To be read as a direct continuation of Part 7; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-2020-summer-olympics-opening_14.html
The Athletes Parade.
It is International Olympic Committee (IOC) protocol. That each Opening Ceremony features a parade by the athletes of the participating nations.
In many ways this is the most important part of the Opening Ceremony. It introduces us to the people who will make the games happen over the coming weeks.
It also gives those athletes their moment in the spotlight. Not every heat in every event will be televised globally. However the Opening Ceremony is.
So this allows all the athletes their moment to shine.
To wave at their friends, families, former High School bullies on TV. Celebrating how much they've achieved simply by getting here.
Unfortunately it is just a long line of highly skilled athletes walking in a straight line. Without falling over.
Which leaves people like me with very little to talk about.
Creating this strange situation where the most important part of the Opening Ceremony. Is also the part that receives the least coverage by me.
It also goes on for an extraordinarily long time.
That is despite not all athletes choosing to take part.
If their event comes early in the games, such as at dawn the following morning. Then they chose to prepare for their event. Rather marching in the parade.
Due to pandemic restrictions, this year it was even more stripped back than usual.
Many the athletes whose events come towards the end of the games hadn't even arrived in Japan. Or were still in hotel quarantine. Having only just arrived.
Despite this the Athletes Parade still managed to last for some two hours. More than half of the four hour Opening Ceremony.
That's right. We're on Part 8. We're not even halfway through.
Due to pandemic restrictions the Olympic Laurel Award was not presented in person. Instead Muhammad Yunus accepted it in a pre-recorded video.
We segued from that section to this through another short video.
This began with a classical orchestra, particularly the string section, tuning up.
In reference to Quantum String Theory.
That all matter is made up of these tiny, quantum particles. Each of those quantum particles are made of strings. Which resonate. Rather like the strings on a musical instrument.
It also referenced The BBC Proms which formed part of the "Rhythm of Tradition/Rose Of Allendale" sequence. Due to the BBC Proms being really the only cultural event in all of 2020.
It also served as a little play on the term; "Segue."
Often mistaken for the term; "Segway" it has its origins in classical music. Meaning to move without stopping, from one piece of music to another.
Something which is difficult to do. If you have the IOC insisting your grand artistic vision has to keep stopping. To make space for pieces of protocol.
The video then showed all the Olympic venues. Standing empty in expectation.
It seemed to particularly focus on venues which featured centre circle. Such as a Basketball court, Hockey pitch, Football pitch, Rugby Sevens pitch etc.
Those centre circles resembled the numeral for; "Zero/0." A joke on the fact that technological superpower Japan. Had broken with tradition. Not starting the Opening Ceremony with a Countdown.
The video then showed footage of venues busy with athletes participating in their events. Taken from previous Olympics and World Championships.
To give the impression of; The athletes arriving. The games beginning.
The video seemed to focus on female athletes. Female Weightlifters in particular.
A protest against Laurel Hubbard. The middle-aged New Zealand man who finally realised he was terrible at Weightlifting. So is competing as a woman at these games. In the hope it will be easier for him to win.
It also served as a protest against the two other, slower nations. The US and Canada.
Who, driven by their belief in nonsense concepts such as; "Gender Fluidity" and self-selecting gender pronouns.
Still consider Trans athletes to be an ongoing discussion within the Olympic/Para-Olympic movement.
I do not know if it was the same classical orchestra featured in the video. However all the music during the Athletes Parade was provided by a classical orchestra.
Recordings were played of classical orchestral interpretations of famous music from video games. Such as Final Fantasy, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pro-Evolution Soccer and Soulcaliber.
This served to remind you. All those video games you spend so many hours playing. They're Japanese.
It was also something of an interesting musical experiment. Having tinny 8bit music from 1980's video games. Being performed in all the depth and complexity of a vast classical orchestra.
As I've said. One of the main, recurring themes of the Opening Ceremony. Was efforts to improve rights for women within Japanese society.
As a member of the Group of 7 (G7) nations. Alongside the US, the UK, France, Italy, Canada and Germany. On the issue of rights for women Japan is significantly behind those peers.
However, with the Olympics being a truly global event. I would hesitate to say that Japan is extremely bad when it comes to women's rights. As I can quickly reel of a long list of nations that are worse.
