FESTIVAL BOOKS | Akala
P H O T O S :
P A U L H U S B A N D
> >
right-wing Natives is impressive in its historical sweep, mapping the construction of racial identity onto the growth of empire and capitalism. It is also full of nuanced cultural critique. In the chapter called ‘Linford’s Lunchbox’, Akala dissects racialised discourse in sport. Asked about the recent World Cup, he brings up England footballer Raheem Sterling, who was criticised by the press for his tattoo of a gun. For Sterling, the tattoo rel ected his vow never to touch a gun after his father was shot, but such subtleties did not i t the tabloid narrative. stick Raheem ‘The Sterling’s getting, it’s not even subtle at this point. The Daily Mail in particular are upset that an irreverent, not sufi ciently grateful young black kid – from Stonebridge [in north- west London], to make it worse – whose dad was killed, is earning a quarter of a million pounds a week.
‘What I found really fascinating, is that we live in a capitalist society, where theoretically speaking, a kid from that kind of environment who’s made good, the Daily Mail should love him. But in their mind, people like him are not supposed to make that kind of money, and if they do, they should be “yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir” grateful, and Raheem is not that. ‘It’s weird when you’ve got people sweating their heart out for England, they’re being treated essentially as if they’re
34 THE LIST FESTIVAL 15–27 Aug 2018
foreigners and enemies of the country. I think that speaks to this insecurity that people have in relation to black athletes. And let’s be real, Raheem’s not built like Linford Christie, so it’s not even about the sexual insecurity towards the hyper- masculine, 6ft 5 ripped-to-shreds [black athlete] – I mean, black men would feel insecure looking at Linford Christie! So the fact that someone like Raheem, who’s much smaller, slender, is still given this treatment, albeit in a slightly different way, I think that says something a particular section of the British press and their relation to black athleticism.’ about
Akala stresses the need for wider education about the British Empire; to learn from the past you need to understand it at the very least. He has been encouraged by efforts to acknowledge Scotland’s role the Empire, citing the work of scholars Tom Devine and Stephen Mullan. ‘I don’t romanticise Scotland, but there is a political culture where Scotland seems to be trying to become a small, prosperous European social democracy, and Scotland’s kind of satisi ed with that. England still wants to run the world. I don’t see how they’re going to survive in a union together for the next 30 years if these massive contradictions remain.’ in
Akala, Charlotte Square Gardens, 24 Aug, 8.30pm, £12, (£10).