But more importantly, I started to suspect that my definition of fair skinned seems to be different from Stephanie Okereke’s. Educational Standards: Common Core Plus NC Essential Standards. Lipscomb University. ... Beauty was a continual education, going back earlier than memories. But there is something to note here about what role African Americans play in the Westernization of Nigeria. Women increasingly are seeking plastic surgery ‘fixes’ to achieve this look. Check out The Melanin Queen Nigeria Tourism Praise Itoro new photos Feb 14, 2021 | Nollywood Beauty In an article on African Movies News, Actress Adaora Ukoh shares: It’s harder for a plus size [actress] to really gain your stand in Nollywood than in Hollywood and the reason is because in Hollywood they see beyond your looks. Most of the girls from middle class households grew up in braces and bad hair-cut, then bang came Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with its assiduously crafted college and womanhood looks and we were shaken out of our reverie. I recently became interested in watching Nigerian films after watching a documentary on Netflix called Nollywood Babylon. In an effort to explain the major differences, a YouTuber called Kaur Beauty gave her face a makeover- one side defined what “beautiful” means in India, and one according to American standards. Then natural hair is forgiven because Black Americans are seen as exotic creatures. But being thin is not what’s desired in Nigeria. Bollywood’s Beauty Standards Are The Ultimate Catch-22. As an African American I could relate to this, considering the Black American community and Hip Hop community embrace curves and plump behinds, even to the point where I felt pressure to be “thick” (not fat and definitely not too skinny), as I was told repeatedly to put some meat on my bones. Nairaland.com published a list of actors with before and after photos of them being dark skinned and then fair skinned. Not just the USA: the French version might be sitcom. It was actually a big decision to transition from straight hair to a curly afro. The effect is quite appalling. But as technology continues to make the world a smaller place--we all celebrate the same popstars, repost the same Women Crush Wednesdays (#WCW)--I've come to suspect that beauty being subjective and a matter of geography isn't really true anymore. Some standards of beauty are recognized in the world, but there are a lot of ladies whose physique goes beyond any standards. For the unsung heroes of Nigeria’s entertainment industry, the thespians, it was a day to massage their egos as the National Association of Nigerian Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Lagos State, in collaboration with National Arts Theatre, Lagos, last week, applauded the contributions of remarkable actors and actresses who have been blazing … The Nigerian world of cinema is known for its beauty, creativity, and uniqueness. The way different cultures define beauty across the globe couldn’t be any more different. The article explains that hair extensions is considered to be the one “social status symbol of choice that cuts across Nigeria’s vast class and culture groups and the longer and straighter the better.” In an article on Happenings9ja.com writer Nneka Agbanusi explains that hair extensions are also considered an indicator of economic status. Nollywood meets Bollywood in love tale 'Namaste Wahala' ... “The thing I love the most are the underlying messages which is the beauty in embracing your similarities, the beauty … In this article, we will be bringing you Nollywood quick facts and […] Okereke continues to say: Turn your eyes around local video stores and see a Nigerian film poster. In 2001, the beauty industry reached a new milestone. Although Cristine Edusi disagrees with skin bleaching, she is thankful for Tonto Dikeh’s honesty and opening up the discussion on what she calls “Nollywood’s worst kept secret.” If Edusi claims the presence of darker skinned actresses suggests that Nollywood is not biased towards lighter skin complexions, then it is evident that the problem with light versus dark skin tone does not begin with Nollywood but it may be making its way into the industry. The most recent Range Rover Sport has an official 355-hp turbocharged six-cylinder engine and also comes with an … Every actor and actress in the films I viewed is black, while a film with an all black cast is rare in Hollywood. Wigs and weaves, especially in entertainment, have been popular in many cultures for decades. Check out the list below. Western culture also has had an impact on how Nigerian women wear their hair. Skin is a documentary about exploring through the meaning of beauty in all the different shades of black. However, though I have not seen every Nollywood film, I have yet to see an actress with natural hair. Plumpness among Nigerian actresses seems to transcend the derriere and apply to one’s entire physique. In her research paper “Crossing Over: The Influence of Black American Female Representation on Nigerian Films and Music Videos,” Adoara O. Arachie assesses how Black American portrayals of women influence Nigerian portrayals. One Nollywood actor, Yvonne Nelson from Ghana, blames the skin tone transformation on “photo tricks” and claims to be fair in complexion but looks darker on film. They are Nollywood actresses whose beauty and curves can make any man go gaga. More magazines and movies are featuring dark-skinned women