Japan seemed to be trying to make the Athletes Parade into the reeling off of that long list of nations that are worse.
It is IOC protocol that each nation nominates one athlete to carry their national flag. To lead out their delegation at the Athletes Parade.
Japan requested that each nation nominate two flag-bearers. A gender-balanced pairing of one male athlete and one female athlete. In an effort to promote women's rights
Which served as another little dig at the slower nations. Who seem desperate to sacrifice rights for women at the altar of nonsense concepts like; "Gender Fluidity." Particularly in sport.
It though presented a particular problem for nations who are worse than Japan on women's rights.
Nations which don't allow women to participate in sport at all, let alone at the elite level. So don't actually have female athletes in their delegations to carry the flag.
Although not exclusively these nations do tend to be Muslim. With it being a particular issue for the Gulf Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia.
Of those Gulf Arab states the first to appear in the Athletes Parade was the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Who appear not to have understood Japan's request.
They did not provide two flag-bearers, one male and one female. However they did provide each athlete with two flags.
Which struck me as a neat little joke. Breaking the ice and taking the pressure of the nations that would follow who may also have problems meeting Japan's request.
It actually rather reminded me of Rihanna's infamous concert in the UAE, as part of her 2013 Diamonds World Tour. The year after I'd been forced to marry her at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Para-Olympics.
As the most moderate of the group. The UAE seemed to be, once again, taking the hit for the entire team.
Although the US/UK-led NATO nations certainly didn't know it at the time. The Parade of Nations may prove to have served us with a sombre moment in history.
The last time that athletes from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan were able to parade along with their national flag at an Olympics/Para-Olympics.
While it is significantly getting ahead of myself. I think we should take a moment to recognise the efforts of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons.
As the World was watching to horror of Kabul airport unfold on TV.
Andrew Parsons was working, successfully, to get Afghan Para-Olympians onto flights, into countries that would offer them political asylum and onto the games.
All while trying to run the 2020 Summer Para-Olympic games.
I think he's definitely earned himself a few days off.
At around 17:25 on 19/9/21 (UK date) I'll pick this up tomorrow.
Edited at around 18:40 on 21/9/21 (UK date) to copy & paste;
Olympic Oath.
It is IOC protocol. That each Opening Ceremony contains a section in which the Olympic Oath is taken.
By a group of athletes and officials. Representing all the athletes and officials at the games.
This year saw the introduction of a new Olympic Oath.
Adopted to signify inclusion, equality and tolerance. Through the adding of the words; "Diversity" and "Solidarity."
It is always quite amusing to watch the Olympics attempt to present itself as a champion of such values.
So far this Opening Ceremony has taken us through the history of European Colonialism.
From John Locke through to the Bretton Woods conference. Via the various Black Ships that visited Japan.
The Olympics is very much a relic of European Colonialism.
Despite all this myth-making about Ancient Greece. The Olympics was invented by a French Aristocrat (Lord), Pierre de Coubertin. The first games were held in 1896.
This was the same year that the motor car, powered by an internal combustion engine, was invented. Although it would be at least another 20 years before their use would become widespread.
It was nearly two decades before anyone managed to put an internal combustion engine in an aircraft. Exactly who was first continues to be a point of contention. Between America and Japan's very good friend Brazil.
It was almost 30 years before powered flight had become advanced enough. That the first commercial flights became possible.
So in 1896 getting anywhere took absolutely ages. Your options were really walking, horse, horse-drawn cart or sailing ship.
We talk about the Black Ships opening up maritime routes that were much faster than the Silk Road. The journey from Western Europe to India still took something like three and a half years.
So of you wanted to gather the global Ruling Class together. To debate the big issues of the day. Then you'd need a really good excuse.
The Olympics is just that excuse.
From its inception one of the core "Olympic Ideals" that the athletes must be amateurs.
To this day they're not allowed to be paid for participating in the Olympics. Or really profit in any way from their participation at the Olympics.
So the ethos of the Olympics is the Serfs being forced to entertain the Ruling Class. For free.
I can't say I've ever been particularly thrilled. To hear that an organisation which is based entirely on exploitation being expanded to include me.
Exploitation is something I'm more than happy to be excluded from.
