Coogler says Boseman 'shielded his collaborators from his suffering' amid his cancer battle.
Before sharing my thoughts on the passing of the great Chadwick Boseman, I first offer my condolences to his family who meant so very much to him. To his wife, Simone, especially.
I inherited Marvel and the Russo Brothers’ casting choice of T’Challa. It is something that I will forever be grateful for. The first time I saw Chad’s performance as T’Challa, it was in an unfinished cut of Captain America: Civil War. I was deciding whether or not directing Black Panther was the right choice for me. I’ll never forget, sitting in an editorial suite on the Disney Lot and watching his scenes. His first with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, then, with the South African cinema titan, John Kani as T’Challa’s father, King T’Chaka. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to make this movie. After Scarlett’s character leaves them, Chad and John began conversing in a language I had never heard before. It sounded familiar, full of the same clicks and smacks that young black children would make in the States. The same clicks that we would often be chided for being disrespectful or improper. But, it had a musicality to it that felt ancient, powerful, and African.
In my meeting after watching the film, I asked Nate Moore, one of the producers of the film, about the language. “Did you guys make it up?” Nate replied, “that’s Xhosa, John Kani’s native language. He and Chad decided to do the scene like that on set, and we rolled with it.” I thought to myself. “He just learned lines in another language, that day?” I couldn’t conceive how difficult that must have been, and even though I hadn’t met Chad, I was already in awe of his capacity as actor.
I learned later that there was much conversation over how T’Challa would sound in the film. The decision to have Xhosa be the official language of Wakanda was solidified by Chad, a native of South Carolina, because he was able to learn his lines in Xhosa, there on the spot. He also advocated for his character to speak with an African accent, so that he could present T’Challa to audiences as an African king, whose dialect had not been conquered by the West.
I finally met Chad in person in early 2016, once I signed onto the film. He snuck past journalists that were congregated for a press junket I was doing for Creed, and met with me in the green room. We talked about our lives, my time playing football in college, and his time at Howard studying to be a director, about our collective vision for T’Challa and Wakanda. We spoke about the irony of how his former Howard classmate Ta-Nehisi Coates was writing T’Challa’s current arc with Marvel Comics. And how Chad knew Howard student Prince Jones, who’s murder by a police officer inspired Coates’ memoir Between The World and Me.
I noticed then that Chad was an anomaly. He was calm. Assured. Constantly studying. But also kind, comforting, had the warmest laugh in the world, and eyes that seen much beyond his years, but could still sparkle like a child seeing something for the first time.
That was the first of many conversations. He was a special person. We would often speak about heritage and what it means to be African. When preparing for the film, he would ponder every decision, every choice, not just for how it would reflect on himself, but how those choices could reverberate. “They not ready for this, what we are doing…” “This is Star Wars, this is Lord of the Rings, but for us… and bigger!” He would say this to me while we were struggling to finish a dramatic scene, stretching into double overtime. Or while he was covered in body paint, doing his own stunts. Or crashing into frigid water, and foam landing pads. I would nod and smile, but I didn’t believe him. I had no idea if the film would work. I wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing. But I look back and realize that Chad knew something we all didn’t. He was playing the long game. All while putting in the work. And work he did.
He would come to auditions for supporting roles, which is not common for lead actors in big budget movies. He was there for several M’Baku auditions. In Winston Duke’s, he turned a chemistry read into a wrestling match. Winston broke his bracelet. In Letitia Wright’s audition for Shuri, she pierced his royal poise with her signature humor, and would bring about a smile to T’Challa’s face that was 100% Chad.
While filming the movie, we would meet at the office or at my rental home in Atlanta, to discuss lines and different ways to add depth to each scene. We talked costumes, military practices. He said to me “Wakandans have to dance during the coronations. If they just stand there with spears, what separates them from Romans?” In early drafts of the script. Eric Killmonger’s character would ask T’Challa to be buried in Wakanda. Chad challenged that and asked, what if Killmonger asked to be buried somewhere else?
Chad deeply valued his privacy, and I wasn’t privy to the details of his illness. After his family released their statement, I realized that he was living with his illness the entire time I knew him. Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering. He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days. What an incredible mark he’s left for us.
I haven’t grieved a loss this acute before. I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we weren’t destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won’t be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take.
