Wading Through the Waters: MIA's "Borders" and the European Migrant Crisis
Namya Shukla
FYBA, 2022-2023
Whether it be
Trump's Campaign to build “The Wall” or the deal between the EU and Turkey,
2016 saw the worsening of the refugee crisis. In a time and space where
refugees aren’t given the space to vocalize their harrowing experiences, MIA’s
music has proved to be very significant for representation. Mathangi
"Maya" Arulpragasam is a Sri Lankan refugee based in Britain. Her
father was a founding member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, an
insurgent group trying to establish a separate state for Tamilians. Her
recollection of the violence caused by military troops during the Rajapaksa
regime reflects in her work. One of her cousins couldn’t be found back in Sri
Lanka, and that is what prompted her to make a documentary about the same. One
thing led to another, and she discovered her interest in making music to
deliver messages. Maya has always been conscious about creating art that
encapsulates the experience of her past and yet manages to encompass other
issues of a globalized world. My focus is to do a qualitative analysis of the
track ‘Borders’ from her album AIM and critically analyze connections to the
refugee crisis.
The music video of ‘Borders’ opens with MIA mouthing words to her song, with two rows of men running in the background. The first shot itself sets the tone of what is to follow. Throughout the video, we observe patterns and formations that some might call “aesthetically pleasing”, but I feel there are deeper meanings to them. We must be cognizant of the fact that this was released in 2016- when dozens of refugees had lost their lives due to several incidents involving sinking of boats. Perhaps the most heart-wrenching case was that of Aylan Kuridi, a two-year-old whose body was found on a Turkish beach. These incidents made their way into the music video through the visuals of displaced refugees forming the image of a ship and shots of people crammed on boats.
At one point, we
see the refugees climb up on fences and spell out the word “life” while she
sings:
Politics: What’s up
with that
Police shots: What’s
up with that
Identities: What’s
up with that”
Fervent visuals such as this one make us reconsider the values and lives we find worth holding on to. We are forced to draw parallels between the emergence of right-wing politics and shifts in migration policies, most notably in Europe. For instance, in recent years, the debate regarding national identity and Islam in France has escalated. French politicians from across the spectrum have recognized the need to preserve “traditional” French values and culture. Due to such circumstances, there is a growing consensus among the public that there are “far too many” immigrants in France. Empirical studies have shown that a major part of the population overestimates the number of refugees, which leads them to fear employment opportunities. While these ideologies might have their roots in right-wing politics, they have endured in general discourse even after changes in government. Thus, the principal reason for ensuring that the background actors in the music video all look the same: similarly dressed brown men with the same buzz cut hair, was to portray this constant "Othering". The distinction between “Us” and “Them” leads people to perceive migrants as a threat to national wealth and resources. It was found that a large number of people also thought of them as "dangerous" or linked rising levels of crime with them. As a result of this alienation, they lack access to social justice in host countries and are forced to silently endure atrocities against them.
Another resounding message that can be heard is through the lines “We representing peeps they don't play us on the FM/ We talking in our sleep, they still listen on the system”. It highlights the flaws of Western media and how refugees are almost never given a chance to form their own narratives, which often leads to them being exoticised. Digital sources and the news media are concerned with profit accumulation rather than accurate dissemination of information. The use of provocative language and the frequent practice of spreading "fake news" about refugees often leads to the polarization of public opinion. Instead of debunking myths, the media has tasked itself with the process of coming up with new ones. Racism is, of course, reflected in the parley. A recent example would be the coverage of the Ukraine refugee crisis. We have seen European nations welcome Ukrainian refugees with sympathy and understanding. Internet users and news channel reporters have been pouring their praise over the resistance put up by Ukrainians. This is in sharp contrast to the depiction of the Syrian crisis. A few rich white people going to a Zaatari camp in Jordan and clicking pictures does not account for the multiplicity of individuals stuck there. Mainstream social media and polarized news channels are the main sources of information for a majority of people. Thinkers, activists, and critics who point out the hypocrisy are often painted as "taking attention away from the Ukrainians". Instead of accepting their faults and giving them space on platforms, the media ensures that they are pushed into the background.
Another interesting choice was the exclusion of women and children from the video. MIA has been intentional about illustrating how gender differences manifest themselves in migration patterns. Even though women make up about half the population of internally displaced people, the population that arrives in Europe for asylum is mostly men. According to the International Organization of Migration, 66.26% of the individuals registered through Greece and Italy were males. This reflects how patriarchal systems and non-material social structures change the consequences for different genders. 80% of the fatalities during armed conflict are of women, children, and the elderly. The childbearing and nurturing roles assigned to women also make it difficult for them to relocate. Furthermore, they are also vulnerable to the risk of being sexually and physically assaulted by border officials, state actors, and even fellow migrants. The USA defines a refugee as “a person who has a well-founded fear of persecution based on their nationality, race, or political membership within a social group”. Gender is not a criterion here, which makes it difficult for women to get the status of refugees, and to seek justice against gender-based violence and intimate abuse. State policies frequently fail to consider such societal factors that impact women. There is a strong need for cultural shifts in the way women are treated. The onus is on the legal systems to regard their testimonies with serious concern and ensure they feel safe. Therefore, MIA’s strategy to exclude women from the video was effective in indicating the deliberate erasure of marginalized identities at a time when forced migration is higher than at any point in human history.
Over the years, MIA has garnered support from millions. However, there have been a fair share of critics too. People have frequently questioned her aesthetic choices and lyrics. In the context of this particular music video, many believe that her depictions equate to the dehumanization of refugees and the “aestheticization of poverty”. I assess the topic differently. Today, Maya has created a revenue stream for herself that earns her millions. Having performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show and the Academy Award Ceremony clearly shows the scale of her platform. Her privileges in terms of having economic and social influence are quite evident. Despite that, she has always been consistent with her choice of representing refugees and their interests through her music. She has repeatedly said that her aim is to empower others who need to be vocalized. In an interview with ‘Rolling Stone' in 2010, she said, "It took me 20 years to get over here, learn the language, become a pop star and say, 'Finally, I get the microphone!' This is what I was going to say if I got it when I was 10." This spirit is a recurring theme in all her works. What Maya has done is historic, for for the first time we see a refugee creating art about refugees. By choosing to recount her past and documenting stories of other refugees through her music, she is writing shared history and cultivating a collectivist spirit of art, which also seems to assuage painful memories for those who have been through the tormenting losses of home and community. It not only gives expression to pre-existing identities, but also provides the space for negotiating with and creating new ones. MIA is a voice creating a safe space for the exiled, dispersed, and lost where they can finally feel a sense of belonging.
References
M.I.A. [M.I.A.]. (2016, February 17). M. I. A.- Borders [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Nw7HbaeWY
Nationalities of Migrants arriving to Italy and Greece in 2015. Humanitarian Data Exchange. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://data.humdata.org/dataset/greece-and-italy-nationalities-of-arrival-2015?force_layout=desktop
Refugees Admissions Report as per August 2022. (2022). Retrieved 2022, from https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/PRM%20Refugee%20Admissions%20Report%20as%20of%2031%20Aug%202022.xlsx
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