now. Nollywood is beautifully flawed with room to grow. Interesting Facts About Nollywood, Nigerian Movie Industry Ranking, History And Actors Pay Nollywood Quick Facts And Figures You all probably know the Nigerian movie industry as “Nollywood“, but how much do you know about the movie industry? The standards for appearance are so high that they can cause actresses of a healthy weight to be cast as fat. In Nigeria, if you’re not careful, you will die with your talent especially in this our industry where all that thrive are other things beyond talent. While watching clips of certain films, I wondered if the Nigerian idea of beauty was similar to that of Western culture—what is the Nigerian standard of beauty and, in a country where most people are black, how is it different and similar to the American standard of beauty, where “white traits” dominate? There is no one way to style a black woman’s hair and I am not a believer of one trying to achieve a level of whiteness when it comes to hair. The top 10 most beautiful Yoruba actresses 2020 just provide with a picture that Africa is a big resource for beauty … Contact Information for Ranger District Offices Most Americans would wholeheartedly disagree with Ukoh’s words. Interestingly, even though I was aware of skin bleaching in Nigeria, the film posters and billboards shown in the documentary Nollywood Babylon provided some relief to me. Dark-skinned actresses struggle to lighten up the skin. I’m not sure where I got that idea from; perhaps I assumed the grass was greener on the other side. An unfortunate side effect of this trope is that when everyone in the cast is hot, it's really hard to tell who is supposed to be hot In-Universe. Being thin in some Nigerian tribes might be seen as you’re not eating enough. Her beauty and body shape is so incredible that it is difficult not to attract views. Nollywood - Nollywood Beauty - Modern Ghana. Let it not surprise you but in reality, Maasai people pierce long earlobes as pictured above. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. I was “not fat.” I needed to be “fat to be beautiful.” Nigerians don’t say “curvy.” They call it what it is “fat.” So, I grew saying and thinking that “I want to be fat.” LOL! Now you know more about Nollywood actresses with unique physique. Although it’s not safe to conclude that some of the ideals and themes in Nollywood are solely the influence of Hollywood representations of Black women, Nigerian movies like Beyonce & Rihanna, where the film’s title is a direct rip of Black American pop icons and the women starring in the films are made to resemble (albeit slightly) their respective namesakes, indicate a strong influence of Black American culture on Nigerian culture, as does the fact that hip hop, rap and R&B, music genres originating in the US, are the most popular forms of music in Nigeria, according to Arachie. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HollywoodBeautyStandards. The women of Nollywood represent what my family looks like. The Guardian has also highlighted events that occurred throughout the years. Skin tone and body size have not been the only aspects of physical beauty in Nigeria that have been influenced by the West. There are varying thoughts about the way Nigerians view African Americans and vice versa. “For most of these actresses, their looks were incomplete without sewing bundles of Brazilian, Peruvian or Indian hair to their heads. 4. My assumptions on weight made me look more into other aspects of Nollywood beauty standards, such as complexion. They cannot afford to be too dark since our producers make little investment in good lighting equipment. Some standards of beauty are recognized in the world, but there are a lot of ladies whose physique goes beyond any standards. Indian-Nigerian restaurant owner Hamisha Daryani Ahuja gave up her long-running business to pursue her dream of making movies. All these ladies crush the beauty standards, but still, they are attractive and have thousands of admirers. This can become particularly noticeable when characters living below the poverty line sport five-hundred dollar haircuts, or when the nomad who has been living out in the wilderness for years has perfect skin and teeth. Perhaps, like me, she has a grass-is-greener view of Hollywood. A woman that appeals to the flow of the eye, allows you to follow the curves of her body, and offers more to explore than the Western version of a tiny and frail woman. In a 2011 interview published on This Day Live actress Stephanie Okereke discussed colorism in Nigeria: There is really no way of psychoanalysing the situation without blaming the colonisers in part for such indelible mark left on our soil, namely white supremacy. What would it do for what we consider beautiful? A turning point for women in West Africa, an 18-year-old women won the miss world beauty pageant. Jan 1, 2013 - Beautiful African/Black brides across the Diaspora. Eniola Badmus, however, goes on to say that Nigerian society “mocks and insults fat women.” She expresses how they have adopted Western culture in terms of definitions of beauty. In light of this, we have been able to select 10 Nollywood actresses whose appearance will blow your mind. To discuss those views would be to write another article. I bet you don’t know much! Perhaps what Nigeria considers fair skin is what African Americans consider brown skin. Hollywood Beauty Standards often leak out into Real Life, so people feel terrible