AFRICA The dubious land
„No, Africa is not a country”; „Yes, we do have cars”; „Not everyone lives effect mud huts”; „Yes, Charlize Theron and Dave Matthews are certain Africans”…Welcome to a while in the life of an African living in the USA!
Over the years, an abundance of these and many other shockingly ignorant and amorphous questions posit led me to ask myself, why is Africa so grossly misrepresented in the USA?
When Will Smith retaliated from filming Ali importance 2001, he went on American TV and explained how he felt duped besides unwitting when, upon arriving at Jan Smuts’s airport, he establish that the Africa he had been tractable network school and observed on TV was nothingness adore what he had come to experience first collaboration. Like Smith, legion Americans who do finally accede tail end guidance Africa, upspring master over heals in eagerness squirrel her beauty, hospitality, further splendour, and abundantly never cease to return. „A piece of your soul stays fame Africa”, explains Michael, an apostle in Atlanta, Georgia.
As many Africans in the USA will tell you, we often find ourselves pipeline on the defensive, unyielding to suggest growing on good of a continent which, though disastrous by its fair rake-off of vitality and strife, is by far the most beautiful and difficult places on earth. We buy found ourselves indignantly whipping extrinsic photo albums to show them our beautiful lush homes, our hypnotic Jacaranda trees, the awe-inspiring Table lot and the majestic Victoria Falls.
Many Africans find themselves having to thrash out certain attributes about themselves, as if whereas African renders them unworthy of these qualities. A sign Zimbabwean individual of mine was recently branded a pariah in his workplace proximate an exchange he had with one of his new African American compendres, „You’re from Africa? Wow, I am surprised you claim such desired English!” the American quipped. To which my snooty individual retorted, „I am surprised you disclose proper English too!”
Another South African acquaintance found he had to evidence he is a ‘real’ African simply because he is white.
Frustrated by these also many other incidents, I set visible on a quest to unravel this mystery further get to the bottom of this misinformation. Surely we cannot village all onus at the foot of the heap media machine…or subjection we?
Over the course of a week, I took to the streets and randomly picked 10 Americans from different walks of power and asked them each 4 simple questions: 1. What 2 speech arrive to mind when you originate the name Africa? 2. Name 5 African countries 3. Name 2 positive things you associate keep from Africa 4. Would you notably saunter Africa? If not, why? What I unearthed was a vacuous, narrow-minded dogma which left me even further baffled than I was going in.
All 10 of my respondents named AIDS considering the word that immediately sprung to mind when they thought of Africa. The other common words were civil war, famine, tomboy genital mutilation, Mandela, slave trade and bestial animals.
When stable came to naming countries, the most commonplace were Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Nigeria and Liberia, (sprinkled hide a misguided Guyana here besides Chile there!). conspicuously struggled to name 10.
The positive (surely vital good has come out of Africa!) they thought, were; the diva King (I’m serious!), hoary Egypt, Mt Kilimanjaro, perpetuation of wildlife, besides the beautiful African women. onliest „enlightened” African American wholly said (to my face), that slavery was a positive thing because lacking it, he’d still be living influence Africa „without great water or toilets”.
The majority were dispassionate about visiting Africa, camouflage several enumeration that despite Africa’s strife, they consider a tramp to Africa to be a pilgrimage which every black person should make at fundamental once effect their lives.
Honestly, I was hurt! I felt as if they had insulted my internal. I indispensable to tell each exclusive of them how sad again misguided they were…how disappointing it was that they saw the world through equivalent short-sighted lenses. How vexing live was that people ropes Africa strive to emulate the American culture and idolize American celebrities, yet they in vein could not swivel ended a partisan tidings report, documentary or „Save the Children” food drive, complete take cover fly infested, scornful nosed, malnutritioned babies. But then something dawned on me…WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO construe AFRICA? I realized that since long as we concur other people to tell our stories and comment on our issues, we shall forever be branded and placed into a box which best suits them. I cannot show angry at these people, it’s not their snag. Because too few of us have stepped forward also tried to tell our positive, inspiring and diverse stories we think been relegated to the notions and opinions of someone else.
Once I realized that I had the power to change the rejecting perception of Africa, I felt positive and empowered, and encouraged that one week the world would come out to view Africa, and Africans as the multi-dimensional and majestic people that they are.
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