#BLACKLIVESMATTERFINLAND:
Documented

Text: Caroline Suinner (in collaboration with the photographers)
Photography: Salamata Mboup, Nora Sayyad, Kingsley Ndukwe, Taha Bakhit
June 20, 2020

The Black Lives Matter movement took the world by storm after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis USA, on the 25th of May 2020. The gruesome video of the killing spread through social media, once more bringing forth the issue of police brutality towards Black people. This time however, the world responded differently. Finland responded differently.

Protestors came together all around the world, demanding structural changes, equality and safety. In protests against racism and police brutality, both on the streets and in social media, the voices of the people were loud.

We asked four photographers to share with us what they captured during Finland’s Black Lives Matter protests.

Helsinki: Salamata Mboup

“I’m Sala, a 21-year-old budding photographer, living in Helsinki. Photography allows me to create representation I did not have as a kid, due to the lack of diversity in movies, books and media. 

Photography is a gift from me to my younger self, who hated her curly hair. Being half African means that some of my earliest memories in Finland are about facing racism.

The Black Lives Matter protest was the first one I ever took part in. My personal struggle with discrimination made me, in a way, feel like it was my responsibility to document this historical event. I instantly knew that I wanted to express my support through photography.”

Helsinki & Turku: Nora Sayyad

“My name is Nora Sayyad. I’m a Finnish-Palestinian artist and photographer born in Sweden and currently living and working in Helsinki. Art has always been part of my life in some shape or form. I have been a photographer for over six years and I find it to be a tool for me to express myself and the world around me, to examine social issues, and make an impact for change.

Being a racialized person and a woman in this industry oftentimes becomes challenging for various reasons. For one, the industry is highly male-dominated and on top of that, the art scene almost everywhere, also here in Finland, is very white.

In my art I try to change the narrative that is told of Middle East, more specifically of Arab women, by bringing a different angle to it, or by raising cultural awareness. I’m currently working on my MA studies in Photography and Film in Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.

I have also done Cultural Studies and Theater courses, which broadened my knowledge on photography and attempts of thinking more ethically and psychologically.”

“I think, when it comes to human rights issues, Black and racialized people don’t have the choice and luxury of ‘not being political’. Being half Palestinian definitely adds a layer to it.

I have been vocal about human rights before, especially with rights that concern children and young people. I find it extremely important to invest in our youth. They are our hope of the future and we need to be there for them, in every way we can.

Standing and protesting for Black Lives Matter movement, with or without my camera, is what we all should do as decent people. We should show solidarity and start working on ourselves and the environment around us, make real changes in society on both structural and institutional levels.

We also need to have those, at times tough, conversations with family, friends and acquaintances. We need to stand up for justice when injustice manifests around us, also remembering to rest and stay safe as POC.“

Helsinki: Kingsley Ndukwe

“My name is Kingsley Ndukwe, and I am of Nigerian and Finnish ethnicity. Personally, I use photography and videography as a form of expression. I believe that certain moments are best portrayed visually. Captured instances, trapping time and emotion, allow you to momentarily experience the past, if you will.

The Helsinki BLM protest had an ambience like no other, and I do not for one moment doubt that others felt the same. The moments I captured depicted solidarity in its purest of forms. Moments that would resonate a crystalline message throughout Finland, and the world. For Finland, this was a first of its kind and very much just the beginning.

Just like many others, the year 2020 will not be one to forget. It has directly challenged what we used to call the norm. However, as these months have gone by, their rather sheer discomfort has been an eye-opening experience.

Whether it is a global pandemic or a stand against structural racism, we can conclude, that people are stronger when united.”

Oulu: Taha Bakhit

“My name is Taha Bakhit. I am a 23-year-old Business student from Morocco, living in Oulu. I started photography as a hobby some time around September last year. Photography for me is a form of meditation and a way to see the world in other ways than I see it in my daily life.

I was one of the people that gave speeches during Oulu’s Black Lives Matter protest. Being a Person of Colour, I have always been aware of social issues affecting minorities and marginalized communities. But I was never really vocal about it, apart from sharing posts and memes as a form of social critique.

However, after the recent events in the US, I have realized, that it is my duty to not be silent anymore, to voice my opinions and my thoughts regarding these issues, and fight oppression in any way possible.

That is why I participated and gave a speech during the protest. That is also why I hope I can improve my photography even more, to use it as a tool for social commentary and social change.”

In addition to Helsinki, Turku and Oulu, protests were arranged in cities of Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lahti and Tampere.

The largest protest in Helsinki gathered approximately 3000 protestors according to the Finnish police, which is roughly 100 times more than the first Black Lives Matter protest arranged in Helsinki in 2016.