Greetings readers, this is John Ernest with another update on the latest news. In recent days, the Egyptian government has accused the popular streaming platform Netflix of “falsifying Egyptian history” by portraying Queen Cleopatra as black in their new documentary, “African Queens: Queen Cleopatra.”
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt released a statement which included evidence that they claim proves Cleopatra had a “light complexion” and “Hellenistic characteristics.” The secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Mustafa Waziri, expressed his concern over the portrayal of Cleopatra in the documentary as a black actress, stating that it represents “a falsification of Egyptian history and a blatant historical misconception.”
“The film is classified as a documentary and not a drama, the order that the owners of its industry have to investigate accuracy and refer to historical and scientific facts in order to ensure that the history and civilizations of peoples is not falsified,” Dr. Waziri said, per The Daily Mail.
The controversy has sparked heated debates online, with some claiming that the portrayal of Cleopatra as a black woman is an attempt to rewrite history and change the narrative of ancient civilizations. Others argue that the portrayal of Cleopatra as black is a nod to the African heritage of Egypt and the diverse nature of its people.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also included images of coins and artifacts in their statement which they claim prove that Cleopatra had “Hellenic (Greek) features, in terms of light complexion, drawn nose and fluffy lips.” The Ministry argues that the film should have been classified as a drama rather than a documentary, as the owners of its industry are responsible for ensuring that historical and scientific facts are accurately represented.
All Netflix had to do was label the series as a drama with the disclaimer that said based on actual events and that would have been it. Now Jada Pinkett Smith and Netflix have caused an International disaster.
