Bryan Spencer's Everything Counts

   I have witnessed the deterioration of originality and individuality amongst my people.  I leave my homeland to earn a degree in engineering, only to return to my homeland and see my fellow brothers and sisters relinquishing their native heritage and natural selves, to a very artificial state of wearing wigs. Due to the lack of self identity and sense of pride, my countrymen wig wearers.  

       I argue and debate with my fellow brothers about their inadequate ideals of social belonging and self expression through this wearing of wigs.   It has veiled the essence of our culture and is absolutely a very common attribute in our culture today.  My brothers are often angered by inquiries, I feel they are too angry and will destroy me, so I maintain that if they applied such energies toward a solution for the revolution, their energy might be better placed.  Their is a definite war of the sexes in my homeland and it is a reflection of the loss of identity within my people.  

       Why don't the men and women of my country realize that these wigs are a  common norm because of their insecurities and their unwillingness to be their true selves to make a positive influence.  The people of the land are just disillusioned, I will start teaching soon and Fiifi will start his occupation, perhaps we will cause some change as I will wear my hair naturally.  

        As the first day of school arrived, I was prepared to tell the students what was what and  my hair is worn natural, unlike the dominant population of wig wearers.  I met my students at eleven o'clock a.m there were about fifteen or twenty students total, mostly girls, they all had such beautiful faces.  I know my country has been diluted by social and cultural unawreness, but hopefully I can reach the youth.      

PAFF Experience

. . . While at the Pan African Film Festival, I enjoyed various art exhibits from the African culture.  I engaged in cultured conversations with several people directly from africa and enjoyed their insight on the art work.  Many of the music and art exhibits were very entertaining and I really enjoyed the interaction of the many cultures in attendance.  I found that many of the art exhibits were very colorful, storytelling and authentic, the paintings were my favorite aspects of the festival.

The film I observed was called "Ezra".  It was a coming of age story of a young boy, kidnapped and made into a revolutionary soldier.  As Ezra is confined to a harsh enviornment of murder, deception and political strife, he is subject to the brainwashing of rebel forces.  Upon being kidnapped Ezra is separated from his family and experiences the loss of innocence at a very young age.  As a youth turned soldier Ezra finds himself in a moral dilemma, as he is sent on a mission to burn down his own families village were his parents were murdered.  It is this incident that conflicts Ezra and causes him to flee the revolution, in a desperate race for personal freedom.  Upon leaving the revolution Ezra pregnates a young, fellow female soldier, who is later killed, sending Ezra into an emotional break down.  He is then captured by authorities and questioned in front of the civil law.  Though Ezra is not found guilty of his war crimes, he reveals the harsh realities of the war and gives direct insight into his journey.

I also observed the program "Drum" the story of a sports journalist, turned activist named Henry.  As henry sees the corruption and suffering of 1950's South Africa, he confronted with the political strongholds of the government.  After consulting with a woman who's son has been missing, he is inspired by his wife to write about South Africa's turmoil in the magazine called "Drum".  Henry is assisted by his comrade, a photographer on his project, but Henry is later killed by the government, because he was about to expose the governments corruption.