It hurts more to know that we can’t have another conversation, or facetime, or text message exchange. He would send vegetarian recipes and eating regimens for my family and me to follow during the pandemic. He would check in on me and my loved ones, even as he dealt with the scourge of cancer.
In African cultures we often refer to loved ones that have passed on as ancestors. Sometimes you are genetically related. Sometimes you are not. I had the privilege of directing scenes of Chad’s character, T’Challa, communicating with the ancestors of Wakanda. We were in Atlanta, in an abandoned warehouse, with bluescreens, and massive movie lights, but Chad’s performance made it feel real. I think it was because from the time that I met him, the ancestors spoke through him. It’s no secret to me now how he was able to skillfully portray some of our most notable ones. I had no doubt that he would live on and continue to bless us with more. But it is with a heavy heart and a sense of deep gratitude to have ever been in his presence, that I have to reckon with the fact that Chad is an ancestor now. And I know that he will watch over us, until we meet again.
Many of us are looking for more ways to enjoy our time at home in these stressful circumstances. Some of us have turned to books. But how can we make sure we get the most out of them?
Reblogging with the important addition that reading fics is still reading, and that there are fics better than published books, so if that’s ur vibe, go for it!
GERTIE BROWN & SAINT SUTTLE
“Something Good-Negro Kiss,” the newly discovered William Selig silent film from 1898 is believed to be the earliest cinematic depiction of African-American affection. Thanks to scholars at the University of Chicago and the University of Southern California, the footage is prompting a rethinking of early film history. The performance by cakewalk partners Saint Suttle and Gertie Brown is a reinterpretation of Thomas Edison’s “The Kiss,” featuring May Irwin and John Rice. The film was announced December 12, 2018 as a new addition to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry—one of 25 selected for their enduring importance to American culture. The 29-second clip is free of stereotypes and racist caricatures, a stark contrast from the majority of black performances at the turn of the century.
living in the cottage on the outskirts of the old town, having some cozy place for reading, buying lots of books, being the head of the local book club, exchanging books with your neighbors and discussing them over a cup of coffee
p.s. pictures were taken from sites "aspasiasbissas.blog", "Imgur", "Books With Benjamin"
Have faith in your dreams and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.
[Image ID: Tumblr user @neanderthyall says in the notes, “I thought that 6 feet was kind of a double meaning. Like six feet away to stop the spread, but when people die they’re six feet underground, and its six feet of the dirt that keeps you apart. Like ‘Hide away, hide away, even though it hurts Hide away, hide away, or the six feet will be dirt’.” End ID.]
HI DON’T LEAVE THIS IN THE NOTES THAT’S ACTUALLY BRILLIANT
I’ve taken the liberty of expanding the lyrics slightly and coming up with a tune:
Daddy’s at the food store, Mummy’s out of town,
She’s working at the hospital since Rhona came to town,
Hide away, hide away, Miss Rhona’s come to town,
Hide away, hide away, she’s come to take us down.
Miss Rhona’s at the doorstep, I’ll keep 6 feet away,
But Grandma needs the paper, I’ll take her some today,
Hide away, hide away, Miss Rhona’s come to stay,
Hide away, hide away, we can’t come out to play.
I need to see the sunlight, I’ve not been out in days
And here’s a note from Rhona, she wanted me to say,
Hide away, hide away, keep 6 feet away,
Hide away, hide away, she took us down today
The days all run together, I haven’t changed my shirt
We may be getting restless, but keep on the alert
Hide away, hide away, even though it hurts
Hide away, hide away, or the six feet will be dirt
As planned I’ve extended this even further and re-recorded it with the new lyrics and a guitar part; it’s also a bit better quality. It’s so cool that so many different versions of this song have sprung up already! I recommend having a scroll through them all on @jus-tea‘s tumblr.
(Em)Daddy’s at the (B7)food store, (Em)Mummy’s out of (B7)town,
She’s (Em)working at the (B7)hospital since (Em)Rhona (B7)came to (Em)town,
(Am)Hide away, hide away, Miss (Em)Rhona’s come to town,
(Am)Hide away, (Em)hide away, she’s come to (B7)take us (Em)down.
