Black Panther’s African Roots
All Libraries, Diversity & Inclusion Posted: February 16th, 2018Like the rest of the MCU (Marvel Comics Universe), the setting of the Black Panther movie is a fictitious city, namely Wakanda. And although Wakanda isn’t real, the film’s artists did base many of the sets and costumes on real African countries.
Image copyright by Walt Disney Studios, 2018.
Ruth E. Carter, Black Panther’s costume designer, drew inspiration from the Dogon, the Turkana, the Hemba, the Suri tribe, and the Tuareg people. Carter based jewelry and costume designs on the hand made neck rings worn by Ndebele women and African kente cloth. She was also inspired by Zulu hats and Nigerian chiefs when designing the look of the Queen’s and shaman’s costumes.
If you’re gearing up to watch the film or have already seen it and want to learn more about the cultures which inspired the film, check out some of these books.
Dogon: Africa’s People of the Cliffs
Spirits Embodied: Art of the Congo
Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa
Ndebele: The Art of an African Tribe
Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity
Speaking with Beads: Zulu Arts from Southern Africa
The Birth of Art in Africa: Nok Statuary in Nigeria
References:
African Superhero: How we made Black Panther, Chris Giles, CNN, 2/16/2018.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16/africa/black-panther-behind-the-scenes-marvel/index.html
Black Panther Costume Designer Talks Creating a Wardrobe for a King, Kaitlyn Booth, Bleeding Cool, 1/29/2018.
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/01/29/black-panther-costume-designer/
Image copyright by Walt Disney Studios, 2018.
I just watched the movie and its amazing. I mostly just amazed by how much research on culture the people behind the film do. And then to incorporate the heroism and movie aspect into. It just blends all so well!