Reflection of society...

Mellifluous

nisaba said:
.... and one recurring black man (who isn't black - he's a fairly light mixed-race).

'Black' people come in all shades - from the same as 'white' people to dark brown. None are actually literally black. If you're going to reflect or depict reality, you might want to keep that in mind.

Good luck with your deck.
 

214red

thanks for your imput everyone, i was curiouus as to how other people thought about this issue.

opinions are always interesting
 

Myrrha

The Buckland Romani deck has brown skinned people with black hair. Gypsies. They aren't African American people but it doesn't have that all-white vibe to it.

I know an African American professional reader who uses the Thoth pretty much exclusively partly because while the people in the deck aren't intended to be non-European many of them don't look any particular race because they are intended to be archetypes and not people.

Personally I find the ones where each race is assigned to a different suit frightening. They remind me of when I was a young child and my father was offered a teaching position in South Africa and my mom explained to me that he wasn't going to take it because the government there might separate our family according to skin color and hair texture. Nightmares for a week!

Edited to add: I think the Vanessa Tarot is quite a bit more diverse than most. I havn't looked at it closely because the art style is not what I like.

Also, the Doreen Virtue inspirational decks (not tarot), in a couple of them lots of cards show people of color.
 

Le Fanu

Myrrha said:
I know an African American professional reader who uses the Thoth pretty much exclusively partly because while the people in the deck aren't intended to be non-European many of them don't look any particular race because they are intended to be archetypes and not people

I thought all tarot images were archetypes...
 

214red

Mellifluous said:
'Black' people come in all shades - from the same as 'white' people to dark brown. None are actually literally black. If you're going to reflect or depict reality, you might want to keep that in mind.

Good luck with your deck.
yes, off topic somewhat but i hate trying to find foundation and only finding 3 shades in a 'dark' colour???
 

hunter

I bought my first tarot deck (RW) yesterday and my first oracle deck (medicine cards) a few weeks ago. I felt guilty buying an all Caucasian tarot deck. I decided to let it go for now. I'm white and the deck is for self-discovery/journaling and I really need to take care of me right now...but...I felt this tug.

My best friend is African American and just dealing with band aids can be difficult. There is this feeling of being defective when you are ignored or set apart as "special".These little things are not so little.

At times I have lived in all white neighborhoods and at other times in all black neighborhoods. I know what it is like to be the minority and not even be able to buy hair care products. All the elastics and bobby pins are black and no shampoos for oily hair. Just going into stores, offices and businesses often got me the question " why are you here?". My blonde self stood out badly in the all Haitian area I just moved out of. People were either suspicious or protective, but either way I was treated as "special".

A "special" all black deck might be good for a "me" deck for African Americans, just like my RW is fine for me right now...but...we really need just regular decks that truly represent people as they are. Sigh!!!!
 

214red

hunter said:
I bought my first tarot deck (RW) yesterday and my first oracle deck (medicine cards) a few weeks ago. I felt guilty buying an all Caucasian tarot deck. I decided to let it go for now. I'm white and the deck is for self-discovery/journaling and I really need to take care of me right now...but...I felt this tug.

My best friend is African American and just dealing with band aids can be difficult. There is this feeling of being defective when you are ignored or set apart as "special".These little things are not so little.

At times I have lived in all white neighborhoods and at other times in all black neighborhoods. I know what it is like to be the minority and not even be able to buy hair care products. All the elastics and bobby pins are black and no shampoos for oily hair. Just going into stores, offices and businesses often got me the question " why are you here?". My blonde self stood out badly in the all Haitian area I just moved out of. People were either suspicious or protective, but either way I was treated as "special".

A "special" all black deck might be good for a "me" deck for African Americans, just like my RW is fine for me right now...but...we really need just regular decks that truly represent people as they are. Sigh!!!!
here here you captured my feelings brilliantly!
i was thinking of 'flesh' coloured band aids today and wondering the same thing!

i dont want a black only deck i want a multi-cultural deck, with all shapes and sizes represented.
 

nisaba

214red said:
yes, off topic somewhat but i hate trying to find foundation and only finding 3 shades in a 'dark' colour???
Count yourself lucky. In Australia, you can't find dark colours at all. Except, maybe, in theatrical makeup - I'm not sure about that one. But makeup you buy? No. And yet we have a whole diversity of all different colours.
 

Wichasa

Color issues

What occurs to me when I think black, I think mindset, not skin color... Having lived with a black man from the ghetto for three years, I am understanding the cultural differences.

I have met very white black men and women, and I have met some very black white men and women. For that matter I have met some very Red White men and some very white Red men.

I will be very interested to see Nisaba's creation :)

The basic human emotions remain the same across all peoples.... It is the different perspectives that make the difference... Culture. :)
 

214red

Wichasa said:
What occurs to me when I think black, I think mindset, not skin color... Having lived with a black man from the ghetto for three years, I am understanding the cultural differences.

I have met very white black men and women, and I have met some very black white men and women. For that matter I have met some very Red White men and some very white Red men.

I will be very interested to see Nisaba's creation :)

The basic human emotions remain the same across all peoples.... It is the different perspectives that make the difference... Culture. :)
i can see what your saying, but then you can break it down to African or Caribbeans etc and they are completely different...