The new Olympic Oath was introduced in a short video presentation. Featuring the outgoing head of the Athletes Commission Kirsty Coventry.
The
Athletes Commission is essentially a liaison body between the athletes
and the IOC. An attempt to make all the exploitation at least seem
tolerable.
Kirsty Coventry is a Blonde, White Zimbabwean swimmer.
When I was much younger I used to be something of a promising swimmer. Before I developed an allergy to Chlorine.
I have an older White, Blonde sister. Who also used to be something of a promising swimmer. Before choosing to focus on more Equestrian pursuits.
I don't want to give away too many of my sister's personal details. Particularly in this age of cybercrime and Identity Theft. However she is almost exactly the same age as the nation of Zimbabwe.
I remain utterly convinced. That is the only reason Bob Marley didn't perform at her birthday party. He was already booked to perform at Zimbabwe's birthday party.
Bob Marley is one of the World's most famous Jamaicans. A nation synonymous with Rastafarianism.
Rastafarianism is Messianic Cult. In the same way that Christianity is a Messianic Cult. Its followers believe that Haile Selassie is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Rastafarianism is a result of the convergence. Between the Beta Israel strand of Judaism and the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church.
Really the only two religious groups that recognise the apocalyptic "Book of Enoch."
Through, what seems like some serious drug abuse. In the US Rastafarianism has given rise to the; "Black Hebrew Israelites."
The Black Hebrew Israelites are a viciously anti-Semitic Black Supremacist cult. Who believe that Black people are God's chosen people. So Jews should be exterminated as heretics.
Along with that other viciously anti-Semitic cult - the Nation of Islam (NoI). The Black Hebrew Israelites are really part of that pan-Africanist prank Muammar Qaddafi played on Black America in the 1960's and 1970's.
Part of Soviet efforts to destroy America from within.
Although the Soviet Bloc has long since fallen. Qaddafi's prank lives on. With the Nation of Islam and the Black Hebrew Israelites making up the bulk of Black Lives Matter.
If you know what you're looking at. You can see the hatred of the Nation of Islam and the Black Hebrew Israelites in everything Black Lives Matter do.
However one of their most overt, recent attacks. Was the December 2019 stabbing attack in Monsey, New Jersey, US. During Hanukkah.
That weird period in late 2019 where everything seemed to go a bit mad. And COVID-19 came into being.
I, myself, was very nearly born in Zimbabwe.
My father, who may or may not have been in Beijing, China on the day the Vietnam War ended. Was offered a job to work on Zimbabwe's railway system. Which would have involved moving the entire family there.
No doubt my paternal grandfather, he of the sketchy military career, would have visited on holiday. Just as how he happened to be visiting Grenada. On March 13th 1979. The day of The Grenada Revolution.
Although it seemed normal at the time. One of my, perhaps, stranger childhood memories was being told to visit my paternal grandmother. To introduce myself to; "Her Black friends she knows from up the road."
As the former Governor-General of Grenada. As in the British Queen's representative to Grenada. Informed me. They were indeed Black. However it had been something of a long, hard road.
The whole thing does really read like an episode of the TV show; "The Unit." Specifically Season 1, Episode 12; "Morale, Welfare and Recreation."
Although I think that family vacation was being used as a cover. To assassinate a Chinese spy.
Then my mother became pregnant with me. The Zimbabwe job had to be turned down and we moved to the British city of Derby instead.
The first
recorded references to what is now the nation of Zimbabwe come from the
11th Century. Records provided by Persian explorers and traders.
At that time the territory was shared between the Mthwakazi Kingdom of the Ndebele people and the Rozvi Empire of the Shona people. Both the Ndebele and Shona are part of the Bantu Tribe.
I say; "Shared." The word; "Rozvi" comes from; "Kuroza." A Shona word meaning; "Plunder." Making it the; "Empire of Plundering."
As happened in Japan the first Europeans to arrive were Portuguese. Arriving in their Carracks painted black with pitch, in around the 14th Century.
Again, as with Japan, the Portuguese Catholics were quickly followed by the Protestant Dutch.
In, roughly, 1870 a sickly British child named Cecil Rhodes arrived in what is now the nation of South Africa.
Beyond the Transvaal. Beyond all those crazy Trekboers. Rhodes discovered an area controlled by these strange Black skinned savages.
