step up. Your protractor should start pointing towards female empowerment. Modeling in Sudan is as vital as it is in the west. Cities like LA and Las Vegas in the states are known for huge influx of millions of visitors round the globe, create millions and millions of jobs to the local population as well as foreigners. This is down to the presence of all the celebrities. Think beauty. Have a second thought.
Bollmakur
Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
Dear Gatjal Riaka.
It is my suprised to heard you expressing that competition a mong women for body beauty is a western phenomenon.
our women had been before a model to thier own culturs, even before the defusion of western culture came in.
Women body competition among Nilotic, both river lake Nilote and plain lake Nilote had been there long ago.”However it was from cattle to cattle and from hut to hut /luak to luak/
Concerning current competition in juba, it is very initiative because its meet thier generation. change is very inevitable in aprogressing society , change is constant.for instance a developed mental physchologist believed that by the age 10 most children have thier basic value systems firmly in a place. after which change are difficult to make. the recent youth who are competing in juba were not brought up with in old school tradition. can you teach a crap to work straight? you can not. the same thing, you can not detract them from thier new tradition to your old school culture. I support this, it a very good move, they will benefit later when they rich high level of body contest.
Lago Gatjal Riaka
Miss Malaika is a threat to Southern Sudanese cultures
A change from what to what?
By: Lago Gatjal Riaka
What is Change?
Change Is…..
“Change is something that presses us out of our comfort zone. It is destiny-filtered, heart grown, faith built. Change is inequitable; not a respecter of persons. Change is for the better or for the worst, depending on where you view it. Change has an adjustment period which varies on the individual. It is uncomfortable, for changing from one state to the next upsets our control over outcomes. Change has a ripping effect on those who won’t let go. Flex is the key. Even a roller coaster ride can be fun if you know when to lean and create new balance within the change. Change is needed when all the props and practices of the past no longer work.
Change is not comforted by the statement ‘just hang in there’ but with the statement ‘you can make it’. We don’t grow in retreat, but through endurance. Change isn’t fixed by crying, worrying, or mental tread milling. Change is won by victors not victims; and that choice is ours.
Change is awkward — at first. Change is a muscle that develops to abundantly enjoy the dynamics of the life set before us. Change calls own strength beyond anyone of us. Change pushes you to do your personal best. Change draws out those poised for a new way. Change isn’t for chickens. Change does have casualties of those defeated. Change will cause us to churn or to learn. Change changes the speed of time. Time is so slow for the reluctant, and yet it is a whirlwind for those who embrace it. Change is more fun to do than to be done to. Change seeks a better place at the end and is complete
Change is measured by its impact on all who are connected to it. Change is charged when you are dissatisfied with where you are. Change doesn’t look for a resting-place; just the next launching point. Change is only a waste to those who don’t learn from it. Change happens in the heart before it is proclaimed by our works. Change chaps those moving slower than the change itself. If you can change before you have to change, there will be less pain. Change can flow or jerk, depending on our resistance to it. Change uses the power invested in the unseen to reinvent what is seen. Change is like driving in a fog – you can’t see very far, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
Change is here to stay.”
Source: Institute of Industrial Engineers website December 2007
From my previous article that I wrote about the negative cultural results Miss Malaika might bring to Southern Sudanese societies, I received couple emails concerning the position I have taken. Some of you out there have critiqued me on this issue. You have pointed out that Southern Sudanese communities must allow changes to come to their societies so that they learn new things in life. Also, some of you have asked me to give my suggestion about the issue. I do not want to decide what must happen with Miss Malaika in Southern Sudan. I want to put the issue into the hands of Southern Sudanese communities to debate this issue and decide for themselves. The reason is that, whatever suggestion I have in mind might be negatively taken or contrary be opposite to what other people think about the issue. That is why I democratically posed the question to allow others to pose their opinions since my writing was also just an opinion that I have thought about.
As a Global Studies and a joint History & Political Science minor at Concordia College Moorhead Minnesota, U.S.A, my studies involved a look at cultural changes across time and the effects they had on communities across the world. One thing that I have learned studying this field is that some changes are not bad depending on their contents and outcomes. Therefore, my studying has allowed me to have the breadth of understanding of our societies politically, economically, and culturally. I believe it is where I got the influenced to see Miss Malaika as an issue to Southern Sudanese cultures. As Global studies Major, mainly studying Global System and Issues Track, students studying this tract are allowed to
Explore the institutions, norms, and practices that transcend individual states and civilizations and shape the interactions-social, political,economic and religious-of the people and states of the world (www.concordiacollege.edu).
As a global system and issue tract students, we do not only study the evolution of those arrangements for instance United Nations and World Trade Organization but we are also “encourage to think about the implication of current trends for the future of these institutions”(www.concordiacollege.edu)in our societies.
Therefore, from this perspective on global studies, I got to have an insight understanding of societies not only by understanding the past but a look at the future. Thus, a change has taken different paths in our societies and that is why Southern Sudanese communities must be careful about their rapid progression considering our cultures and traditions. In this case, I would like to explore what changes have meant in several societies. Africa for instance, has changed a lot since missionaries and western political system arrived in the heart of Africa. Africans communities have gone through cultural changes, religious, and even our traditional political system has also been changed. Culturally, Africans had a standard way of living in which they lived upon in their daily lives but this changed when white man arrived in the heart of Africa. Across Africa, cultures have diminished and disappeared. Everything Africans do in their daily lives for instance, norms, and practices is half Westernized. But, what has this change meant in our society?
Basically, what missionaries and the first colonies told Africans was that their standard way of living was not the right way that Africans needed to be changed. That change has meant a transition of abandoning African cultures and adopting white man’s cultures. Adoption was practice in changes of norms, values, and ideas. For instance, Africans were told that it was sinful to marry two wives, worship their gods, and ideas about their beliefs in nature were also changed. This change is a problem to Africans because it dehumanizes African people putting them into the state of non-being. In short, it means that African cultures are useless and don’t make sense.
Another example, during the civil rights movements in the United States when blacks and whites children used to go to segregated schools, a law was passed by the congress of the United States, a main body that makes laws to abolish segregation in schools. As a result, segregation in school was declared unconstitutional. School children were integrated into the same schools but this took a different root either. Basically, integration of schools meant blacks’ children going to white schools but not whites going to black schools, a paradigm that emphasize White’s culture as the right way of life. A change has both good and worst of it because it can causes embarrassment, physiological effects, and dehumanization of the other peers that needed to changed.
Why it is always Africans that have to be changed? Anyway, Africans have already changed but this time Africans have to be careful on what they take in. That is why Southern Sudanese in particular should not rush with this idea of competition on beauty which is base on woman’s physical body. For the sake of the fact that we have already adopted Western system in our societies, there are changes that we must adopt to bring peace and security in our communities but not Miss Malaika. As I said early, fighting for gender equality, political rights, and providing equal opportunities in employment among women might be a good change because it allows women to have freedom of exercising their rights. But, they should not do it through Miss Malaika show.
Lago Gatjal Riaka
[email protected]
Moorhead Minnesota, U.S.A