Title: Ivory Coast's 'big-bottom' craze (PC ALERT!) Source:
BBC URL Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7233565.stm Published:Feb 18, 2008 Author:John James Post Date:2008-02-18 17:04:46 by Jethro Tull Keywords:None Views:401 Comments:23
A national dance craze in Ivory Coast has spawned a black market in treatments claiming to increase one's bottom size.
Poster Comment:
A national dance craze in Ivory Coast has spawned a black market in treatments claiming to increase one's bottom size.
The dance in question has been inspired by DJ Mix and DJ Eloh's hit song Bobaraba, which means "big bottom" in the local Djoula language. When it plays you can be guaranteed that the dance floor will be packed with people shaking their derrieres.
Even Ivorian footballers have adopted the moves and could be seen wiggling their bottoms in a curious on-pitch dance after each goal scored during the just-ended Africa Nations Cup.
However, doctors have warned of the possible dangers of some of the concoctions on sale.
While the dance has been embraced by both sexes, DJ Mix says it was inspired by women.
"We made it as a tribute to women, because African women are defined by the shape of their bottoms," he says.
If whites were found to be responsible for making African women undergo procedures to enlarge their already ample butts, and then force them to dance like a colony of fire ants were poured down their pants for amusement sake, we'd be hunted down and beheaded. But since it's obviously a simple matter of cultural diversity, all we can do is not stare at the spectacle and pretend what we're seeing is all perfectly normal.
That's why I offered the story without comment and gave the PC Alert warning. I still find myself laughing at funny stuff, without considering the layers of white racism hidden deep inside me. I'm a work in progress.