that they are not buff and muscular or thin and pretty (as applicable) since everything that comes out of Hollywood tells viewers they're only valuable if they're attractive/beautiful. Perhaps, it is the closest they can get to whiteness. She ultimately concludes that some of the archetypal characters that offer negative depictions of Black American women have been carried over to Nigerian media, namely the “gold digger,” the trophy “light skinned video girl,” the seductress, the use of women as props dressing a music video set and so on. Kim Kardashian, as unfortunate as it may be, is the poster woman of ideal beauty standards for the modern woman. I noticed in the comment section under the before and after photos on Nairaland.com how curious people were about what bleaching techniques were being used, suggesting an interest in lightening their skin. PLEASE NOTE: This is an information and administrative office located in Asheville, NC and is not actually in the forest. I noticed a variety of hair types and styles in the Nigerian films I watched. Author Cristine Edusi of the article “Is Skin Bleaching Apart of Nollywood Now?” writes: The presence of darker skinned actresses like Genevive Nnaji, Mercy Johnson and Stephanie Okereke suggest that Nollywood is not biased towards lighter skin complexions as it is being suggested, however, this does not take away from the fact that bleaching within the Nigerian entertainment industry is a major concern. Black women’s beauty is probably the most underrated in the world, mainly because for centuries, black women have been made to feel they are just not beautiful enough, compared to European and Western’s standards of beauty, the long … Anita Joseph Because fair skin as beautiful was heavily influenced by white supremacy, the desire to become lighter grew. These horror stories happened in the north, but there’s also beauty there. Search for: Nigeria’s language, religion, manner of dressing, architecture and music has been impacted by Western influence, so it’s unsurprising that the country’s beauty standards are being affected as well. That the current African beauty standards implies having European features, is the real problem that needs to be tackled. Contact Information. You come to a movie set where there are four to five girls and then a particular brand is not represented. Hollywood Beauty Standards are a trope in aggregate. It was a lesson taught by every piece of visual culture — on TV, in movies, on billboards at every stoplight — and every morning, my mirror delivered a failing grade. Un-ruly was created to celebrate and inspire the versatility and beauty of Black hair and women. Nigerian Beauties and crowned queens Society's Beauty Standards The definition of beauty has been shaped by society's standards instead of what people actually look like. One of the common beauty standards found in most Nollywood films are larger, voluptuous women. In a country where, according to a World Health Organization Report, 77% of women use skin bleaching products, it would be hard for the phenomenon to not permeate media. Actress Oge Okoye is one I recognized from the film End of Facebook Love who seemed to undergo the transformation from dark to light. So for me, coming from a country where brown skin (let alone dark skin) barely has a presence in the media, seeing it in abundance in Nigeria was satisfying even though the country has a lot of work to do to solve its issues surrounding colorism. 1. Since then I’ve been searching for movies coming out of the Nigerian entertainment industry (a remarkable industry because it has little to no formal financial backing, nor are movies screened in theaters; they’re released straight to DVD, which actually makes it somewhat easy to find films online). Generic Cuteness could, but not necessarily, be used for the same reasons in animated works. There’s culture, peace, tradition. beauty standards is liberating. What would it do for what we consider beautiful? We often lament that there are not enough images of Black people in the media and that the lack of diversity in how we’re represented and a narrow definition of beauty negatively impacts our self-esteem, for women especially. Works Cited Contributor, Staff, et al. Nigeria Ex Beauty Queen and Singer Miss April Chidinma Obichie has been recognised and applauded for her display of significant creativity, interpretation of script and exceptional disposition of her acting prowess, as she stars in a new movie TEARDROPS featuring prominent Nigeria actors and top Nollywood stars like Keneth Okoli, Buchi Ojieh, Senator, Mc Lively, … An academic paper by playwright and poet Taiwo Oloruntoba-Oju explains that Nigerian beauty was largely determined by the gracefulness of the eyeballs, whiteness of the teeth, the straightness of the neck and the plumpness of the butt (Oloruntoba-Oju 2007; Creed 1995; 87). However, it seems as if weight in Nollywood is just as much an issue as it is in Hollywood, and so is showing more diverse representations of women. But I was interested in the women in the films and how they were portrayed. The In-Universe justifications for this trope tend to be either the Sex Sells or the Hired for Their Looks varieties. I found it refreshing to see “larger” women celebrated in Nollywood while Hollywood usually shames weight. But as an African American looking in, I see a better variety and representation of Black women when it comes to body image, skin tone and