What's the True Calling

Nervous Conditions was a brilliant novel by Darembenga.  Nervous Conditions is a term coined by Franz Fanon relating to the state of Africans in a colonial system.  These Africans aren't sure anymore who they are or who they are supposed to become.  They often end up having to adopt different names, roles, and personalities for different people they come in contact with and different situations they are in.  This creates the nervous condition in Africans who have to adopt all these different roles; they end up not being sure who they really are or who they are supposed to be in different situations.  This was exemplified perfectly in Nervous Condtitons.  Tambu is raised on the homestead in a village, so she is in tune with her African being and place.  Although she in born into this, she is greatly exposed to the colonial life throughout the years.  At first it was just seeing Babamukuru drive up in his big car but as she got older she couldn't help but be sucked in.  As history shows happens to many other for good and bad, Tambu ended up going to Christian western schools.  With the Europeans gaining access to these young, mailable, African minds they are able to shape and mold them to meet their own needs.  It is this system that creates and continues the nervous condition.  The result of this is that Africans end up not being able to fully identify with any group other than fellow colonized African minds. 
I can relate to this condition, in being bi-racial I find myself putting on different masks in different situations.  I don't consciously do it, it just happens automatically.  Just as we don't think to breathe or beat our heart, I don't think to act one way around this group of people or that way around that group of people.  Its just the way I've been mentally colonized even here in the U.S. Also throughout my life I've learned that certain people are more receptive to a certain language and actions while others expect and postivily respond to different actions and communication. 

The Art of Social Engineering

The continent of Africa has been fundamental in human development since the beginning of time.  Being the birthplace of mankind, Africa is the original and fundamental birthplace of us all.  Africa is truly the cradle of man-kind and most likely event the birthplace of the genus' that preceded human beings.  From the beginning of the keeping of records, Africa was a center for ideas and learning.  The had the most profitable and largest gold mines as well as the worlds best libraries, at one point in Alexandria and later in Timbuktu.  This was before Europe had an easy or direct route to Africa.  Greeks came to learn from the scholars in  Egypt in the BCs and Western Europeans to Ghana and Mali for Gold in the 13th and 14th centuries.  However this relationship changed for some reason once Western Europeans were able to sail the seas directly to the coasts of Africa this relationship changed.  For whatever reason they started a system of turning millions of Africans to chattel and having the remaining Africans believe they were inferior and less than human.  The Africans who were lucky enough to miss the slave trade were colonised and brainwashed.  They were taught to believe that their traditions, beliefs and way of life were inferior.  They were then told the way to correct this was to become Christian and westernized, of course for the financial gain of the West.  These stereotypes were then spread worldwide that Africans were primitive, uneducated, savage, animal-like beings, or even went as far as calling them cannibals in some cases. These stereotypes started hundreds of years ago remain today

The Curious Kitty

Luke Frederick 

African Lit

May 23, 2011

Dr. Benander

The Curious Kitty

The Rabbi’s Cat was an excellent graphic novel, ranking up with the best of the best. Sfar’s storyline was great, not only entertaining but also a well done cultural critique.  Kitty was pure perfection as a character and he was constantly used to get Sfar’s point across, which the Rabbi and other characters didn’t always agree with.  Sfar probably realized that most people reading this story would not be Jewish, so Kitty played the reader in the story often asking background questions about Judaism and its culture to better inform the reader. In contrast as the story goes along, the Rabbi starts to serve this purpose of clarifying things for the reader and explain different traditions and practices.  The battle of the story once again is tradition versus modernity and where to find the common ground.

In the beginning the Rabbi firmly represented tradition, saying prayers every morning and faithfully following the Jewish texts and practices.  Then there’s kitty who only wants to become a Jew so that he can marry his mistress (The Rabbi’s Daughter).  Sfar was making a strong point right here, saying that many Non-Jewish people become Jews for the wrong reasons.  Kitty never does become Jewish but defiantly loves them and is part of their circle, which never changes.  Sfar makes many points in the story through the characters themselves, not only in the storyline or events of the story.  This is the case with Malka who is very interesting.   He isn’t in the story long yet does a lot for the story and for the reader.  He truly represents tradition in every way. Wearing traditional Arab dress of North Africa while still being a Jew.  He keeps his lion and rifle with him and doesn’t hesitate to use violence when tested or disrespected.  The Rabbi appreciates this but realizes those are ways of the past and maybe even sins.  He always thanks Malka though because he does things out of his loyalty and kindness of heart which are two very traditional morals almost anywhere in the world.  This is why Malka is loved and respected by everyone. 

