World Affairs

‘Black is not the colour of our skin ~ we are the richest shades of the human race’ (Part 2)

by Eyvonne Black
05/26/15
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Black is not the colour of our skin ~ we are the richest shades of the human race’ (Part 2)

 Reference to Black and White skin in the Bible

Growing up I’ve always heard how King Solomon was a Black man and the scripture that was normally used is taken from Songs of Solomon 1v5 (KJV) 

 ‘I am black, but comely (comely in other translations signifies beauty), O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon’. But v 6 ‘Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me; my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards.........’ Is it not clear from verse 6 that solomon was complaining about the colour of his skin caused by sun exposure? In most cases the sixth verse is never mentioned when we talk about Solomon and his black skin.

 Lamentations 4:7-8 (ESV) 'Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; [Personality], their bodies [skin] were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire [in Hebrew ~ description of a healthy body] Now their face is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shrivelled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood’.

 Here three skin colours are mentioned; coral which is pink  and would suggest the complexion we interpret as ‘white people’, ruddy which is darker a more oriental-looking complexion like Latinos, Asian, lighter-skinned Caribbean and African people. ‘Now their face is Blacker than soot, their skin has shrivelled on their bones’. Here again black is mentioned as a skin condition.

White skin in the Bible was also used when describing a skin condition, Exodus 4: 6 (NLT) ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now put your hand inside your cloak'. So Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease’.

Leviticus 13:4( JPSB ~ Jewish Publication Society Bible) ‘And if the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and the appearance thereof be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white, then the priest shall shut [him away] that hath the plague seven days’. White skin in the Bible was only associated with leprosy a disease of the skin that was known to be infectious and the persons unclean.

We Are All People of Colour

We see beautiful brown skinned women and men going to extreme measures to bleach their skin to create a lighter complexion. We have allowed the named colour of our skin to destroy us as a people. Some cultured people are conditioned to believe with lighter skin they will be accepted. This belief is predominant amongst the African and Caribbean cultures; a slavery mentality that has come down through the ages. Have we become lower than the animals we feed? Animals of the same kind come in different shapes, sizes and colours and we don’t see them fighting, they embrace each other as one.  Now with social media we see unusual events with birds playing with cats, cats resting on dogs, cats playing with mice and many more harmonious events. When we look at nature, so attractive with the various kinds and colours; our plants, trees and flowers grow together without choking each other. Even the very food we eat, we relish the colours and flavours on our plate. We look at the rainbow and gaze in amazement of how beautiful it is, but we allow the named colour of our skin to define us? It doesn’t make sense.

We have created application forms describing ethic origins as White, Black, Asian, Chinese and other. Should we not have colours for all Human kind? Why doesn’t the system colour code the Asian, Chinese and other cultures? To be fair should the form not read European, Asian, African, Caribbean, Chinese and other? This might be too broad for an accurate measurement of society, but the truth is my face is not the colour of my black shoes and my so called ‘White’ friends and family are not the colour of my sheets and pillow cases. They are Coral (pink) that makes them people of colour too. I am brown skinned, a darker shade of ruddy; that is my reality. I admit I don’t have the answers, but to say we can and have shaped the world to fit our concepts and values and whatever we perceive we can change. John 8:32 (NIV) states ‘Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’.

When I resumed friendship on Face book with my Primary school friend DB who is coral is complexion (so called white), I was excited as I remembered us as little 8 year old girls travelling to school together and sharing our deepest thoughts. I was amazed when she reminded me of a conversation we had over 40 years ago. She said ‘Eyvonne, I never forgot you asking me why do people say I am black, I’m not black I’m brown? Goose pimples filled my arms, because I never thought my feelings on this subject were so deeply rooted. Today when people ask me how I would describe myself, I am proud, bold and confident in saying ‘I am of Woman of Colour, black only feature as part of my name’.

The last scripture I would like to leave with you are the words of King Solomon, the King who was recognised to be the wisest King who successfully ruled Israel for 40 years in peace. In Ecclesiastes 3v1and7 he states ‘There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under the Heaven, a time to tear apart and a time to sew, a time to keep silent and a time to speak’. It is time to speak and have real unity among all cultures, because in truth, we are one human race.

Written by:

Eyvonne Black

Spiritual & Insight Counsellor & Transformational Life Coach

References:

Bibles used:

King James Version (KJV)

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Jewish Publication Society Bible (JPSB)

123 ‘Make Good Use of your Servitude’

‘Some Observations on Biblical Interpretation and Slavery’ by: Michael Marlowe (Oct 2003)

‘A Parallel Life’ by: Bonnie Greer