Wakanda Speaks Truth To Power
by Tiffany N. Cody
In the Marvel film, Black Panther, the Black women of Wakanda illustrate are living in their full power. Throughout the film, we see them flexing with their minds and beautifully toned muscles. While they are still not ruling, it leaves no question why this nation is one of the most technologically advanced with a formidable military force. This break from the played-out tropes typical on the Big Screen speaks a collective truth to the people whom Black women already know: The UNIVERSE will be so much better when Black women can freely walk in our purpose. But like in real life, there are many places where intellectual Activism must take place. In the clip, we see the character, Okoye, the General of the Dora Milaje, symbolically speaking truth to power in her workplace and her home.
In the article, “Truth-Telling and Intellectual Activism”, Patricia Hill Collins writes, “This form of truth-telling uses the power of ideas to confront existing power relations. On a metaphorical level, speaking the truth to power invokes images of changing the very foundations of social hierarchy where the less powerful take on the ideas and practices of the powerful, often armed solely with their ideas.” (Collins)
Okoye is the sworn protector of the throne, regardless of who sits on it. It is her life’s work. The battle is waging because the rightful king has been unlawfully dethroned. In the clip, Okoye jumped in front of Lord M’Baku, leader of the Jabari tribe, to save him from a charging war rhino being ridden by her husband, W’Kabi, the leader of the rebellion. As her role as the general, it was Okoye’s job to lead the military in this war. She first spoke truth to the powerful animal making it stop in its tracks to save herself and M’Baku, defying its commander. Okoye risked her life and (M’Baku’s) by not pushing him out of the way or attacking the animal with her spear. No weapon was used; just her expectation of the rhino to change its (ideas) course. This is a great example of confronting an existing power relation with a new idea and affecting real change.
Her decision to first speak power to the powerful rhino gave her the leverage needed to continue to speak truth to her husband/adversary. It would have been easy for her to take on the ideas of her love and forgo her duty to Wakanda. As the general and as a wife, Okoye chose to first speak power to her husband by demanding that he drop his weapon and surrender. Although she only pulled her weapon in self-defense, the blow that ended the war was the moment she said, “…for Wakanda; without question.” Okoye’s ideas took root in W’Kabi, who dropped to his knees in surrender and the civil war ended.
This clip is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time. Okoye saving the life of the “brute” Lord M’Baku, the rhino stopping in his tracks to kiss her, and W’Kabi’s reaction to the kiss were all perfect reasons to laugh and be distracted from the meaningful moment depicted. She believed in her standpoint enough to flex her mind to inject her ideas into the situation without the use of her physical strength. This illustration of speaking truth to power was shown in an unexpected but powerful way. It proves that when done right, intellectual activism is capable of being done with superhero-like finesse. I also believe this clip illustrates how important it is to take the time to “stand in front of a rhino’’ clearly on our standpoints to make effective change in our workplace and sometimes in our very own homes.
Works Cited
“Black Panther - OKOYE SAFE M’BAKU from the RHINO (HD).” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOvlCeibkYY. Accessed 16 Apr. 2022.
Collins, Patricia Hill. “Truth-Telling and Intellectual Activism.” Contexts, vol. 12, no. 1, Feb. 2013, pp. 36–41, 10.1177/1536504213476244.