As they were clearly not Protestant Christians. They were not entitled to the natural resources that are the Christian God's gift to his people.
They
were certainly not turning that gift into property. Applying their
labour to it.
So it was, apparently, just fine for Cecil Rhodes to come in and just take everything from them. Establishing the British South Africa Company, Colonial Company State in 1889.
In 1890 the British South Africa Company dispatched as private military force, The Pioneer Column. To march through the Ndebele territory into the Shona territory, massacring savages as they went.
Deep within Shona territory the British South Africa Company established; "Fort Salisbury." Which became the city of Salisbury. Now known as; "Harare."
In
a spectacular act of vanity. Cecil Rhodes decided to name the territory
controlled by his British South Africa Company after himself;
"Rhodesia."
Europe's Africa colonies were really the first to collapse at the end of the First World War. As result of the little talked about East Africa Campaign (1914-1918).
In the 1920's the Company State of Rhodesia was divided into two. North-Rhodesia and South-Rhodesia. They became self-governing British Colonies or Protectorates.
In 1964 North-Rhodesia quietly became independent of Britain. Becoming the Republic of Zambia.
South-Rhodesia however went on a more complicated journey.
The regime of Ian Douglas Smith in Salisbury had become alarmed by calls for the end of White-Minority rule. A system similar to Apartheid in South Africa.
So in 1964 unilaterally declared South-Rhodesia to be an independent nation. Renaming it simply; "Rhodesia."
This triggered a 15 year civil war. The Rhodesian Bush War (1965-1980). With various powers from each side of the Cold War backing armed groups to overthrow the Ian Smith regime.
The fighting finally ended with the Lancaster House Agreement. Named after Lancaster House, the Headquarters of Britain's Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The Lancaster House Agreement saw Rhodesia become the independent nation, the Republic of Zimbabwe.
It saw the Ian Smith regime step down. Being replaced by the Black-Majority government of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. It also saw the Republic of Zimbabwe become a member of the UK Commonwealth.
Britain thought of Prime Minister Mugabe as merely a way to placate the savages.
A puppet who would allow Zimbabwe to be run in the same way that Rhodesia had been run by the British South Africa Company. Entirely for Britain's benefit.
Prime Minister Mugabe saw things differently. Wanting to run the country for the benefit of its citizens.
This prompted Britain to spend the next 30 years trying and failing to depose Robert Mugabe.
Expelling
it from the UK Commonwealth. Then really attempting the burn the nation
to the ground in an effort to get to turn the population against
Mugabe.
In November 2017 I teamed up with Zimbabwe and China. To assist then President Mugabe into retirement.
In the space of about a week. We achieved what Britain had spent the best part of four decades being unable to do.
Under President Emmerson Mnangagwa "The Crocodile" Zimbabwe has not returned to the UK Commonwealth. Instead choosing to ally itself with Japan's great regional rival, China.
Making Zimbabwe a very clear example. Of Chinese influence growing into the vacuum left by first Britain, then America's complete withdrawal from reality.
Excelling where Britain had spent nearly 40 years failing. Wasn't the only thing I did that week in November 2017.
I was also doing the ongoing war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and associated groups. Along with the COP23 Climate Change Summit.
All while dealing with one of my mothers being rushed into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Salisbury Hospital. Suffering from an Acute Respiratory Syndrome which seems to have made her Patient Zero for COVID-19.
Not the Salisbury Hospital in Rhodesia, obviously. The Salisbury Hospital in the British city of Salisbury.
The one that became very famous in March 2018. When Britain caused a rash of Acute Respiratory Syndrome cases. By launching a Novichok Nerve Agent attack. Against the Bishops Mill pub and various other locations in the city.
During that gap between the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2018 Winter Para-Olympics.
Which, really, shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone.
At around 20:00 on 21/9/21 (UK date) I'll have to pick this up tomorrow.
Edited at around 17:00 on 22/9/21 (UK date) to tidy up a bit and copy & paste;
The oaths themselves were taken by an all Japanese delegation of six. Two athletes, two judges and two officials.
In keeping with the theme of gender equality. All pairings were gender balanced. One male and one female.
The sequence ended with a short video featuring Agnes Keleti. Who at the age of 100 is the oldest surviving Olympic Champion.
