Gert Verhulst concluded his brand new talk show this fall The table of four to broach with the question: ‘What can you still say in times of woke?’ It didn’t take a minute for the n-word to roll through the studio for the first time, then bounce across the table like a bouncing ball. “What’s the problem with that word?” sighed Verhulst, a bit to himself and a bit to his table guest, screenwriter Raf Njotea (35).
Raf Njotea: “After the recordings I passed by in the green room, where I saw James Cooke and the people from the channel. I didn’t fully understand the impact of our debate at that time, but the atmosphere there was very tense: ‘Ouch, this is going to explode.’”
The tone of the broadcast was immediately set when Gert Verhulst brought out melocakes. Then he started to orally for minutes regarding what we are no longer allowed to say these days because otherwise you will be cancelled.
Njotea: “Few people know that a test episode was recorded a week before the broadcast, a dress rehearsal for the new program. I was also a guest there, on the same theme. Gert was sharp at the time, asked the questions that ‘the Fleming’ has, as he intends with his program, but in the end we had a valuable substantive conversation.
“When I was then asked for the actual broadcast, I gladly came back. Only the atmosphere turned out to be very different, much more polemical. Gert let me finish talking less and examples were brought up that didn’t really matter.
“Some say he did it on purpose so that the program would go over the tongues. Perhaps that is partly true, but I believe it was also an unfortunate coincidence: those melocakes, a conversation that had already been had, the nervousness of the first real show, the other guests at the table… That makes it a bit more out turned out better than intended. I never had the idea that Gert did not treat me with respect.”
You also remained very friendly at the table.
Njotea: “Yes. In retrospect, I wondered: should I have been more indignant? Maybe so, but at the same time I don’t want to fake what I feel.
“I’m just not that fierce in the debate, I usually try to build bridges. But I am glad that the conversation has led to so much social outrage.”
Is that outcry a sign that the n-word has had its day?
Njotea: “I think most people feel that the n-word no longer belongs in the public space, that it is strange to still use it there. Of course it will still be spoken among friends, relatives or in a village community, although I think it is slowly changing there too.
“By the way, I have not received any negative reaction from the extreme right on my performance in The table of four. I then tell myself that things are going in the right direction, that this conversation was necessary for a while, as a kind of last convulsion. As is often the case: two steps forward, one step back.”
A day following the broadcast, an old fragment surfaced in which Margriet Hermans appeared in the TV program Say uh already touched on the sensitivity of the n-word.
Njotea: “I think that’s a strong argument to finally conclude the conversation. We have literally been talking regarding it for 25 years.”
Which word should we use from now on?
Njotea: “’Black’ is the word most people feel more comfortable with now, I think. Although you will have to deal with meaning inflation of words anyway. I can imagine that ‘black’ will also have a negative connotation following a while.”
Does it make sense to use a new word?
Njotea: “It is somewhat frustrating, yes. But if we, as a society, continue to attach negative connotations to a concept, every word will take on a negative connotation over time.
“You often see the emergence of such negative words among minority groups or people who deviate from the norm: ‘faggot’, ‘bitch’, ‘fatty’. For the majority group, such negative words are much less common. As a society, we should be aware of this, because that language problem would solve itself as soon as we all really regard each other as equal.
“That is why I do not think that the n-word should really be banned, but that we should see the word for what it is now: a swear word. And you can sometimes use a swear word in a private situation, but you don’t call it out to strangers in public.”
The fierce reactions make it clear that language is emotion.
Njotea: “Language is very closely related to identity. The language you speak, the words you use: it says a lot regarding who you are or how you want to appear.”
One of the hottest debates regarding language revolves around transgender people. A number of words have emerged from that community that would otherwise not have existed: ‘cisman’, ‘non-binary’, the use of the gender-neutral ‘them’ instead of ‘he’ or ‘she’.
Njotea: “And you can see how difficult that is. If a group says: ‘this must be a new word now’, I don’t think you necessarily have to go along with that. But it is good that they raise sensitivities and that we then have a dialogue together. Language is one of the last things that we really shape together, nobody has power over it. That’s nice, isn’t it? It is good that we are having these kinds of debates more and more.”
And everyone mixes with equal enthusiasm, from older white linguists to young people of color.
Njotea: “As a society, we can be happy that people from the so-called ‘third generation’ are so actively involved in language issues. It is actually the ultimate integration test: you only interfere with the language of a country when you are really integrated in that country, when you realize that it is also your country.”
Vlaams Belang should therefore be happy with these identitarian discussions: it is a sign of involvement with society.
Njotea: “Voilà, they should support that! While first-generation newcomers still had a strong bond with their home country, especially did not want to run amok, did not want to stand out and never felt completely Belgian, that is much less important now.”
Your Podcast Older is regarding such a first-generation newcomer: your father. His life story is shrouded in mystery.
Njotea: “With that personal story, Lander Kennis and I wanted to highlight the broader theme of migration. That all those newcomers are individuals with ambitions, dreams, pain and sorrow, who started their lives in the new country at the bottom of the ladder. Often without a network, without friends, but under enormous pressure from the home country to make it here.”
I found your podcast very successful. Did you get a lot of praise?
Njotea: “I received the best response from an Ethiopian man who has lived here for a long time and who recommended the podcast to his children. He then also advised his colleagues with foreign roots to let their children hear the podcast. My father’s story is also their story, but they find it difficult to tell it themselves. Through the podcast, the children can get to know their fathers better.”
Finally, this year it came to an end Thirties, the popular TV series you co-write. The series is often praised for its recognisability, but our Therereviewer was quite critical.
Njotea: “I was actually quite happy with that review There. To people who find the series ‘super recognizable’, I now often say: ‘If all those things really happen in your group of friends, you urgently need to find a new group of friends.’ (laughs)”
Can you also lose your social commitment in such scenarios?
Njotea: “You can incorporate small things into it. Parents who read a children’s book by Dalilla Hermans to their children, for example.
“Stories are the mirror of society anyway. For scenarios you always look for things that are relevant at that moment, and sometimes you also want to show the viewer how things might be. I always write my screenplays with the idea that they may no longer be relevant in twenty years’ time. I understand that can hurt when you’re proud of a series – I get the creators of FC the champions – but in the end it is very hopeful that our society continues to evolve.”
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