Joe Sambou

>From: Hamadi Banna <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: African Culture Or A State Of Underdevelopment? >Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 14:44:54 -0500 > >What we witness in most African countries today is a rapid >de-valorization >of the peoples’ cultural norms since independence. The Ivoirian >writer, >Ahmadou Kourouma, fittingly calls it the “bastardization of >(Africa’s) >independence”. The aping of Western political systems and cultural >practices >has left the average African virtually despondent and groping >frustratingly >for cultural identification whenever the need arises. > >The Conradian concept of Africa of indolent savages and baboons >chasing each >other in impenetrable jungles and the negative image of the >continent in >Western media is what may have prompted Toronto Mayor, Mel Lastman, >to >consider Africans as cannibals. According to the Toronto Star, >Mayor >Lastman had said that he was “scared of going to Africa to lobby IOC >members >and about picturing natives dancing around him while he stewed in a >pot of >boiling water”. When Alpha Diallo, the Guinean IOC official, >protested to >the IOC about the Mayor’s racist remarks, Mr. Lastman told news >reporters >that he didn’t care if his comments had contributed in Canada’s >failure to >win the bid to host the next Olympic games. > >Over 500 centuries of religious and colonial domination has created >the >cultural conundrum in which African societies find themselves, >presently. >Someone did point out that South East Asian countries such as Japan, >the >Koreas and China have adapted Western technology while still holding >on to >their cultural values. They proudly practice their religions, speak >their >languages, and eat their foods! Yet, since the end of the Second >World War >they have made considerable strides in development that has gained >them a >respectable place in the arena of nations. > >Most African governments have in fact helped in tarnishing the >continent’s >image. They plunder their economies, shamelessly enrich themselves >to the >detriment of their nations and then spend half of their time begging >for >debt and debt relief from their more developed partners. Hence, the >poor >farmer will live and die in the leaking grass-hut just like his >ancestors >did. He can hardly feed himself throughout the year, much less >upgrade his >grass-hut with more durable materials. > >It is also quite common to see (especially educated) Africans >speaking >English or French to one another or to their own children even if >they are >fluent in their national languages. It is no doubt in reaction to >this >situation that the eminent Kenyan writer, Ngugi wa Thiong’o has >decided to >write books only in his native Gikuyu language. His first trial >with the >acclaimed play, ‘I Will Marry When I want’, was a huge success. > >As for African baptismal names, they will soon be history if the >trend >continues. We borrow names from our Middle-Eastern religions in the >misguided believe that they identify with our religious leanings and >thus >get us closer to God. > >It is encouraging to note that the Senegalese government has come up >with a >plan to redress some of these cultural anomalies. Effective >September, >members of the parliament and other key government officials will >reportedly >be required to be literate in one or more Senegalese languages. The >study >kits and other resources are being put in place. Prior to this, >Professors >Sakhir Thiam and Cheikh Anta Diop, to name only a few, had >successfully >written math books in Wolof. > >In my opinion, it is the duty of all Africans and that of their >governments >to protect the positive components of their cultural and traditional >practices. Ideally, we expect to live in a Senghorian “civilization >of the >universal”, where every race can bring the corner stone on which our >harmony >will be built. > >Hamadi > > > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L >Web interface at: >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to >write your full name and e-mail address. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------