Your Skin Is Beautiful Because It's Black

This article explores ways of combating structural racism, social colorism and the resulting racial financial inequality in Fiji and other post-colonial countries. This writing developed from conversations from several Youth Community Empowerment Volunteers in Fiji who were hearing their students and local friends say to them, "Your skin is white. It is beautiful. But mine is black. It's not nice." There is an obvious divide along racial lines in this and many other countries and addressing it directly is an act of empowerment.

You: “Yadra!” (Morning!)

Your iTaukei friend: “Yadra! Iko moce vinaka?” (Morning! Did you sleep well?)
You: “Io. Iko?” (Yes. You?)
Your iTaukei friend: “Io. Iko rairai vinaka!” (Yes. You look nice.)
You: “Vinaka! Iko rairai vinaka talega!” (Thanks! You look nice too.)

Your friend might be wearing the same worn sulu that she had on yesterday, but still you say it back. That’s what is done. If someone asks about you, then you ask about them. If someone compliments you, then you compliment them back. It’s only polite. People know that you’re just being polite. It’s the nice thing to do, but saying a compliment back does not carry the same weight as an unprovoked, direct statement. When they’re said in response, your words are received as a politeness, but not as fact.

So when your student or community friend says, “Your white skin is beautiful” and you say, “Yours too,” that answer is received as a simple politeness, but not as a fact. While it’s a nice response that originates from you wanting your student/friend to believe that their skin is equally beautiful to yours, they have lived their entire lives being bombarded by media, advertising and social conditioning that programmed them to believe they are truly inferior to kai valagi (foreigners) in every way.

For that reason, it’s not enough to just say it back. In order to introduce the very empowering idea that Fijians might actually be equal to other people, it is important to be specific, clear and repetitive.

But we’re American. Words like, “black”, “white” and “brown” are considered borderline racial slurs by some Americans. Yet here in Fiji, “black” and “white” are used liberally. “Black” is used as both a defining characteristic and a widely accepted slur when referring to someone. Empowering Fijians to imagine that they might be equal requires dismantling of racism and colorism at the basic visual level. Fijians are represented in television, government and media by their fellow nationals with the whitest skin and straightest hair. They are sold hair straightening chemicals and skin bleaching soaps and creams (all of which are used far more often than you may realize). The idea that they can make themselves a bit closer to white is so appealing that, even with meager income, whitening cosmetics become necessities. If you don’t believe me, start asking people in your village whether they have used a “relaxer” on their curly hair. You might be as surprised at the results as I was.

Racism and empowerment impact people at the most fundamental levels. Money determines access to health care, education, and comforts that increase quality of life. Entrepreneurs have higher self-esteem and lower rates of depression and suicide because they feel that they are in charge of their own destiny. The children of entrepreneurs are more likely to achieve higher levels of education at better quality schools than the children of hourly workers.

I have spoken with my village friends and students and most don’t like to speak of entrepreneurship in terms of something possible for themselves. They have been taught that it is very un-Christian to want more than they already have. Many iTaukei have expressed and demonstrated that they believe their purpose and privilege is to serve white people, and that it would be haughty and inappropriate to imagine themselves as the ones in charge of their own income.

I have encountered iTaukei who genuinely believe it is their proper place, both socially and financially, to work at a resort for $3.50 per hour to support their kai valagi employers who are able to earn hundreds of thousands with their cheap labor. When I’ve asked why that feels right to them, I’m told that the kai valagi have a right to ownership, since they had the money or credit to purchase the land and supplies to build the resort. There is a fundamental lack of awareness around the colonial structure of opportunism that created such a financial divide to begin with. It just feels right to them that they have less and people with white skin have more. For brown people like the ones I’ve spoken with who do not believe that they deserve to have what white people have, the distinction of race is very impactful.

As Community Youth Empowerment Volunteers for a country full of non-whites, it is essential to understand that a first step toward empowerment is to help people believe that the color of their skin does not relegate them to inferiority, because the world has already taught them that it does.

Can you even imagine living all of your life truly believing that another group of people is better than you and deserves to have more than you deserve to have? Can you imagine how much that belief could limit what you think you can achieve? Can you imagine what it might take in order to begin to change your perception of yourself as inferior?

So, let’s get back to how you can help. If you are a kai valagi (foreigner) with beautiful white skin, you are immediately perceived to be an expert on things like beauty and social status. When an expert talks, people give more value to what they say, especially when they are specific.

I want you to see if you can step outside of your polite box that wants to just say, “you too”.
If your student or village friend says, “Your skin is white. It’s beautiful,” please hear what they are really saying: “Your white skin is better than my black skin. You are one of those people who is better than me. You are one of those people who has more than me because you deserve to have more than I do with my black skin.”
Try saying to your friend or student, “Your skin is beautiful BECAUSE it’s brown/black. Brown/black skin is so beautiful that where I live in America, kai valagi tan themselves and use makeup to make their skin darker.” Ask them, “What does it mean that your skin is black/brown and mine is white? What does that mean about you? About me?” Please don’t be afraid to have these conversations. They are the true roots of empowerment in this post-colonial society where per capita income is grossly imbalanced between races. For extra credit, I dare you to even initiate that conversation instead of just offering it as a response.

If you are talking to your student or village friend about their future or how they earn their income, direct them toward self-employment options. Encourage them to build their skills of financial literacy and goal-setting. Gauge their interest in small business ventures rather than resort work, which provides them with less freedom, no financial security and no ability to save money for themselves or for their families.

In order for Volunteers to do work that is truly empowering, it is important to acknowledge and directly address the disparities. This can be uncomfortable to do, but it is essential to encouraging change.