It is quite fitting that an Ancient African Queen has become the centre of conversations in history rooms, in the centres of those that determine pop culture narratives, as well as in gatherings from Egypt to Los Angeles, debating about the origins, and legacy of Queen Cleopatra. This at a time, when royalty and the crowing of new Kings and Queens is dominating conversations in parts of the British Commonwealth.
Queen Cleopatra is quite the legend, spoken and debated about by historians, philosophers, writers and scientists since her time, and yet much of her life still remains a mystery. There are even generations that may have thought that Cleopatra is a fairy tale, with many of the truths about her story being fictionalized. And this is the importance of the work being done by Jada Pinkett-Smith, on bringing to life and the global consciousness, the stories of ancient African Queens.
Like the stories of most women, the stories of African Queens have either been buried, or told through a patriarchal lens, that frames much of the of the way through which most histories are told at this time. This hasn’t always been the case, patriarchy was not the dominant framework that it is today. This comes across at times in African Queens: Cleopatra, which premiered on Netflix on 10th May 2023.
The African Queens series by Jada is important work. Although, met with some criticism, it is undeniable that it is important work, towards reversing the one-sidedness of the lens that has been cast on African history. So far the series has presented the stories of two African Queens, Queen Njinga of Angola, and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. And some of the criticism leveled at the presentation is that it is in documentary style, and not a grand production like Game of Thrones or Black Panther, or to a lesser extent, the Woman King.
A documentary format tends to establish its subject matter as truth, and seeks factual validation in telling the story, and as such Jada Pinkett-Smith calls on the assistance of professors, historians and researchers to narrate the stories of the queens. This is important as it establishes the figures as real, and their stories and legacies as real. This is a foundation that will allow future creatives to make big budget block busters. The documentary format gives permission to school children to research on these queens for their projects, in a way that was not as easy before. It is part of rebuilding the identity and story of a people whose identity has been buried.
What can the modern African woman learn from the ancient Queen Cleopatra? South African historian, Jackie Freemantle said, “Cleopatra’s legacy is one that was preparing a pathway for others, a pathway she would not get to walk.” It is the same courage that Jada is embodying in sifting through the sands of time, to bring to consciousness, the histories and legacies of the forgotten legacies of African Queens. The modern African woman is also called to embody the same courage today, to forge a path, to a create a life, an Africa and a world, where future Africans will thrive, not just survive.
The modern African woman has the opportunity to be a global queen, just as Cleopatra was. “Cleopatra’s identity is best described as a global queen. Many races and nations have wanted to claim her, but no spirit can be boxed, or limited to fit a limited human narrative or agenda,” said Jackie Freemantle. Much like how the modern African woman, cannot be limited by culture, nation state boundaries and even religion. Cleopatra was a Queen, who embodied the spirit of the Goddess Isis, and thus carried herself in that fashion. She commanded respect from patriarchs from Southern Africa, to Persia, to Rome and Greece. Many tried to reduce her to being a seductress, because she was beautiful, but her influence came from her intellect and ability to see the bigger picture.
Even in the telling of her story by the Netflix docuseries, there is a tinge of a patriarchal lens. The story relies too much on how she related to powerful men, and runs the risk of some continuing to limit her beingness to the existence of these powerful men. From the docuseries we see how Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony navigated being in power, but not so much how Cleopatra led her people. What was Cleopatra like presiding over her court and huge empire? What did she say when she addressed her people, who were a very diverse group? Why did her people love and support her so much? Even though these questions were not answered in the docuseries, future story tellers can certainly pick up the baton.
Cleopatra was a powerful queen, who put the well-being of her children and country first. The 4-part docuseries does not capture, or highlight enough how much Cleopatra was able to build of Egypt, at a time when enemies from inside and outside the Egyptian empire were attacking Egypt, how she managed to rebuild Egypt into a thriving, complex economy.
Cleopatra owned and embodied who she believed herself to be, and believed in the great destiny bestowed upon her by God, so she took very seriously the role of embodying the Goddess Isis. Who is the Goddess Isis? This is not answered in the docuseries. Just as the modern African woman has to see the great purpose in her, break patriarchal chains, protect and lift her children, and lead unapologetically. The women of Africa have no choice but to stand up and lead, otherwise their children will continue to be beggars and slaves.
One of the aspects of Cleopatra’s Queenship that was captured well, is how she was surrounded by female counsellors and loyalists. These women protected her life, her dreams and goals with their own lives. Not out of fear or coercion, but as equals, as queens themselves, who knew their part in the bigger picture. Cleopatra may have been the outward representation of the leadership, the one seen wearing the crown, but her inner court was a collective. True Queens have always been guardians in this way, they were co-rulers, not dictators. They gave life, they didn’t strangle it. A circle of life is what helps us all to the thrive together, so modern African queen, do keep nurturing your inner circle of life.
African Queens: Queen Cleopatra will definitely continue to spark conversations, and hopefully reflection and introspection. In Cleopatra’s time, men and women were equal, the modern African woman can go a long way to change this, by embodying her inner queen, and living the greatness bestowed to her at birth, just as Queen Cleopatra did.