https://soundcloud.com/demerde/sapologie
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Papa Wemba
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/papa-wemba
(watch the first 1:30 mins) the song is about praising cloths... asking people to start buying real brand cloths and not cheap one... if you can do it then you can repeat the refrain and say '' Je sais me saper'' french for I can dress well... and children are not to be left behind either!
(watch the first 1:30 mins) the song is about praising cloths... asking people to start buying real brand cloths and not cheap one... if you can do it then you can repeat the refrain and say '' Je sais me saper'' french for I can dress well... and children are not to be left behind either!
Sapeurs... I can afford it!!
Many sapeurs are criticized because most of them don't earn enough money to buy nice cloths and still provide for their families and pay their bills... however it's not the case for sapeur like Norbat De Paris!!!!!!!
{french + lingala}(watch for the last 1;20) Sapeurs do fight each other to decide who has the best cloths and deserves wearing them.... In this small clip you can see a very well known sapeur called 'Norbat De Paris' who claims that he works hard as a builder to make his money, he can spend it on expensive cloths and still have enough money to provide for his family. He's being confronted by a younger sapeur who criticizes him... and Norbat's answer is that he's got enough money to buy everything he's wearing and even goes as far as throwing 1000 Euros on the floor !!!!!!!!!!!!
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/they-can-afford-it
{french + lingala}(watch for the last 1;20) Sapeurs do fight each other to decide who has the best cloths and deserves wearing them.... In this small clip you can see a very well known sapeur called 'Norbat De Paris' who claims that he works hard as a builder to make his money, he can spend it on expensive cloths and still have enough money to provide for his family. He's being confronted by a younger sapeur who criticizes him... and Norbat's answer is that he's got enough money to buy everything he's wearing and even goes as far as throwing 1000 Euros on the floor !!!!!!!!!!!!
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/they-can-afford-it
Thursday, 18 April 2013
Young immigrant Congolese in London, Paris and Brussels who embrace the sapeur lifestyle, ‘battle’ each other for the title of “Parisien”—the equivalent of an exceedingly stylish man—by flashing their labels in ritual dances in night clubs and mounting challenges through preening displays of label versus label. They also pay an exorbitant price for a “dedication” or the singing of their names by Wemba- the father of sape, into his new album.
Dressed in expensive designer labels, Papa Wemba elevated style to a form of religion, replete with high priests, archbishops, popes, and even saints (in this case, Cavalli, Versace, Gautier, Burberry, Comme de Garçons, Yamamoto, Miyake, and Watanabe).
They are also after their own great dream: to travel to Paris and return to Congo as lords of elegance. Designer brands of suit and accessories are of the utmost importance to Sapeurs - Pierre Cardin, Roberto Cavalli, Dior, Fendi, Gaultier, Gucci, Issy Miyake, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Yohji Yamamoto - are their patron saints. Unlike some US hip-hop gangs who are dressed in similar fine threads, there is no bloodshed here - here your clothes do all the fighting for you. otherwise you are not fit to be called a Sapeur. (watch from 0.21 sec to 45 sec)
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/sapeurs-walk
Dressed in expensive designer labels, Papa Wemba elevated style to a form of religion, replete with high priests, archbishops, popes, and even saints (in this case, Cavalli, Versace, Gautier, Burberry, Comme de Garçons, Yamamoto, Miyake, and Watanabe).
They are also after their own great dream: to travel to Paris and return to Congo as lords of elegance. Designer brands of suit and accessories are of the utmost importance to Sapeurs - Pierre Cardin, Roberto Cavalli, Dior, Fendi, Gaultier, Gucci, Issy Miyake, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Yohji Yamamoto - are their patron saints. Unlike some US hip-hop gangs who are dressed in similar fine threads, there is no bloodshed here - here your clothes do all the fighting for you. otherwise you are not fit to be called a Sapeur. (watch from 0.21 sec to 45 sec)
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/sapeurs-walk
La Sape: The art of dressing
Ever heard of a religion of clothing? Well let me introduce you to La Sape - The society for people of elegance and ambiance from the Congo...
“It is our way of life and not just the dressing,” he continues. “ It is how we express our individuality and our character. Along with our families, Le Sap, is our reason for being.” -
Eminent Sapeurs show greenhorn, Sapeurs, the ropes: how to behave socially, how to perfect their decorum and maintain their propriety, how to dress, how to talk, how to walk. Exalted by their community, Le Sapeurs are treated like out-and-out celebrities and wallow in the warmth of exaltation like the poseurs they indubitably are. Often paid to attend weddings, funerals and anniversaries their role is to confer events with a certain je n-est sais quoi...
“It is our way of life and not just the dressing,” he continues. “ It is how we express our individuality and our character. Along with our families, Le Sap, is our reason for being.” -
Eminent Sapeurs show greenhorn, Sapeurs, the ropes: how to behave socially, how to perfect their decorum and maintain their propriety, how to dress, how to talk, how to walk. Exalted by their community, Le Sapeurs are treated like out-and-out celebrities and wallow in the warmth of exaltation like the poseurs they indubitably are. Often paid to attend weddings, funerals and anniversaries their role is to confer events with a certain je n-est sais quoi...
