Charmie Snetter
“All my skin folk ain’t all my kin folk”
I was born in Liberia twenty-three years ago and have split my time between home and across the Atlantic. I have seen many other nationalities flaunt their cultural nationalism, some to an extreme that seems obnoxious, but I have always known my own people, Liberians, to be very proud of our country, of our unique heritage and identity. These sentiments are distinctly expressed in our anthem on every July 26 or even when we remember the Lone Star flag.
I was born during a time of strife and am too young to have seen the performances at the Kendeja Cultural Center electrify an audience. Home to generations of Liberian artists, I never witnessed the oft-described beauty, but I am not so youthful as to be incapable of observing and calling out cultural exploitation in progress when I see it.
All of this is recounted to illustrate disappointment when many of us learned about the grandiose business plans of Mr. Robert Johnson’s takeover of a particularly lucrative and historically significant piece of Liberian cultural heritage. Mr. Johnson proposed to take over Kendeja, appropriate and keep the name, relocate the artists and construct his hotel on the beach where the Kendeja Center has always stood since its founding as a cultural institution. I will not go as far as to opine that we are so naive that because Johnson looks like many of us Liberians, we ought to have assumed he would have our best interests at heart in his business dealings. I call on the words of author Zora Neale Hurston: “All my skin folk ain’t all my kin folk.”
Given that declaration, some Liberians at home may not be too familiar with Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) in the United States, but many of us away from home are, particularly those of us in the 18-34-year-old demographic.
We invite the network Johnson founded into our homes via our cable and satellite television providers. We witness the daily cultural devaluation that occurs on the once-revered television network. I hold my nose at the stench of cultural contempt the network displays for the body of the African woman.
BET makes billions in profit emasculating blackness instead of representing blackness in a tasteful manner as one aspect of a rich, diverse culture, by thinly disguising its programming as entertainment. What is this entertainment for and at whose expense? With such a background, such clear contempt for his own people that in 30-minutes of programming alone the disgrace is obvious, can Johnson be trusted? Though he no longer owns BET, the network is forever attached to him because of his principal role in its inception and format for profit.
Therefore, when I read about Johnson’s venture in Liberia, a “four-star, beachfront resort”, according to National Public Radio in an August report about the deal, I was less than enthused. From the tone of reviews from many sources, it was somewhat disturbing to see how so many people were pleased. Pleased, I thought, because the focus was on one of the transparent short-term benefits: jobs for many jobless Liberians.
True, anyone familiar with Liberia’s present infrastructural woes realizes that joblessness is a serious plight facing the nation. But I feared what some of my countrymen and women were failing to consider was a very real effect of large international investments: cultural exportation and exploitation.
Robert Johnson is a businessman, a very good one to boot, if the success of BET or any of his other ventures is any indication. He is aware of what he stands to make from his resort. But is he aware of what Liberians stand to lose by accepting his investment? Does he care? And because he is a savvy businessman, it is safe to assume that he did his homework, meaning he was fully aware of the cultural significance of the site that he asked for and upon which he was granted permission to build his multimillion-dollar resort?
He must be held accountable. We must be held accountable for being so willing and ready to accept his offer.
Do we care? We cannot, as so many of our brothers and sisters across the continent have done, allow the financial benefits of juicy investments to strangle our cultural sovereignty. We have set somewhat of a precedent with Johnson. Will the same standard apply to other non-African entrepreneurs eager to grasp Liberian entities in their claws?
Johnson’s “four-star resort” does not represent progress. The millions that will be spent to destroy a cultural site for a hotel will not be used to address any plight Liberia faces. The nation’s educational infrastructure is broken and Kendeja’s schools and cultural training center and textile industries have been swallowed up and crushed to make way for this hotel.
The power of a well-cultivated cultural mind will be worth more to Liberia than yet another glamorous-themed resort spot for the elite few who can even afford such a luxury, with hungry children swarming around to offer their bodies for sale for a meal.
The response to Johnson’s grand plan should have been simple: Thanks, but no thanks. We can do better.
…A most informative piece. I was aware of Mr. Johnsons’s plans for building a luxury resort. But not at all aware that it would be at the expense of Kendaja. Truly, all that glitters is not gold.
A stipulation for the authorization of the project should surely have been the funding and perpetuation of Kendaja and all its appendages.
I hope pertinent dialogue is opened with Mr.Johnson and that more information is disiminated to Liberians at home and abroad who have voices that can influence and effect change.
I totally agree with the article and the point of view of the writer. I feel the same way and have said from the onset of this project that I think it is a very bad idea for a foreign business person or any person for that matter, to come to Liberia and destroy a national, cultural and in some ways spiritual landmark like the Kendaja culture center, just because it is situated at the right spot for them to benefit financially. I wonder who else is benefiting? Relocating it is not the answer, improving upon what is already there, would be ideal. This hotel could be anywhere else other than there. I want to commend this writer for this wonderful insightful article.
I totally agree with Ms. Snetter’s comments. As a Liberian who was privileged to witness the heydey of Kendeja, I am truly sorry that our younger generation of Liberians, born in the diaspora may never get to experience this rich heritage of our country. I pray that the powers that be really take another look at this arrangement and its repercussions on our national history. Thanks again for this insightful article.
I too am truly sorry that thousands of young Liberians did not have the opportunity to visit Kendejah during its prime. We all know that our country is in dire need of just about everything. However, you don’t “sell your soul” for any reason. Before Mr. Johnson’s proposal was even considered, it should have been studied thoroughly and weighed. Why did he choose Kendejah? Why not other parcels of land along the coast-if a coastal property is what he’s interested in? Is our police and other security forces trained well enough to handle problems that will arise? Are they paid enough so that they will not be tempted to accept bribes? How about the Coast Guard?? Why Liberia, now? Is this the only way Mr. Johnson can help Liberia? In my opinion, our children have suffered long enough and need facilities that will educate them. They need spiritual, academics and cultural education. History will tell of how we sold our cultural center for US dollars.
Very passionate article, but I’ve to disagree. Liberia right now is not in a position to pick and choose who can bring development to the country. Although there are important point made in the article, like cultural exploitation. But we must remember that Liberia is economically crippled to say the least. Such investment should be welcome, because it brings jobs; which is desperately needed. This I must admit is the price a nation face after such civil unrest. Gambling with investors, meaning banking on ambitious opportunities. But at least it will generate the flow of production, meaning means of capital to produce jobs, hence creating wealth for the nation. We must look broadly before coming to a conclusion. Liberia is/was on life support, she needs every breath she can get, even if such breathe maybe faint, but at least it’s a gulp of air.
Ideologies, cultures and sentiments have never fed a hungry people, saved a child’s life, or provided jobs. As far as I am concerned, it was misplaced sentiments and misguided ideals that plummeted our beautiful nation into total destruction. It is time for all of us to stop looking for means to criticize every move and decision which only serve to stir up more hard feelings. We all need to band together and find ways to rebuild our nation and keep it safe from those who would destry it for their own selfish gain. If building such resorts will give my people food to eat and help them know what it feels like to bring home a paycheck, then I say, let’s build. Maybe some of us who have the property to do so can donate grounds to help rebuild the cultural aspects of the nation. But please, let us stop being so critical!! Instead, let us focus our energy on rebuilding our nation and providing for our children.