On Biko and Sophie: Black Body Domestication in the Postcolony

Abstract

Steve Biko and the character Sophie in Mary Sibande's art represent people who are made to be invisible and only serve others. Sophie's labor is seen as temporary and replaceable, meaning she can be hired or fired easily. Biko, who grew up with a domestic worker, is used to explore how being treated this way contributed to the rise of Black Consciousness. This form of consciousness challenges the way Black people were dehumanized and oppressed through colonialism. It's not just about home life but also about broader systems like the empire, police, and ghettos. The chapter looks at how Sophie and Biko, shaped by the same colonial system, are reduced to mere objects. It argues that Sophie's role as an object of subjection reveals how her Black Consciousness emerged from this system of oppression.