Zine Review: Kerosene Opinion Is Fuel

On Monday, I received my copy of a wonderful zine called “Kerosene”. Kerosene is a zine that was created through the blood, sweat, hard work, and tears of my fellow blogger Aulelia. The art work is beautiful and the words in Kerosene are passionate, vivid, powerful, and enlightening. Aulelia is a young black British woman of African hertiage. Aulelia was born in Tanzania, she attends the University of Bristol in England. Aulelia’s blog entries proves England is not all about tea, cookies, Wimbledon, and bad weather. Aulelia is the editor of Kerosene.

The written word is very powerful and important through words we are able to communicate, express ourselves, transmit messages and thoughts through language. Reading is knowledge and knowledge is power.

My article, “Shades of Blackface” was republished in the zine and a second piece “where are the gay black men on TV?” was also published.

It is very interesting to read about black people living in the United Kingdom. I admit I have my own misconceptions about the UK and Kerosene really shatters a lot of the myths I have about the UK. It is also insightful to read about the frustrations, the joy, the issues that black Caribbean and African people deal with in jolly old England.

Aulelia’s article, “The Ascent Of The Black Female Blogger” is an important article. The internet has provided black women with a voice since black women are displaced due to race in the feminist movement and gender in the black community. Aulelia is an African goddess she is so passionate about black issues and politics she has really opened my mind to new ideas. Aulelia runs a wonderful thought provoking blog called Charcoal Ink. You can find Charcoal Ink on my blog roll or go to http://www.charcoalink.wordpress.com and check out Aulelia’s blog.

Last summer, Aulelia asked me to submit two articles to the zine she said she liked my writing. It is really endearing that someone else from across the pond actually responds and likes my writing. It feels good to know that there is a connection through the written word. The zine is excellent and well written. A wonderful article I loved was written by a Thinashe Mushakavanhu a young Zimbabwe man. Thinashe lives in Carmarthen in Wales. Thinashe is very educated he has completed a Masters degree in Creative Writing and he’s working on his PhD in English. Thinashe ‘s piece “Notes From A Black Exile In Wales” discusses his frustrations with being one of the few Africans living in Wales. Thinashe discusses the feelings of anger about being treated as “the other” in Wales.

For example, Thinashe says people ask him about “what is the solution to your country?” Of course it is so offensive that people put Thinashe on the spot he’s just one person how is he supposed to stop the paranoid dictator Robert Mugabe? I found it so strange and bizarre that people have the audacity to put Thinashe on the spot like that it. It is just so rude and arrogant it reeks of the Occident’s attitude towards African politics. Thinashe’s piece focuses on identity politics and how he negotiates between the public and private spheres as a young African man living in Wales. Wales has a very small black population compared to other places in the United Kingdom.

Onyeka’s piece “Being A Lot Of Things At Once” is about the issues of identity and our views of blackness. What is “blackness”? What does the term really mean? Onyeka’s article investigates her personal views on the issue. Onyeka believes that the term “blackness” is too myopic and essentialist. Onyeka’s perspective is    there is multiplicity in the black community and people should not be forced to identity a “certain way” to fit into a certain paradigm.  Onyeka provides a few examples she has a white boyfriend she likes rock music, wearing Doc Martens, and she has two tattoos.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Kerosene feel free to contact Aulelia via her blog at http://www.charcoalink.wordpress.com