Even away from her achievements as an Olympic gymnast Agnes Keleti has lived a pretty remarkable life.
Born Agnes Klein in Budapest, Hungary in 1921 she saw, first hand, the rise of Nazism.
Surely one of the most extreme examples of Totalitarianism that the World has ever seen. The inevitable result of John Maynard Keynes' failures of the Paris Peace Conference.
During World War Two Hungary allied
itself with Nazi Germany. Leading to Agnes Keleti being expelled from
her gymnastics club for being Jewish and, therefore, non-Aryan. In 1941.
Believing that the Nazis would not send married women to Concentration/Death Camps. Then Agnes Klein promptly married Istvan Sarkany. A fellow gymnast.
It soon became apparent that being married was not enough for a Jew to escape the Nazi Holocaust.
So Agnes Keleti brought the identity documents of a Christian woman. Assuming the identity to go into hiding in a small, rural village.
Her mother and sister were among those rescued by Raoul Wallenberg. A Swedish diplomat who, like Oscar Schindler, worked to save something like 100,000 Jews from the Nazi Holocaust.
Agnes Keleti's father was not so fortunate. Being gassed to death at the Auschwitz Death Camp.
In 1944 the Soviet Union and Romania invaded Hungary. As part of the World War Two Allies effort to liberate Europe from Nazism.
They laid siege to the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Trapped in Budapest during this three month siege. Agnes Keleti would begin her day by gathering up the bodies of the killed and transporting them to a mass grave for burial.
After World War Two Agnes Keleti took up the Cello professionally and resumed her training as a gymnast. Unfortunately missing out on the 1948 Summer Olympics due to injury.
In 1952 Agnes Keleti was finally able to compete in her first Olympics. At the age of 31.
At the 1952 Summer Olympics, held in Helsinki, Finland. She won two Bronze, one Silver and one Gold medals.
Agnes Keleti also competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics, held in Melbourne, Australia. Winning two Silver and four Gold medals.
The 1956 Summer Olympics have got be one of the most bad tempered games there have ever been.
They took place just as the Cold War was beginning to intensify. During the Cold War the Olympics was one of only a handful of events when First World nations (NATO) and Second World (Soviet Bloc) nations would meet face-to-face.
During the 1956 Summer games the Soviet Union invaded Hungary. To crush the Hungarian Uprising/Revolution.
The Totalitarianism that was made inevitable by the failures of Marxist interventionism.
Amid protests and calls to boycott at the games. Actual fights nearly broke out between the competing nations.
Along with 44 other Hungarian athletes Agnes Keleti simply refused to return to Hungary. Claiming political asylum in Australia before being able to move to Israel in 1957.
She eventually returned to Hungary in 2015.
Agnes Keleti's remarkable life really speaks for itself.
However, alongside Kirsty Coventry, she also seems to serve as something of a metaphor for my own paternal grandmother. Who has equally been a witness to some of the key moments history.
Such as Nazi Germany's Blitzkrieg of Britain during the Second World War. The 1979 Grenada Revolution and the 1999 warning about Islamist terror groups in Afghanistan. To name but a few.
This is also my paternal grandmother that Britain systematically tortured and killed. In an effort to force a fire sale of her home while conducting a medical experiment into the diseases of aging. Such as Dementia.
A Crime Against Humanity. That Britain committed in contravention of the Nuremberg Code of Medical Ethics, used to prosecute crimes of the Nazi Holocaust. As adopted in Article 7.1(k) of the 2002 the Rome Statute.
I wonder how many times nations will have to bring that up at truly global events. Before Britain realises. Not only did they not succeed. They certainly did not get away with it.
Agnes Keleti's remarkable life also helps to further acknowledge Imperial Japan's own role in World War Two.
Allied with Nazi Germany it certainly supported the Nazi Holocaust. While committing many horrific Crimes Against Humanity of its own.
It also helps to reference Japan, and particularly, Tokyo's rather unfortunate track record when it comes to Summer Olympics.
Tokyo was scheduled to host Japan's first Olympics in 1940.
However they withdrew following the start of the Second Sino-Japanese Way (1937-1945). Which would become the Second World War.
The 1940 Summer Olympics were then moved to Helsinki, Finland. Then cancelled entirely.
