#octoroon

Picture caption: Neal A. Ghant and Kylie Brown perform in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “An Octoroon” at Actor’s Express. CONTRIBUTED BY CASEY GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY Photo: For the AJC

As a way to partake in the festivities happening in my hometown of Atlanta, I accepted an invitation to attend the play, “An Octoroon” currently in rotation at Actor’s Express located in the King Plow Arts Center.

There are times where our quest for ‘wanderlusting’ takes an unexpected turn and this moment fits the bill.

Going to the theatre is one of those activities we deem, necessary in a ‘wanderer’s’ life. It’s EXPRESSIVE. It offers ESCAPISM. It’s CAPTIVATING and sometimes it’s also JARRING, which can be a contradiction to the very essence of WANDERLUSTING. 

I don’t think I was thinking it would be a JARRING experience as much as I thought it would be captivating and my escapism from work and well, Super Bowl. However, I would suddenly encounter an experience that left me discombobulated, to say the least.

If you’re unaware, an Octoroon was a term used to describe a person who is 1/8th black. The root word octo to form eighth and the ending, roon, deriving from...coon?  Well if you ask Virginia’s current governor, Ralph Northam, I’m sure he would disagree on the latter. I digress. 

Basically, if you were able to “pass” for white, back in the day, you were considered an “Octoroon”. There was “slave talk”, black face, white face, Asian actors as slaves and slaves speaking in modern-day talk and epithets, while also speaking in “coon” language. *Let it be noted, I am an African-American* it was mind-spinning. 

To put it in perspective, “An Octoroon” does an amazing job of addressing racism, identity politics, gross stereotypes and it’s juxtaposition in modern-day versus past history to illustrate while some things have changed, many things have not and they also have simply changed clothes.

Are we to allow the creation of an unwanted third race? Should the coloreds be encouraged to go back to the Black? Or should they be advanced to white status and be absorbed in the white population? …..No trace of native origin is apparent. The continuing infiltration of white blood finally stamps out the black color.

The world seems to be in apocalyptic mode at the moment. I am in the UK and have been a bystander to the recent really horrific events here….the slaughter of innocents at a music concert in Manchester, the brutal attack of people having a fun night out on London Bridge, the unimaginable fire in a tower block, near to where I am staying and now the attempted murder of Muslims in another ferocious…

Me Mum turned me on to Laura Love. A blessing as She made me realize: I am allowed to be comfortable in my skin; pleased with those I created and am raising; and my place in the world would always be changing.

Artist: Laura Love 1997 Album: Octoroon

Bad Feeling lyrics ~

[Hook] I got a bad feeling It’s gonna rain like crazy It’s gonna rain plantations It’s gonna rain brown arms I got a bad feeling It’s gonna blow forever It’s gonna blow bandanas It’s gonna blow sky high

Lately I can’t get on the good foot Lately I can’t get on that train Lately I can’t remember faces Lately I can’t remember names

Do I manipulate the outcome? Or is it manipulating me? Reckon- I reckon I can get a witness Only within the state of Tennessee

I got a bad feeling It’s gonna rain like crazy It’s gonna rain plantations It’s gonna rain brown arms

Something is telling me oughtta fly right If just to find a warmer avenue I don’t think I would need a purple heart If I could do all right with one that’s red

* different strokes for different folks my own religion is in my song I am everyday people

Wonder if all that glitters is golden Or just a manufactured diamelle Wish I - I had the answers to the questions Then I would write a book that really sells

[Hook] I got a bad feeling It’s gonna rain like crazy It’s gonna rain plantations It’s gonna rain brown arms I got a bad feeling It’s gonna blow forever It’s gonna blow sky high