The darker the berry.

Facilitated by Alex Gwaze (Curator)

One upon a time, about 98 messages popped into my phone in about 20 minutes (disturbing my concentration). There were a couple of pictures of a young woman circulating in a WhatsApp group that I’m in. Texts, comments, reactions, proposals, and requests were being typed faster than I could read them. However, there was one comment that caught my eye. It read, “You are just my type. I prefer yellow bones”. It reminded me of Colourism. Colourism or Shadeism is “the practice of showing a preference or bias to those of a lighter skin tone within groups of people with the same race or ethnicity”. So, I thought it would be interesting to get two models with different skin tones in the same space and see if this concept of colour preference comes up naturally in their conversation.

Natasha and Sthe have met several times over the years. In their conversation they talked about invention, kids, brands, skin, The Expendables, adulting, bikinis, and hustling.

NATASHA: Good evening hun. Been a minute. How’s you?

STHE: l’m great dear. How are you? I heard you are an actress now. What films have you acted in?

NATASHA: I’m awesome boo. I’ve only acted in projects for school. But at the moment I’ve been shooting my first ever film as legit actress. It’s called “Along”.

STHE: Wow! That’s good. A career change from pageants and modelling? I sort of took at break from modelling, and you? How has it been? How you finding the industry though?

NATASHA: I understand. Ups and downs. Pageants unlike other types of modelling, require more effort. You have to be well vexed in current affairs, quick on your feet, patient, and well spoken. It challenges you not only mentally but physically as well.

STHE: The physical part is all some people see sometimes. I’m always being asked about swimwear and nudes by some ‘peoples’.

NATASHA: I wouldn’t say swimwear or bikinis are in the same category as nudity. Cause am quite sure we all go swimming in swimwear (laughs). And women at pools or beaches, do wear bikinis.

STHE: (laughs)

NATASHA: But one thing that should be noted is it’s not just called a pageant it’s called a beauty pageant. Even Miss World says it’s about beauty with a purpose. So when people go for pageants they should look beyond the bikinis and try to follow the pageant stage by stage, to really grasp the whole concept of the pageant.

STHE: A friend of mine said to me once, “skin is very distracting” (laughs). But he was talking about Instagram though. But yeah. There are actually different types of pageants that have no skin.

NATASHA: (laughs) To be honest, pageants are all about celebrating the different types of beauty and embracing our different body types shapes, and sizes. It’s to make women feel comfortable in their skins. Not to degrade each other.

STHE: Women are the most over analysed of the sexes, I think. It’s always the same story about women keeping their bodies in shape and “perfect”. It’s taken a while for different bodies and skin tones to be included in that story.

NATASHA: Do you feel like you need extra squats to compete with social media models (laughs)?

STHE: (laughs) Iwe! No! (laughs) I believe in being natural, and l prefer staying that way. l am not against other women who enhance. They have their own reasons. But for me, no extra bum squats for me, no thanks (laughs).

NATASHA: That’s why I like pageants. These days the modelling industry is so broad to be in competition with one type of figure, to be honest. And, I believe we want different outcomes in our lives at the end of the day. Especially when it comes to our careers and lifestyles. And with bodies, it goes with what you desire to look like. But I am comfortable in my skin too (laughs).

STHE: (laughs) We were talking about acting but we switched. You branching into that. What kind of films do you wanna act in?

NATASHA: Well, I know Zim loves Drama but I am more of an action and Sci-fi lover. So featuring in any of those would be thrilling, yes!

STHE: You want to kick ass and fight aliens (laughs).

NATASHA: Yes! Films like Transformers, Terminators, The Expendables and Extraction. Do my own stunts. I quite adventurous, no lie. But I am still yet to explore more. Want acting lessons in those genres. Who knows.

STHE: I can see you in action movies though.

NATASHA: Thanks doll. And you, do you want to do film?

STHE: I like commercials. I enjoy the commercial part of modelling. If I could l would say I would like to start with adverts but not limited to it. I am not yet there. Maybe theatre. I enjoy live events. But to to honest I am still exploring other parts of the Creative Arts industry, and it’s difficult choosing the one to pursue at this stage of my life.

