Dépigmentation et représentations sociales de la peau claire chez les Bamoun

Abstract

In spite of attempts to dignify the Black Beauty through such trends as Negritude or Blackis beautiful, it is noted that the aesthetic canon in the Bamoun Woman is unavoidably marked by a fair complexion devoted to beauty. The Bamoun Woman is inclined to the search for clarity on her skin. The problem of unnatural complexion to attain the unrealistic ideal arises from this situation. This study aims at: establishing an overview of thinking habits about the fair complexion on this specific socio-cultural category; understanding the link that may exist between these thinking habits and the deliberate practice of depigmentation which is deeply and popularly rooted in the Bamoun Woman. Thus, the research questions raised are as follows: What are thinking habits made upon the fair skin in the Bamoun Woman? What are motivations for the Bamoun Woman‘s depigmentation of the skin? How does the procedure of unnatural complexion concretely take place? In the last resort, what are supposed or real effects of skin bleaching by the Bamoun Woman? As hypothesis, the fair complexion is a sign of prestige, well-being and social success. The search for a fair complexion by the Bamoun Woman is motivated by historico-cultural factors, inferiority complex logics in the face of the white skin, as well as a certain quest of notability. The process of unnatural complexion depends on the capitals at disposal. Likewise, the skin bleaching practice has a significant effect on social interactions. The theoretical framework of this study is ethnomethodology associated with the social representations‘ theory. The method is essentially qualitative with such data collection instruments as interviews and direct observation. The analysis of data collected is based on the content analysis method and simple triangulation. It is established from this study that a sample of social representations on the fair skin is essentially devoted to the feminine gender. The skin fair in complexion is synonymous to beauty, such a woman is more valued by the man, she is the destiny of a social ascent, an external sign of social wealth. This string of thinking habits helps explain depigmentation which is a strategy to cope with the aesthetic ideal.