THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT COULD be described as a personal dream come true. That is, the current intense hunt for models to represent us on the international stage being a search for black-skinned girls girls who in my school days in the '60s, were seen as ugly ducklings. Let us not forget that in the small, prejudiced minds of those who judge our beauty contests these girls remain unqualified. As regards these Black models who are now getting the attention and big bucks long overdue to them, for them the Psalmist David captured accurately their journey when he said at Chapter 118 Verses 22-23 "The stone that the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes."
Of course, I will not fool myself into thinking for one moment, that these girls are being sought after by these promoters, because they are themselves converts who have finally discovered the beauty that lies is the body, soul and minds of our very own, our African-Jamaican women. We have not broken the chains of our European-tailored concept of beauty. We are only now looking desperately for the very dark-skinned girls with wide noses, high cheek bones, thick lips and hair un-processed because there is a demand for them on the catwalks of other countries.
EXOTIC
So whilst others have embraced them as beautiful supermodels, they live in a country which finds nothing super about them. In Europe they are considered exotic, here they are non-starters. So the list of former rejects lengthens as we fail to respect the girl in the mirror who in a few cases have sought to bleach their skins into browness to gain acceptance. Suddenly, what was yesterday not presentable or too local, only because they were created by the so-called ordinary black folks, has become uniquely Jamaican and is making us proud. These include Rastafarians and their theme colours, locks as a natural hairstyle, reggae music, Jamaican dance and black hair worn in its natural state.
All items on this list were all formerly scorned and ridiculed at home but are all now celebrated as the head cornerstone of Jamaica culture selling like hot bread internationally. Me can't believe me eyes!
I am, etc..
BERT SAMUELS
Attorney-at-law
33 Duke Street
Kingston
