four african women

my skin is black 

my hair is wooly 

my forehead long 

my back is strong

strong enough to carry on

after genocide and all my family gone

what do they call me 

gatsinzi

my skin is pink

it used to be black 

my mirrors and my magazines 

made me cry

discarded western bleaching cream 

eat away at my skin and my self esteem

what do they call me

beauty queen

my skin is black too

my eyes are shallow

my loins are cold

but my marriage is pure

you’d never know the horror in my skirt 

oh they told me it would not hurt

what do they call me 

mariatou

my skin is brown brown

my hair is fine

my hips still invite you

and my mouth still tastes like wine

i hope this european trip 

will get me a visa not get me sick

what do they call me

african woman

song || produced by betina quest, mix+master rvdical the kid, written michael olatuja + nina simone + somi
backing vocals betina quest, synthesizer betina quest
image || yaasaa, set design/concept betina quest, mkutaji