halaqah admin
- Mar 09 2024
Cotton and Africa
Categories: HistoryAt Ocacia we do not use a lot of cotton, except in denim. But decided to write this quick article because the history of cotton is so integral to the history of Africa especially the West dependence on it and the consequences to African people (being enslaved) due to their need for labor. Native Americans were observed growing cotton by the Coronado expedition in the early 1540s. I am not sure but no one from West Africa had cotton knowledge. They did come with skills in agriculture But I am not sure cotton specialization was one of those skills. The earliest reference to a cotton spinning wheel comes from the Muslim world in the 11th century, it then is said to have gone from Iran to India.
From an economic standpoint cotton made by slave labor accounted for 40% of all British exports (which went back to Africa to procure more captives). 80% of Birtisns essential raw material. Prior to cotton, which came late to Europe via Arab traders, wool was the fabric of choice.
- Sep 14 2023
Cultural Appropriation
Cultural appropriation is a discussion for experts not lay people. While that might sound snobbish remember it is an academic term used by people with a deep understanding of economics and culture. Today it is tossed around like an old coin and as such has become diluted, mocked, woke and trivialized. It has always served racismto misunderstand any concept in order to better dismiss it. We live in special times. The flourishing of ignorance. When the mainstream gets hold of terms and just runs with it blindly. And then the blind come and counter that ignorance with more ignorance. Has anyone readFourmile, - Aug 30 2022
The Truth about South Africa
The vulgarly contradictory nature of South Africa where their public speak of Pan-Africanism and rainbows does not match their internal policies and attitudes stymies their development. No postal system, xenophobic anti-African immigration, poor human resource management, and poor education halt any hopes of true development. Development is just political rhetoric for token gestures as a patina on failure.
- Jun 07 2022
BEAUTY IS NOT IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Categories: Design SciencePolitical correctness makes a lot of statements to make the average joe feel like they have some share in power. But Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Absolutely not
- Aug 18 2021
Death of Quality and Excellence
Traditional art forms are being destroyed today at an alarming rate, and we say this against the historical backdrop of culture is always changing, and like the Earth, things are created and things are destroyed. That is the natural process of things. The CD destroyed the record and the Mp3 destroyed the CD. In every instance, we lost something but also arguably gained something (but is that the case today, are we gaining something?)
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media has altered our world. And sometimes that has not always been for the best. In 2005 when we made 500 Years Later things were actually better for us without social media. Now, everyone with 2 cents is in the same space as people with 2 million. So the entry-level for us in film was to own some serious equipment and produce serious quality content. That high bar in itself separated out who is who. If you did not have this equipment the notion of making content did not exist even as a dream. Now today people can
- Jul 24 2021
SKILLS in Africa
Categories: Business of FashionWhat we see a lot of in Africa is ego dominating ability. Someone is quick to apply grand titles to their name like Dr, scholar, filmmaker, web developer, director of photography yet not have those skills in a professional capacity. But how do those skills match up in the global world is another issue.
- Jun 19 2021
African Denim
Afro- Jeans: For the first time in Africa -- African "traditional" jeans blend perfectly with your Ocacia tops. Premium made by hand. African accents, Deep pockets, customizable. Nothing says individuality like rocking some Ocacia African denim. Traditional African jeans reflect African culture in modernity. All jeans are a relaxed straight cut. We do more than make jeans, we make wearable art.
- Jun 14 2021
Perfect Fit
Nothing says class like wearing bespoke attire. We can tailor your clothes to fit you 100%, that is one of the main things we do. Not everyone needs/wants a tailored fit especially when most Ocacia clothes fit just fine.
- Jun 08 2021
Culture and Modernity
Categories: Dress PoliticsModernity is a technological state and has zero ethical or cultural considerations in its construction. And modernity has nothing to do with degrees of civilization, in the humane usage of the term. Africa can be African and modern with zero compromise to the state of being African and the state of being modern.
- Jun 02 2021
African Excellence
We are not in competition with our neighbors in Africa, we are in competition with the entire world. We are all born ignorant but something happens along the way for some of us to escape that ignorance. What others have done, we all can do.