Snowfall leon7/14/2023 However, in my research, I can’t seem to find if he ever actually said it, but it aligns with other things he is quoted as saying. Rawlings, who was a prominent political leader and a two-term president of Ghana. This sentiment is reiterated in a quote sprawled on a billboard in the city that reads: “The errors of the past must be corrected in order to reestablish the confidence of our people in a secure future.” The quote is attributed to J.J. In Twi, a Ghanaian language, Sankofa literally means “to retrieve.” Sankofa is a recurring theme in this episode for Leon, who is now equipped with more knowledge of his people’s history that he wants to impart to his counterparts back home. Sankofa is a concept from the Akan tribe in Ghana that emphasizes the importance of remembering and honoring the past to create a better future. My favorite style moment is the Sankofa pin on his hat. The pair have a beautiful ceremony on the beach, Leon wearing an ensemble that blends Western and African styles, very much in the vein of Marcus Garvey’s iconic regalia. But Leon makes it clear that she’s an important and permanent part of his present and future … so he puts a ring on it! means dangerously close proximity to the drug that ruined her life. Wanda is naturally more hesitant life back in L.A. Now, months later, the couple had adapted to life in Accra, but Leon feels he still has to do something for his people back home, even if it’s just tying up loose ends and using his funds to better the community. Leon caught the travel bug after Avi opened his mind to a more global revolutionary approach, telling him about the radical movements outside America. Last season, Leon professed his love for Wanda, and together they fled the destruction of the neighborhood with dreams of a better future. As much as Snowfall is one of the best crime shows of our times, it’s also historical fiction, poignantly exploring Black reality during this time. The recession during the early 1980s worsened living conditions for people in poverty and set the stage for the events depicted in Snowfall. Though most of what they see is local gang violence and drug addiction, it’s important to contextualize this moment in history across the country. Wanda and Leon are confronted with this harsh reality when they return to Los Angeles and witness the decay in the projects they once called home. But, for Black Americans, in a lot of ways we are living on borrowed time in a country that has historically been a living hell for descendants of Africans. Sometimes their creepily calm demeanors and relaxed eyes are annoyingly juxtaposed with life in this country, where everyone is perpetually rushing as if living on borrowed time. Much like Leon and Wanda, they come back to the States in authentic kente cloth made in the village, bearing gifts and stories about all the beautiful things they experienced. Their skin is sun-kissed, their smiles are wider, and they smell of incense and oils. When they return, you can feel the energy of the trip almost emanating from their pores. Every year, my parents sojourn to Accra, Ghana, to visit the community my father has cultivated through his many trips to the continent.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |