Dwinnie Fernandes

Twinkle twinkle little star, oh how I wonder what you mean. We have been raised on nursery rhymes. The simple wording and catchy rhythm help these rhymes stick in kids’ minds, shaping their early development without them even realising it. It is no surprise that nursery rhymes are taught worldwide. But these innocent words have a darker origin than you may think. Here are some popular nursery rhymes with meanings way different from what we believe   Baa Baa Black Sheep Baa-baa black sheep, do you have any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full One for the master, one for the dame One for the little boy who lives down the lane Baa-baa black sheep, do you have any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. It had been theorised that Baa Baa Black Sheep was about chattel slavery in America. The slaves were considered the sheep, and wool as cotton, which is why black has been substituted for other colours in recent recitations. However, the nursery rhyme predates the Un...

White privilege is the greater life opportunities one receives on the sole grounds of being white. White privilege doesn’t guarantee that all white people live privileged lives. There are still grounds for discrimination based on gender, sexuality, poverty, and religion. However, even when facing those struggles, white privilege is still present, as their condition is far more favourable than that of a person of colour in the same situation. But just like everything else in the world, privilege has evolved, too. Many of the people who were once classified as “non-white” are now central to what we think of as white today. When America was first forming, it was typically the English and Northern European settlers who held the majority of the high positions in society. They were the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs). They believed that they were superior to other races; to justify slavery and colonisation with their own power, many writers, politicians, and scientists gradually creat...

  On the first day, God created light. Over time, man has created different denominations, each shaped by a distinct understanding of how to worship Him. But what is a denomination ? Imagine Christianity as a tree with multiple branches. Each branch is a separate denomination. They all grew from the same seed, were nourished by the same roots and were supported by the same trunk. Yet, the branches are different from one another, even though they bear the same fruit. Christianity is a global faith. With different geographies come different cultures, traditions, ideologies, and politics that shape the way we perceive religion. Several Christian denominations developed as a result of these differences.   Christians are those who are the followers of Christ. Regardless of denomination, most affirm the teachings of the Nicene Creed that Christ: ·        is the one true God, ·        was born of the Virgin Mary, ·...

Nobody likes going to the dentist. Nobody likes having multiple needle-sharp tools in their mouth for hours straight while the dentist makes awkward small talk. Half the time, you can’t even hear what they say as it gets muffled behind their mask and the noise of their equipment. The other time, even when you do hear them, you cannot respond as you are expected to keep your mouth open wide. I never understood dentists. And no, I’m not referring to their questionable timing in asking questions. I’m referring to their difference from other doctors. To specialise in any other field, a medical student must first complete medical school, where the curriculum is more general, and only afterwards can they train in their speciality. However, dentists have separate schools for dental studies. They aren’t required to attend medical school, but every other physician does. They are “outcasts” in the medical world despite practising medicine themselves. Does medical practise in the mouth not count?...

For many, dancing and singing while rearranging the furniture for the next scene seems unrealistic, but musicals have never aimed for realism. They aim to evoke emotions in us. Certain feelings are too complex to portray through simple dialogue. In doing so, musicals defy gravity in their representation of reality. Musicals are not created to just entertain; they highlight how societies dreamed, feared, and hoped. Throughout the eras, they act as a capsule for the historical sentiments they carry through their melodies and dance numbers.  When people wanted to tell a story, they couldn’t always leave their writings in the pages of books. To ensure their stories get heard, they had to bring them to the streets. Musicals flourished way before Broadway was established. It flourished when the majority of literate people were men in positions of power. The stage, the scenes, and the setup worked as a medium for the common folk to raise their voices against those in power. The melodious ...