NATASHA: Adverts? Interesting. What would say is your best feature?

STHE: That will be my face! But, eish l don’t wanna leave out my skin. Please let’s make it both.

NATASHA: I love your tone. You could be the face of a brand. I’m sure they get good money. Especially if you do another creative thing like Nandi Madida or Bonang.

STHE: Thank you. These days you can be a Writer, Doctor, Radio DJ, Businesswoman, and Activist. There is so much open to us. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to pick where to start for me.

NATASHA: I feel like it’s a by-product of the ‘hustling culture’. It’s harder to earn a living from just one job now than it was for the previous generation. Everyone is now a brand.

STHE: Yeah, people are starting early. There are kids out there with social media accounts and participation in shows.

NATASHA: I’ve seen that! I have no problem with pageants for children. But outside of that, personally i wouldn’t let my child apply make up. They are kids, kids deserve to play and not be mindful about such. Teaching them how to mind their beauty and brands at such a tender age would be like killing their self esteem. And what’s natural. Plus taking away their innocence. But it’s my own point of view, with my future kids.

STHE: You got it right doll. We miss our childhood when we get older. Adulting yoh (laughs). Kids are kids man! Why put them through a lot of pressure, they deserve to be kids and just natural. It’s a very short time to be just you. High school can be gruesome (laughs). People judge.

NATASHA: It’s a lot of work getting glammed up. You know if I could I would attend events in track pants and sneakers or slides.

STHE: (laughs) A rebel, with your toes out at night, in public (laughs).

NATASHA: (laughs) It’s Africa! Besides at the moment, pageantry is a gamble (laughs). You can invest $500, getting the hair, make up, transport, dress, accommodation; and earn back $100, or lose all together. It’s quite tricky.

STHE: Some pageants don’t even pay the prize even if you win. They are people making money from some of these pageants and it’s not the girls.

NATASHA: Except for promotional modelling, and also commercial modelling. Where you have a contract that states your job and payment after the job is done. That’s the real deal.

STHE: For me the real deal is self respect. If I’m accepting a job, big or small money, or volunteering, it’s all about self respect. It creates the environment you want for you. Even around groups of men, the way l carry myself, that is all about self respect. I always tell girls that ask me, “don’t just be likeable model, be a brand that people want to work with in a professional setting”. We are there to do the work not to make people happy with our presence. Our work should make them happy to pay for the job and recommend us.

NATASHA: I won’t lie and say I have had any ill treatment from men in the modelling industry. I have principles to guide me and I let them know the default settings. We need to establish a respectful working environment from day one. The industry is hard, but if you work towards your goals, and don’t get distracted fearing missing so called opportunities, you can thrive. God’s time is the best time.

STHE: Amen! True you have to be willing to learn and give.

NATASHA: Reminds me of how we first met. At the Miss Progress Zimbabwe shoot. Back in 2019.

STHE: Oh wow, I remember.

NATASHA: You were kind enough to help me with my make up. At the time I hadn’t mastered that skill, thank you.

STHE: (laughs) You know I only learnt to apply make-up when I was like 20.

NATASHA: Really? You are a pro though.

STHE: I am now deep into that, but not daily. My daily routine is wash twice a day with warm water. Scrub once a week with Oxy scrub. Sleep and good energy. I am surprised you still remember that though.

NATASHA: I think a lot of girls forget that pageants and modelling are about celebrating first. We got lost in the competition, trying to be finalists or Miss this or that. Forget we are showcasing designs, our intellect, and diversity. Changing beauty standards. Sometimes egos cloud our judgement but we should learn to be humble.

STHE: Powerful! I just want to say we spend so much energy on building our brand and we forget to be kids. Just enjoy what we are doing. Especially when we get paid to do it. That’s how we will learn to invent. We are copying and we won’t go anywhere until we learn to invent. It’s tired hearing people complaining they don’t support us. Let’s do something different.

NATASHA: I’m with you sister!

STHE: Awesome. I’m enjoying this but let’s continue this chat tomorrow. Got work in the morning. It was so good catching up. It’s been a minute dear.

NATASHA: Yes tomorrow. Goodnight hun.

STHE: Goodnight boo.

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