Black Over White

Tomer Heymann followed Israeli pop/world-beat band The Idan Raichel Project on their 2006 concert tour to Ethiopia and emerged with a documentary that rollicks and rocks. The film, part lighthearted road trip, part examination of multiculturalism in Israel, is a close-up ride with the young Israeli-Ethiopian-Yemenite band members, who muse on the loss of their heritage and on their excitement as tourists embracing roots in Africa. Black Over White deftly explores their cultural ambivalence and their experience of racism back home in Israel. One of the musicians is reunited with his grandmother in Addis, music is made with rural villagers and in urban clubs, and in one poignant sequence, future immigrants to Israel meet the musicians. The culminating concert—a fusion of Middle Eastern multiethnic grooves—is a success and emotional high point, but for the band members, the meaning of home remains elusive.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Black
• Over
• White

[irebero]

Cabra so nice... Idan, so precious. look at how he sets down the accordion to comfort his friend.. and those kids are so cute.. they are wondering why she's crying. I definitely know that feeling- like ummm... ok.

[BattleAngel]

I love Africa.

[ShahactiEikhKoreemLi]

@Duneschilde you are correct, "Kushi" might not be 100% as derogatory as "nigger" but perhaps atleast 80%. If you don't believe me, ask any Ethiopian Israeli how they feel about it. Its amazing how everyone who defends the term "Kushi" is always non-black Israelis, AND always justify using it just because its used in the bible. As someone who's been called Kushi on many many manyyy occasions, I assure you it hurts just as much as being called a nigger.

[ShahactiEikhKoreemLi]

@Duneschilde Kush/Kushi does NOT mean Ethiopia/Ethiopian. Kush was a biblical region which included Nubia, Ethipia etc. Kush/Kushi mean person with dark skin. In modern hebrew though used in everyday language, the term Kushi is considered derogatory (even thought is a proper work from biblical hebrew). Kushi is a racial epithet not as bad as nigger, but kinda like calling a black person "blackie" or "darkie" Even the Israeli supreme court ruled the word "kushi" a racial slur.

[y0000000000000000000]

Falashan flash madreg new! ETHIOPIA TIKDEM!

[ceergbo]

ethopia is poor country

[ceergbo]

ethopians i hate them eurgh

[Duneschilde77]

@MikeyMcCrashCap Bullshit. Try traveling to Israel instead of repeating propaganda. Kushi comes from the Hebrew word Kush meaning Ethiopia. In Hebrew Kushi literally means from Ethiopia like Israeli means from Israel. Unfortunately, Kushi has developed a negative connotation in slang similar to how Pollack is now used negatively for Polish people. BUT it doesnt carry the same horrible weight as Nigger. Beta Israel have full equal rights in Israel, but discrimination exists in every country

[MikeyMcCrashCap]

Ethiopian Jews are called "kushi," which means "nigger." They are a segregated minority in the state of Israel, along with the Palestinain minority. Beta Israel has been all but completely terminated, and many Ethiopian women in Israel have even been sterilized.

[bezegewow]

love the language

[ladymusiclover]

She has a really great voice.

[Tarazatfilms]

Great description but...How can we watch the film???