Then there is the French Rabbi who fully represents modernity.  He went to school in Paris, wears western clothes, and is not as conservative as the Rabbi when it comes to his Judaism.  It was destined for the two to bump heads which they did strongly in Paris.  At the end of the day it was the Old Rabbi who changed and was transformed into a more modern Jew, which can be good or bad depending on who one asks.  It was good because the Rabbi was more aware of the world and a more open-minded Jew after going to Paris.  He still stuck to too many of his traditional ways but understood the more modern Jews too.  Interestingly enough he realized that some people just take religion too seriously.

Twist

Luke Frederick                 

May 16, 2011     

Benander

Movie review

The Twist

Ca Twiste En Popenguine was a huge relief.  After reading and watching different colonial and post colonial African art it can become draining.  This film gives us a different view of colonialism in Africa, more specifically Senegal.  Set in the 1960’s, this film follows two different groups of teen in town, The Ins and The Kings.  Both groups love rock and roll and obviously, girls.  The problem is that the Ins have the girls and the Kings have the only record player in town.  This obviously is going to cause some friction.   In the middle of all of this is Bacc, who plays both sides of the fence between the groups and causes a lot of the trouble between them.  Although this is a lighthearted movie for the most part, it still deals with some deep issues.  It shows the colonial education system, with a white French teacher who only teaches about France to these African children.  The movie shows that how when they get the education they often go to Paris to rarely be seen again, if ever.  Interestingly enough, this is pretty much what happens to the French teacher who is arguably the most miserable character in the movie.  He comes to Popenguine to never see France again.  There is a poignant scene in the movie where the he tries to correct the Senegalese people about how to discipline children, and he is met head on by a senior member of the community and realizes this is a give and take relationship.  This is also shown in the scene with the TV and call to prayer.  Africans really had an identity crisis and this is film this is touching on.  In the party scene they have a Frenchman signing American rock n roll made by an African American; He’s singing this in Popenguine to teenagers wearing bell bottoms and polyester shirts.  There was such a mix of everything that these teens created a new African identity for their generation which greatly differed from the generation before them, for these teens western equaled cool and new and they embraced the music, clothing, and art of the 1960’s.  The Kings being the U.S. version and the Ins being the French version.

Overall this was really a film to entertain more than so to educate about colonialism.  Obviously they touch on some issues but it’s nearly impossible not to when talking about Africa.  When I was watching it I almost saw it as Grease but in Senegal in the 60s.  The movie was all about music and trying to get girls, and 2 rival gangs battling for their affection.  I thought the movie was good and would recommend it to someone trying to see some more lighthearted African Art.

Gordimer

Nadine Gordimer was an excellent author, which I really enjoyed reading.  Her style was much different from the other African authors we have read, however the content and messages in her stories were similar to Achebe and others.  Gordimer being a white South African, knew all too well the injustices and horror of colonization, especially apartheid.  She attacked both appetite and colonialism in "Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants."  She was showing how colonization not only hinders African advancement, but is also detrimental to the white South Africans as well.  Gordimer was debunking the idea that Boers had total control in apartheid;  her claim was that no one has control over apartheid.  Gordimer would have compared this to Frankenstein, the monster that was created by man but could not be controlled by him.  The Africans obviously had it the worst and were the ones that were truly downtrodden, but in the process the Boers minds had been corrupted too. 
 This must have been extremely hard, and even dangerous for Gordimer to do.  This is a white woman in South Africa not only speaking out against apartheid, but also preaching this message directly to the Boers; and even telling them that their minds have been damaged by the very system created to damage others.  She was truly walking a thin line and was a target for both sides.  She was working so hard for the Africans, but i think to myself; What if she is walking around a town or village and the Africans didn't know who she was? They would probably see her as just another racist Boer coming through their neighborhood.  She could have hypothetically been attacked by the same people she was fighting for.  Then on  the other hand I can only imagine how Boers who supported apartheid looked at her.  I would imagine similar to how William Lloyd Garrison was viewed by Southern Slave owners (he and other abolitionists were tarred and feathered and nearly beat to death during speeches.)  I applaud Gordimer as well for truly have a grasp on the colonial African experience, being a Boer.  In "Amnesty" she tapped into this experience so well, knowing and understanding what these Africans were going through to earn their land and rights.  She not only understood the hardships on the political and military front lines; but also the sacrifices being made at home by the women and children of these men.  For her to grasp that experience so well in astounding, and to me, proves she really cared about these people and that's why she was writing; not for fame or fortune.