So of the three occasions where Tokyo has been awarded the Summer Olympics. It has only gone to plan once. In 1964.
I don't think Tokyo will be bidding again in a hurry.
The video showed Agnes Keleti watching film footage from all the Olympics she has lived through. Or, at least, the ones for which footage exists.
This created something of a game for serious Olympic fans. Guess the athlete. Guess the year.
Clearly identifiable amongst those shown was Jesse Owens. The Black American Track & Field star who won four Gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Casual Olympic fans probably think of Jesse Owens as just a sprinter. However serious Olympic fans will know that he also won Gold in the men's Long Jump.
Although it didn't ruin the game by naming him. The voiceover did point out that he was the grandson of slaves.
A reminder of just how recently the US Civil War actually was. Almost still living history.
The video also gave particular attention to Fanny Blanker-Koen. The Dutch Track & Field star.
Born Francina Koen in Lage Vuursche in The Netherlands in 1918. Fanny Blanker-Koen competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Like Agnes Keleti she had been expecting to compete at the 1940 Summer Olympics. First in Japan, then in Finland but was stopped by the Second World War.
Instead Fanny Blanker-Koen used the summer of 1940 to get married.
People assumed this would mean the end of her sporting career.
At the time it really wasn't seen as the done thing for women to participate in sport at all. It was certainly not a pursuit for a married woman.
Even her husband, sports writer Jan Blanker, thought women shouldn't be allowed to participate in sport.
Fanny Blanker-Koen defied him and convention. Continuing her sporting career. As well as she could with The Netherlands being under Nazi Occupation.
In 1942 Fanny Blanker-Koen gave birth to her first child. Everyone assumed that would definitely be the end of her career. As she had a proper job now. Looking after her husband and child.
Fanny Blanker-Koen though went straight back to sport.
In 1945 Fanny Blanker-Koen gave birth to her second child.
Due to wartime food shortages this happened during what the Dutch call; "Hongerwinter" (Hunger Winter). So as a new mother Fanny Blanker- Koen did give up sport.
But only for about seven months.
Fanny Blanker-Koen was one of the stars of the 1948 Summer Olympics. Held in London, UK. Winning four Gold medals in the equivalents of 100m, 200m, 100m hurdles and 4x100m.
This earned her the nickname; "The Flying Housewife."
At the time people were so stunned that a woman could be a wife and mother. Yet still win Gold medals in one, let alone multiple events.
That though was just Fanny Blanker-Koen competing in about half of her usual events.
Across her career she set World Records in; 100m, 200m, 80m hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump and Pentathlon.
Fanny Blanker-Koen's inclusion here. Also contributes to that recurring theme of the Opening Ceremony.
Efforts to improve rights for women within Japanese society.
At around 17:20 on 22/9/21 (UK date) I'll have to pick this up tomorrow.
Edited at around 17:00 on 23/9/21 (UK date) to copy & paste;
The video also gave prominence to Abebe Bikila. The first Olympian to successfully defend the Men's Marathon title.
Having won Gold at the 1960 Summer Games, held in Rome, Italy. Then winning Gold again at the 1964 Summer Games, held in Tokyo, Japan. On both occasions he set a new World Record.
Shambel Abebe Bikila was born in 1932 in Ethiopia.
This Opening Ceremony has made much of the history of European Colonialism. This Olympic Oaths section has specifically looked at the European Colonisation of Africa.
Ethiopia is the only African country to never have been Colonised by Europeans. Being recognised as an independent Kingdom, then Empire, then Nation since 14th Century B.C.
The Italian Empire did try and fail to Colonise Ethiopia. Twice. In the First Italo-Ethiopian War (1885-1886) and the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1887-1889).
Ethiopia was Occupied by Fascist Italy between 1936 and 1944. However that was more a part of the Second World War. In the same way we don't talk about France being Colonised by Nazi Germany.
Making
it all the more dramatic. For Abebe Bikila to become Ethiopia's first
Olympic Gold medallist. In the heart of Rome, Italy's capital.
The history of Ethiopia during the European Colonial era also serves as a rebuke to Black Lives Matter. Particularly the way Critical Race Theory attempts to teach the history of the era.
Critical Race Theory attempts to portray European Colonisers arriving in Africa and then enslaving Africans. Before shipping the off to the Americas.