Miss Rhona’s at the doorstep, I’ll keep six feet away,
But Grandma needs the paper, I’ll take her one today,
Hide away, hide away, Miss Rhona’s come to stay,
Hide away, hide away, we can’t come out to play.
I’m missing all my friends, though we keep in touch by phone,
I’m learning what it is to truly be alone,
Hide away, hide away, even though you moan,
Hide away, hide away, or we’ll be lying prone.
My love she says she misses the twinkle of my eyes,
But Rhona stalks the streets and to meet would be unwise,
Hide away, hide away, we hear the desperate cries,
Hide away, hide away, or see the bodies rise.
I feel myself a-coughin’, I haven’t got a mask,
It’s work or die for me, though, so who am I to ask,
Hide away, hide away, Miss Rhona’s on the task,
Hide away, hide away, she’s come for me at last.
I need to see the sunlight, I’ve not been out in days,
And here’s a note from Rhona, she wanted me to say,
Hide away, hide away, keep 6 feet away,
Hide away, hide away, she took us down today.
The days all run together, I haven’t changed my shirt,
We may be getting restless, but keep on the alert,
Hide away, hide away, Miss Rhona’s quite the flirt,
Hide away, hide away, her touch is not inert.
Hide away, hide away, even though it hurts,
Hide away, hide away, or six feet will be dirt.
So the actual translation of this is a lot more like ‘(i) wanted to see (you)’, but in english is the equivalent of ‘i missed you’. As we all know things don’t always translate well from language to language and some things sound a little awkward when they’re translated into english but it means both.
In korean, a lot of the time subjects and objects aren’t needed in a sentence for it to make sense. This is similar with the vast amount of homonyms in the language, the sentence can be understood going by context…so there isn’t a need to add the ‘i’ or ‘you’ for this to make sense, but if you wanted to add them this can be made into: *나는 너를 보고싶었어(요)/naneun neoreul bogosipeosseo(yo) or *난 널 보고싶었어(요)/nan neol bogosipeosseo(yo)
If you have any questions feel free to message me as i’m not going to be explaining everything on each post :)
Can you teach us some slang flemish words/sentences? I'm curious
We came up with an incomplete list with words that first popped up into our minds. When more come up, we’ll edit this post and reblog it.
>>Disclaimer: the listed words are not really slang, they are mainly words that are typically Flemish.
Nouns
goesting: when you’re in the mood for something lit.: desire
klootzak: asshole
smeerlap: bastard
seut: prude
gat: butt
poep: butt
frituur: a food joint that mainly sells fries but also other side dishes
sjakosj/sacoche: handbag
frak: jacket
plastron: tie
foef: pussy (as in the female genitalia), it can also be used to call a woman stupid
gast: dude (also used as an interjection)
saf: cigarette
poppemie: doll (also used for a (young) girl)
mie(ke): girl
fluit: dick (as in the male appendage)
sloef: slipper, a person is also called a ‘sloef’ when they have no say in a relationship and do whatever their partner wants
Chinese vrijwilliger: Chinese volunteer (but not really, you are forced to do sth)the assumable origin of this expression goes back to the Korean War between North and South Korea (1950-1953), the Chinese were forced to side with North Korea but were called ‘volunteers’
sjiek: chewing gum
Adjectives
plezant: fun, pleasant
zot: crazy
zat: drunk
koddig: cute
Verbs
poepen: to fuck
verschieten: to be spooked
zijn plan trekken: to manage by themselves
zagen: to nag
strijk gaan/strijk liggen (youth slang): to laugh really hard
muilen (youth slang): to make out
van ‘t straat geraken: to get a boyfriend/girlfriend lit.: to get off the street
Phrases/Interjections
‘zedde op uwe kop gevallen?’ : ‘are you nuts?’ lit.: did you fall on your head?
‘met alle Chinezen maar niet met den deze’: ‘you don’t fool me’ lit.: with all Chinese people but not with this one
‘ier se, daar se‘: ‘look who we have here‘
‘da boeit nie’: ‘that doesn’t matter’
allee: typical Flemish interjection that can be used in many ways
voilà: there you/we go; there it is
amai: typical Flemish word that is used when one is astonished, impressed, annoyed, exhausted etc.
sowieso: for sure
awel: well (not the adverb, but the interjection)
seg: a typical Flemish interjection that can be used when annoyed or angry for example, is quite untranslatable
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