Crowned magical folk and fairy tales from the diaspora encompass a rich tapestry of mythical and enchanting narratives passed down through generations in various cultural communities. These captivating tales serve not only as a source of entertainment but also as a powerful tool for preserving cultural identity and traditions. Diaspora refers to the dispersion of a particular community beyond their homeland, often resulting from historical or economic factors. Within these diasporic communities, magic and folk tales have played a significant role in preserving cultural heritage and passing down traditions from one generation to the next. One prominent aspect of these magical folk and fairy tales is the portrayal of crowned figures who possess extraordinary abilities and supernatural powers. These characters, often kings, queens, or other noble figures, wield their magical abilities to protect their people, overcome adversity, and bring prosperity to their realms.
These characters, often kings, queens, or other noble figures, wield their magical abilities to protect their people, overcome adversity, and bring prosperity to their realms. These tales frequently draw on a rich blend of supernatural elements, such as shape-shifting, spells, curses, and enchantments. Through the imaginative retelling of these stories, magical folktales from the diaspora transport readers and listeners into a world where the ordinary is infused with the extraordinary.
A husband and wife reimagine fairy tales with Black children in mind
Bathed in a golden light, she looks out from a photo resembling a fashion magazine spread with a commanding stare, surrounded by massive teddy bears. Instead of yellow curly hair, she wears thick, afro-textured, honey blonde locs.
This is the Goldilocks of CROWNED: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora by husband and wife photographers Kahran and Regis Bethencourt. The two have reimagined familiar stories with photographs of Black children and, occasionally, new plot points, in an elaborate book of 141 photos.
It's the sequel to 2021's GLORY: Magical Visions of Black Beauty.
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The book is broken down into three categories: Classic fairy tales, African and African American Folktales and original stories. The couple intentionally casts Black children of different ages, skin tones and hair textures in traditionally white roles, like Cinderella.
Cinderella becomes Asha in this retelling. CROWNED hide caption
toggle caption CROWNEDIn the retelling of Cinderella, "Asha the Little Cinder Girl," Asha wears an extravagant blue gown with purple tulle shooting from the bottom as Jamal, her Prince Charming, slides on a white high-top sneaker instead of a glass slipper.
Perhaps the most striking element in the picture is Asha's hair, a structure of carefully placed black braids and white pearls piled high on top of her head.
"I think it's important for, specifically, Black and brown kids to be able to see themselves reflected in the stories that they read growing up," Kahran said.
The Bethencourts began their photography careers in Atlanta in 2009. For a while, they worked in the children's fashion industry, capturing headshots for adolescent actors and shooting campaigns for kids' brands. But they noticed a specific and unsettling pattern among Black children in the industry.
Poisoned Apple, from the book CROWNED, which casts Black children as the central characters in fairy and folk tales. CROWNED hide caption
toggle caption CROWNED"We realized that a lot of the kids that had natural Afro hair would come in to get their headshots and the parents would have their hair straightened because they thought that's what they needed to do to get their kids into the industry," Kahran said.
"We thought, 'Gosh, wow! At an early age we're teaching our kids that they're not acceptable, that their looks are not good enough.'"
The two began doing personal projects where Black children were encouraged to wear their natural hair in fashionable settings. Staying connected to the industry helped them build enough clientele to create their own photography company, CreativeSoul.
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Candyland, from the book Crowned, which retells familiar stories with Black children. CROWNED hide caption
toggle caption CROWNEDCROWNED is a visual representation of the CreativeSoul original mission: celebrate and embrace natural Black beauty. But the book also showcases Regis and Kahran's ability to imagine and translate new worlds.
"Goldi: The Girl with the Golden Locks" was the favorite story for Regis to retell because the original story "didn't really have a lesson at the end."
"It pretty much was a story about a privileged girl going in and just eating everything and just leaving and going back home," he said. "No lesson learned."
In CROWNED, Goldi is still a privileged girl, but she is welcomed into the bears' home. The bears don't have much, but they have each other and a once-haughty Goldi leaves the house with three new friends and an appreciation for nurturing her relationships.
Changing the ending "was so cool for me because I feel like we're actually changing history," Regis said.
Treasures from the sea nestle in the little mermaid's rosy hair as she strikes a royal pose. CROWNED hide caption
toggle caption CROWNEDThe book was released May 23, three days before the live action film The Little Mermaid premiered with Halle Bailey, a Black woman with natural locs, as Ariel, a princess and the main character.
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Like the live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid, the Bethencourts' version is setting the standard for Black representation in traditionally white spaces.
The husband and wife duo dress Aliyah, the little mermaid, in silver jewels and colorful pearls from head-to-toe. As she floats under the sea, she plays in her big red flowing hair filled with loose braids, shells, leaves and bright red tulle.
Aliyah holds her head high in every shot like the most confident, royal figures. She stares off into the distance and also directly at the camera, as if to say this story was always her own.
Lisa Lambert edited this digital story.
"They've made the capturing and the depiction of the beauty and the limitlessness of blackness their mission. Their edict." — Damon Young, Founder of VerySmartBrothas.com
Moreover, these stories often reflect the values, beliefs, and historical experiences of the cultural communities from which they originate. They serve as a vehicle for conveying important life lessons, moral principles, and cultural norms. Through the retelling of these tales, individuals within the diaspora maintain a connection to their roots and keep alive the customs and rituals that define their identity. Additionally, these magical folk and fairy tales serve to bridge geographical and generational gaps within the diaspora. They create a sense of shared history and understanding, fostering a collective identity that extends beyond borders and time. While the settings and characters may vary across different cultural communities, the underlying themes of resilience, love, justice, and the triumph of good over evil resonate universally. In conclusion, crowned magical folk and fairy tales from the diaspora represent a vibrant and enduring tradition. They offer a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of diverse communities that have been dispersed across the world. By capturing the imagination and perpetuating a sense of cultural continuity, these tales serve as a testament to the power of storytelling in preserving identity and nurturing a collective consciousness..
Reviews for "Crowned Royalty and Immortal Magic: Diaspora Folklore Unveiled"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Crowned magical folk and fairy tales from the diaspora". The stories lacked depth and originality, and it felt like the authors were simply retelling well-known folk tales without adding anything new or interesting to them. The writing style was also quite mediocre, with clunky dialogue and a lack of descriptive language. Overall, I found the book to be dull and unengaging, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for truly captivating fairy tales.
2. Emily - 1 star - This book was a huge letdown. The stories in "Crowned magical folk and fairy tales from the diaspora" lacked coherence and failed to captivate me. The characters felt flat and one-dimensional, and the plots were predictable and uninspired. Additionally, I noticed several editing errors throughout the book, which further decreased my enjoyment. I had high hopes for this collection, but unfortunately, it fell far short of my expectations. Save your money and look for better fairy tale collections elsewhere.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I found "Crowned magical folk and fairy tales from the diaspora" to be quite underwhelming. While I appreciate the effort to highlight stories from different cultures, I didn't feel a strong connection to any of the tales. The narratives were disjointed and lacked a clear structure, making it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the stories. Furthermore, the writing style felt choppy and often took away from the enjoyment of the tales. Unfortunately, this collection fell flat for me, and I wouldn't recommend it.