Europeans certainly did ship slaves from Africa to the Americas. However they did not introduce slavery to Africa. Slavery was well established in Africa long before their arrival.
It was actually a big part of the reason Europeans thought it was okay to enslave Africans.
African Tribal leaders telling them it was okay to enslave Africans. While showing them all the Africans they kepts as slaves.
It is probably the only good thing you can say about Fascist Italy's occupation of Ethiopia. It finally forced the Ethiopian Empire to end slavery. In 1937.
The Emperor of Ethiopia between 1916 and 1974 was Haile Selassie. Abebe Bikila actually served as part of Haile Selassie's Imperial Guard. The Zebenya.
Rastafarians believe Haile Selassie to be their Messiah. The second coming of Jesus Christ.
Through the Black Supremacist hate group the Black Hebrew Israelites. Rastafarianism influences Black Lives Matter.
It certainly undercuts their supposed anti-slavery stance. Their Messiah continuing to keep Africans as slaves. Almost a hundred years after even US Democrats were forced to put an end to the practice.
In 1969 Abebe Bikila lost the use of his legs in a car accident. Ending his Olympic career.
However he went onto compete in the Para-Olympics. Giving another place to the Para-Olympics in the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
In 1970 the Para-Olympics were known as the Stoke Mandeville Games. Having been founded by Dr Ludwig Guttmann. At the Stoke Mandeville Hospital which specialised in spinal injuries.
Stoke Mandeville Hospital continues to in the British town of Stoke Mandeville. Named after the Aristocratic French de Mandeville family.
Bernard de Mandeville. Who laid one of the cornerstones of European Colonialism with his; "Fable of the Bees." Is also, obviously from a de Mandeville family.
However I cannot tell if it is the same de Mandeville family. It though seems close enough to be covered by artistic license.
When he won Gold in Rome in 1960. Abebe Bikila did so while running without shoes. Leading him to be dubbed; "The Barefoot Runner."
When he won Gold in Tokyo in 1964. Abebe Bikila did so wearing Puma running shoes.
The
result of a bidding war between Puma and Japanese sportswear brand
Ontisuka Tiger. To sign him up to a commercial endorsement deal.
Despite such commercial endorsement deals being against Olympic rules.
Part of the Olympic ethos of the Serfs being forced to entertain the Ruling Class. For free.
Abebe Bikila did normally run with shoes. However on the morning of that 1960 race he'd developed blisters. So chose to run without shoes.
However an image was built up around him. Of this poor African from one of the former Colonies. Succeeding despite being too poor to afford running shoes.
A charity case, if you will.
The earlier Olympic Laurel section looked at debt being used as a Neo-Colonial mechanism of dependency.
Aid or charity is another Neo-Colonialism mechanism of dependency.
If First
World Nations give Third World Nations aid it either destroys their
domestic capacity. Or prevents that domestic capacity being built in the first place.
Imagine you're a farmer trying to sell rice at market in a Third World country. You're not going to get very far if the next stall is run by a First World country which is just giving the rice away for free.
Pretty soon you're going to go out of business. Being left to queue for the free rice which the First World nation can take away whenever it likes.
Between 1983 and 1985 Ethiopia was hit by its worst famine in a century. Some 8 million people experienced famine conditions, 2.5 million were internally displaced and 1.2 million people starved to death.
This prompted a group of First World musicians and comedians to establish the Band Aid Trust. Which staged the Live Aid network of concerts across 9 countries. To raise money for Ethiopia.
Although I don't think anyone quite knew it at the time. In itself this was an act of Neo-Liberal resistance against Neo-Colonialism.
It was really the first time that private citizens and institutions had gotten involved in International Development. Prior to that it was entirely the preserve of nation states.
With the First World and the Second World using the Third World as a Cold War chessboard. It was actually a pretty risky area to be sticking your nose into.
Having involved themselves in International Development for the first time. Making plenty of mistakes of their own.
The Band Aid Trust quickly saw how Debt and Aid were being used as mechanisms of Neo-Colonial dependency.
So when they staged the Live 8 concerts in 2005. Their objective was not to raise money. Worsening Neo-Colonial dependency.
It was to establish the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. To remove the debt mechanism of Neo-Colonial dependency.