Even the sapeur’s walk was an individualized form of art. Young men would taunt the crowd with their diffidence and then saunter the length of the stage, head held high, shoulders rolling, displaying their clothes.
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/art-of-dressing
Monday, 1 April 2013
So many blacks have gone with so little for so long that now, they have a need to over compensate!!!!!!!
I've always found it interesting to know that most of congolese people living an extravagant lifestyle in Europe came from a poor background back home.
I hear some people and see some people say that they have the right to look their best, to own the best outfits and all the expensive stuff they never had the chance to have in Africa or would have never worn if they didn't move to Europe!
I don't desagree with that but as long as they can afford all the expensive stuff they buy, well they've got the right to, I mean they are free to do what they want to be honnes!
https://soundcloud.com/demerde/sapology-vs-povertu
I'm going to argue my case based on congolses people living in the Western World.
For some, Luxury is not a choice but for my people it's more of a must.
I know people that would starve themselves but keep their smile on as long as they can be seen wearing:
It started back in the Congo where people would do their best to look nice. As the country is quite poor peopel who are quite well-off will take any opportunity to rub what they have on their neighbors faces...
.jpg)
This is an extract of a documentary dedicated to 'Sape' the French slang that congolese people made up to characterize their dress code, their expensive life style...' Life is all about looking good! It doesn't matter what you go through, as long as you look good, you are winning in life' - Papa Wemba, a famous congolese Sapeur.
This is called '' la Sape''
where it all started....It started back in the Congo where people would do their best to look nice. As the country is quite poor peopel who are quite well-off will take any opportunity to rub what they have on their neighbors faces...
.jpg)
Thursday, 28 March 2013
Congolese people vs Consumerism
I have asked a couple of people their opinion on the myth about congolese people Luv'ing luxury ... how would they define their desire of owning the best fashion item in fashion!
Me: What do you thinking about your constant desire of owning expensive items?!
Karina: I don't know, love expensive stuff...
Mel: I don't always buy expensive stuff, but I love shopping so I can buy cheap stuff as long as they look nice I'm satisfied haahaha
Me: You obviously didn't wake up one day and decided that you'd rather a buy a Christian Dior hand bag than an RR bag from the market... lol I mean what really drives to buy those expensive stuff?
Karina: yeah I actually did have a dream where a wise man told me:'Thou shall never buy cheap stuff'... loool nah I'm joking! I mean it's like you grow up watching older women, your mum and dad, people in community, see how other people look at them with admiration and how they carry themselve, what they own... so you obviously you wanna be like them when you're older and, so yeah here I am keeping the tradition go on...lol!
Mel: I'd say that more about the environment you grow up in, the people you're surrounded, family, going to congolese gatherings etc. you just pick up small things and before you know it, you find yourself buy Dior bag and not an RR from the market but as for me I don't really mind lol!!!!
My Oxford dictionary defines Consumerism as The preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods
Me: What do you thinking about your constant desire of owning expensive items?!
Karina: I don't know, love expensive stuff...
Mel: I don't always buy expensive stuff, but I love shopping so I can buy cheap stuff as long as they look nice I'm satisfied haahaha
Me: You obviously didn't wake up one day and decided that you'd rather a buy a Christian Dior hand bag than an RR bag from the market... lol I mean what really drives to buy those expensive stuff?
Karina: yeah I actually did have a dream where a wise man told me:'Thou shall never buy cheap stuff'... loool nah I'm joking! I mean it's like you grow up watching older women, your mum and dad, people in community, see how other people look at them with admiration and how they carry themselve, what they own... so you obviously you wanna be like them when you're older and, so yeah here I am keeping the tradition go on...lol!
Mel: I'd say that more about the environment you grow up in, the people you're surrounded, family, going to congolese gatherings etc. you just pick up small things and before you know it, you find yourself buy Dior bag and not an RR from the market but as for me I don't really mind lol!!!!
My Oxford dictionary defines Consumerism as The preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods
by talking to my 2 congolese friends I came to the conclusion that we can devide congolese people into categories: the ones that love luxury and consider that lifestyle as a tradition and the ones that only are easily satified with what they have but wouldn't mind having more!
Those like me who love luxury really fascinate me...!!
I mean what motivates us, what keeps the fire of buying brand items burning in us?
Monday, 25 March 2013
Congolese people and luxury
''Black people love are materialists, they love big car, jewleries, shopping, big brand, flashy cloths... to cut it short: Anything that is expensive!''- Typical definition of any balck African. This could just be a stereotype as well as a fact but it's up to you decide.
But one thing is sure: there is a special chemistry between Congolese people and luxury. We don't love them... We Luv' it!
I will start by defining the key word
sapeur:
As a young black African female I asked myself: why do they luv' luxury so much ? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? How do congolese people maintain this lifestyle? Can they all afford it..?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)