COLONISATION IN REVERSE: HOW BLACK PEOPLE BECAME FASHIONABLE WITH PAWLET BROOKES

Wat a devilment a Englan!

Dem face war an brave de worse,

But me wonderin how dem gwine stan

Colonizin in reverse

Louise Bennett-Coverley, Colonization In Reverse (1966)

The cultural appropriation of Black culture continues beyond music and fashion into body modification, food culture, and lifestyle aspiration. Whilst immigration brought with it an ironic reversal of the colonisation process, with Britain reliant on the work provided by former colonised people and slaves, this has now been commodified and all that is saleable has been commercially exploited by the former colonisers, perpetuating the cycle of exploitation and colonialisation. Colonisation in reverse, cultural appropriation and the western gaze are all part of this keynote by Pawlet Brookes.