The Ethiopian Empire was overthrown in 1974 by a military junta known as the; "Derg" from the predominately Oromo ethnic group. "Dergil" being an Oromo word meaning; "Committee."
This sparked a 17 year civil war. Which evolved into a war with Ethiopia's neighbour Eritrea. Which lasted until the year 2000.
Some people have claimed that the 1983-1985 famine was a deliberate tactic of the Oromo Derg.
Against the rebels of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). From the predominately Tigrayan ethnic group.
So it is very easy to move from a discussion about Live Aid/Live 8. Into a discussion about the most recent fighting between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF.
"Famine" continues to be a very politically loaded term in Ethiopia.
At around 17:15 on 23/9/21 (UK date) I'll try and finish this after dinner.
Edited at around 19:45 on 23/9/21 (UK date) to copy & paste;
The IOC obviously wanted these milestones for equality included in the video. In an effort to portray itself as somehow being responsible.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
One of the most vocal opponents of women participating in sport was Pierre de Coubertin. The founder of the Olympics.
In launching his new idea he famously said;
"An Olympiad with females would impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and improper."
With women being banned from the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics.
However a Greek woman, Stamati Revithi, entered the Marathon event anyway. When officials stopped her. She ran the course on her own, the following day. In protest.
Her protest was supported by those who dubbed her; "Melpomene." The Ancient Greek muse who heralds tragedy. A highly auspicious title.
The backlash led to a partial lifting of the ban. With women being allowed to compete in the dignified pursuits of Golf and Tennis at the 1900 Summer Olympics.
The IOC being forced to back down in response to outside pressure. Has always been the story of the advancement of women's sport.
The IOC didn't introduce equality between men and women into its rules until 1996.
It took until the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China. For there actually be an equal number of mens and womens events.
Likewise. Jesse Owens success at the 1936 Summer Olympics, held in Berlin, Germany. Most certainly did not smash Adolf Hitler's belief in Aryan or White Supremacy.
As World War Two and the whole Nazi Holocaust thing more than prove.
In fact it says rather a lot about the IOC's value system.
That they looked at Adolf Hitler and thought;
"He seems like our sort of chap! Let's give him an Olympics."
Just as they looked at Imperial Japan and thought;
"They seem like our sort of people! Let's give them an Olympics too."
I also get the distinct impression that it was the buzz around Live 8. Which saw the IOC pay out an absolute fortune to, almost literally, come round my house in the summer of 2012.
Not the other way around.
Perhaps in collaboration with the Japanese hosts. The video did end with a bit of sting in its tail.
As it moved to the modern era it seemed to focus particularly on weightlifters. It ended with a shot of Sky Brown. A symbol of youth and the Olympics to come.
As has been discussed, at quite some length, in this ceremony. Some of the slower nations still consider the inclusion of Transgender athletes to be an ongoing topic of discussion within the Olympic/Para-Olympic movement.
New Zealand have sent the weightlifter Laurel Hubbard. A man who takes drugs to suppress his male hormones such as Testosterone. To keep them at the upper level of what would be typical for a woman.
However waiting until to middle-age to do this has left him with all the physiological advantages of being a man. Such as greater muscle and bone density. Allowing him to lift much heavier weights.
This has actually been a long-running issue within gymnastic events. It will certainly become one within Skateboarding, now it has been included as an Olympic event.
Human bones don't reach their full density, and therefore weight, until a person is in their mid twenties.
This is why gymnasts must be at least 16 years old to compete at the Olympics. Younger than that and their lighter, underdeveloped bones give them an unfair advantage.
It must seem curious to Olympians of Agnes Keleti's era and discipline. That skateboarding doesn't have a similar rule.
Preventing 12 year olds like Sky Brown from competing.
The video also served to show how fast modern life has become. The speed at which society now changes.
The Freemasons first challenged Feudalism back in 13th Century Europe. It took a further 400 years for John Locke to publish his Labour Theory of Property.
That ushered in the start of the era of European Colonialism. Which lasted for some 250 years.
In the less than 50 years since.
We've seen the birth of Communism and Neo-Colonialism. The start and end of the Cold War. The birth of the globalised Neo-Liberal order.
It makes you wonder where will be in 50 years time.
To be continued in Part 9.
19:50 on 23/9/21 (UK date).
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