Achebe

Achebe was a brilliant author who knew the pain, struggles and hardships that plagued colonized Africa.  He was clearly from the literati class of political authors; siting the main points of deception, cruelty, and abuse from the colonizers, yet still taking a firm non violent approach.  This wasn't necessarily the normal stance to take for African authors and revolutionaries.  Achebe seems cool, cool, calm, and collected; almost like a Martin Luther King Jr. His stories' messages have a grandfather like wisdom about them.  "Girls at War" was excellent story that not only told the stories of war ravenged Africa, but also had a deeper meaning for those colonizes Africans and also the outside world, especially the colonizers. In this particular story those colonizers also happened to be African.  This is a thing that still plagues parts of Africa today this day; corrupt and sell out African leaders and bureaucrats.  He realized that the colonization of his people was deeper than just the hardships they were put through.  This colonization was also one of the mind.  Africans were either brainwashed by the colonizers about their roots and intelligence, or shown the ways of greed and luxury at the expense of a fellow man.  This is what Achebe was picking at in "The Madman". These European oppressors not only were corrupting the lifestyle and lively hood of the people but also of their mind. Africans were being told lies from these evil oppressors, and after awhile many started to believe these ludicrous lies.  Achebe saw the danger of this, its one thing to colonize and control a man's mind, but a whole another thing to take control of a man's thoughts and beliefs. So he warned his people about this danger in "The Madman".
This must have been tough for Achebe to try to give rise and intelligence of his people, while also sending harsh criticisms to the oppressors.  This was a dangerous thing to do in Achebe's day and he deserves extra credit for doing it a foreign tongue of English.  I applaud him for not even batting an eye at not winning the Nobel Prize.  What prize is that to a man who has helped free his people.  His prize he has helped shape and mold himself over many years of hard work and conflict.  I would encourage anyone to read his great stories of liberation, knowledge of self, and self determination.

Zorro, A True Hero

I really enjoyed reading the graphic novel Zorro.  This book was an action packed book with a great story and even better illustrations.  This was my first intimate look at a graphic novel and i must say it was impressive.  Graphic novel or "comic books" render memories of square superheros fighting crime in overly tight spandex suits;cheesy.  Zorro is a much more complex character and the story line in this graphic novel shows much more depth, both literally and metaphorically.  They make Zorro a great hero, and really developed his character by showing parallel stories from his youth and one of his adventures as Zorro.  This makes the reader get to know Zorro on a deeper level and learn his thought processes and motivations.  Unlike many other heroes, Zorro does not fight for revenge or vendetta, but rather for justice.  These principles put Zorro on a higher pedal stool, they also mix in the Robin Hood idea of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.
The other thing that makes Zorro a great read is how the authors laid out the illustrations.  These drawings were vivid and did a great job telling the story all by themselves.  The artist has so much control over how the story comes across.  They did a great job of using various lighting in the slide to show a flashback, time of day, good and evil, or even joy or sadness.  Then by manipulating the gutter the illustrator can show the action from different speeds and views which also makes the story almost come to life right on the page.  This gives some advantages and challenges for authors of graphic novels.  There has to be a perfect hybrid of text, pictures, action,and storyline to keep the reader interested.  In my opinion Zorro did a fantastic job in mixing these together to produce a great graphic novel.