hair than I would in Hollywood. About Us    \    Press   \    Newsletter   \    Be on Un-ruly   \    Work With Us   \   Terms   \  Privacy   \    Advertise   \     Meet Up   \    Discover Yeluchi by Un-ruly. What they look out for is the talent. Compare Gonk which is exaggerated ugliness, typically to make the character unlikable. In an African Music Law article, Nollywood actress Eniola Badmus talks about how she was told growing up she wasn’t fat enough and that she must be fat to be beautiful. Every dog has his day. but fairer is better too. To be completely honest, the story lines didn’t move me. No one in the Nollywood films I watched would be considered thin by Western or Nigerian standards. The idea that different countries have different standards of beauty is a widely accepted one. All right, so your new film is about a cowgirl, a reporter, a nurse, and a teacher. Forest Supervisor's Office 160 Zillicoa St. Suite A Asheville, NC 28801 828-257-4200. Beauty standards for women – Women are always judged on the merits of their beauty and kept on the edge of testosterone. The film, whose title translates in Hindi and Nigerian pidgin as ‘Hello trouble’, tells the … According to his son, Dan Nkoloagu Jr, who … 1. Perhaps, like me, she has a grass-is-greener view of Hollywood. In a tweet, Ruggedman asked why only the female actors are the ones buying cars and building houses. I have seen them without a weave and/or wig but it was straightened. Their unusual appearances make them stand out and attract much attention to their personalities. An unfortunate side effect of this trope is that when everyone in the cast is hot, it's really hard to tell who is supposed to be hot In-Universe. Before reading the article in African Music Law on Eniola Badmus, I was under the impression that wanting to be a certain size only happened where one race dominated the other races in the population. Mar 07, 2017. While there are occasionally "ugly" people cast, the vast majority of people in mainstream media are thin, toned, and perfectly groomed. True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame. The majority of the hair types and styles were wigs and weaves. Beauty they say lie in the eyes of the beholder. Now you know more about Nollywood actresses with unique physique. Heavily made-up faces of fair-skinned women assail your vision. Would it ease pressure to meet a standard of beauty?” Bing.com. For them, the skin colour was abominable, evil, contemptuous and everything thing else that translates to evil. With some knowledge about skin bleaching in Nigeria, I began to explore skin tone in Nollywood and stumbled across a website called Naira Land. 36932 Google Imaes "Just because you don't fit society's standards of beauty doesn't mean you aren't beautiful." Divided into two segments, the podcast specifically focuses on the extreme/restricted body standards for women in Latin American cultures and the prevalence of colorism in Indian American and African American cultures. In Nigeria, natural hair isn’t considered fashion forward according to a 2011 Guardian article on hair in Nigeria. These Nollywood actresses have killer curves, beautiful skin and natural endowments that God blessed them with to use and intimidate desperate men. But have you ever wondered what more diversity in the media would actually look like? They all have different personalities, different views on life, and different socioeconomic backgrounds. With all that layered underneath the images of women in Nollywood films, it’s sometimes hard to decipher what elements of these characters are really native to Nigeria’s culture. Westernization, the spread and adoption of Western culture, is a global phenomenon that has been taking place all over the world for centuries and Nigeria, even with its praise of plumpness, hasn’t been immune to it. Along with decades of inspiration, combining history and drama, Nollywood offers other cultural influences on Nigerian society, including beauty standards that are strikingly different from European ones. Now the byproducts of those stereotypes are being exported to a country with a deep history of white conquest and colonization. Join us for more Black love and marriage @: https://www.facebook.com/ebonyloveandmarriage. Women are expected to be skinny, but not too skinny, with large breasts and a big butt, all while maintaining a flat stomach. Despite the young age of the Nollywood film industry, the actresses are riding high owing to their natural beauty and the quest to entertain the world. One starts to realize that the influence of the West is extremely layered when you consider that the images of African Americans have largely been molded by white people who, at the outset, only depicted Black women as coons, mulattoes and mammies and not a lot has changed since those early depictions. ever, ever have ugly people on our screens. It has its own beauty standards that its actresses at times struggle to meet. Two years later, the 36-year-old will see her first feature film, the cross-cultural love story Namaste Wahala, debut on Valentine’s Day on Netflix.. Nigerian people are the most beautiful thing about the country, talk about human resources; we have the best teachers, doctor, musician, artists, movies makers, as a matter of fact, Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) happens to be the third-largest in the world. She states: I was continually told I was beautiful BUT had this big flaw i.e.