by: Binyavanga Wainaina
some tips: sunsets and starvation are good
Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title. Subtitles may include the words ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Masai’, ‘Zulu’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘Congo’, ‘Nile’ ‘Big’, ‘Sky’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Drum’, ‘Sun’ or ‘Bygone’. Also useful are words such as ‘Guerrillas’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Primordial’ and ‘Tribal’. Note that ‘People means Africans who are not black, while ‘The People’ means black Africans
Never have a picture of a well-adjusted African on the cover of your book, or in it, unless that African has won the Nobel Prize. An AK-47, prominent ribs, naked breasts: use these. If you must include an African, make sure you get one in Masai or Zulu or Dogon dress.
In your text, treat Africa as if it were one country. It is hot and dusty with rolling grasslands and huge herds of animals and tall, thin people who are starving. Or it is hot and steamy with very short people who eat primates. Don’t get bogged down with precise descriptions. Africa is big: fifty-four countries, 900 million people who are too busy starving and dying and warring and emigrating to read your book. The continent is full of deserts, jungles, highlands, savannahs and many other things, but your reader doesn’t care about all that, so keep your descriptions romantic and evocative and unparticular.
Make sure you show how Africans have music and rhythm deep in their souls, and eat things no other humans eat. Do not mention rice and beef and wheat; monkey-brain is an African’s cuisine of choice, along with goat, snake, worms and grubs and all manner of game meat. Make sure you show that you are able to eat such food without flinching, and describe how you learn to enjoy it—because you care.
Taboo subjects: ordinary domestic scenes, love between Africans (unless a death is involved), references to African writers or intellectuals, mention of school-going children who are not suffering from yaws or Ebola fever or female genital mutilation.
Throughout the book, adopt a sotto voice, in conspiracy with the reader, and a sad I-expected-so-much tone. Establish early on that your liberalism is impeccable, and mention near the beginning how much you love Africa, how you fell in love with the place and can’t live without her. Africa is the only continent you can love—take advantage of this. If you are a man, thrust yourself into her warm virgin forests. If you are a woman, treat Africa as a man who wears a bush jacket and disappears off into the sunset. Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated. Whichever angle you take, be sure to leave the strong impression that without your intervention and your important book, Africa is doomed.
Your African characters may include naked warriors, loyal servants, diviners and seers, ancient wise men living in hermitic splendour. Or corrupt politicians, inept polygamous travel-guides, and prostitutes you have slept with. The Loyal Servant always behaves like a seven-year-old and needs a firm hand; he is scared of snakes, good with children, and always involving you in his complex domestic dramas. The Ancient Wise Man always comes from a noble tribe (not the money-grubbing tribes like the Gikuyu, the Igbo or the Shona). He has rheumy eyes and is close to the Earth. The Modern African is a fat man who steals and works in the visa office, refusing to give work permits to qualified Westerners who really care about Africa. He is an enemy of development, always using his government job to make it difficult for pragmatic and good-hearted expats to set up NGOs or Legal Conservation Areas. Or he is an Oxford-educated intellectual turned serial-killing politician in a Savile Row suit. He is a cannibal who likes Cristal champagne, and his mother is a rich witch-doctor who really runs the country.
Among your characters you must always include The Starving African, who wanders the refugee camp nearly naked, and waits for the benevolence of the West. Her children have flies on their eyelids and pot bellies, and her breasts are flat and empty. She must look utterly helpless. She can have no past, no history; such diversions ruin the dramatic moment. Moans are good. She must never say anything about herself in the dialogue except to speak of her (unspeakable) suffering. Also be sure to include a warm and motherly woman who has a rolling laugh and who is concerned for your well-being. Just call her Mama. Her children are all delinquent. These characters should buzz around your main hero, making him look good. Your hero can teach them, bathe them, feed them; he carries lots of babies and has seen Death. Your hero is you (if reportage), or a beautiful, tragic international celebrity/aristocrat who now cares for animals (if fiction).
Bad Western characters may include children of Tory cabinet ministers, Afrikaners, employees of the World Bank. When talking about exploitation by foreigners mention the Chinese and Indian traders. Blame the West for Africa’s situation. But do not be too specific.
Broad brushstrokes throughout are good. Avoid having the African characters laugh, or struggle to educate their kids, or just make do in mundane circumstances. Have them illuminate something about Europe or America in Africa. African characters should be colourful, exotic, larger than life—but empty inside, with no dialogue, no conflicts or resolutions in their stories, no depth or quirks to confuse the cause.
Describe, in detail, naked breasts (young, old, conservative, recently raped, big, small) or mutilated genitals, or enhanced genitals. Or any kind of genitals. And dead bodies. Or, better, naked dead bodies. And especially rotting naked dead bodies. Remember, any work you submit in which people look filthy and miserable will be referred to as the ‘real Africa’, and you want that on your dust jacket. Do not feel queasy about this: you are trying to help them to get aid from the West. The biggest taboo in writing about Africa is to describe or show dead or suffering white people.
Animals, on the other hand, must be treated as well rounded, complex characters. They speak (or grunt while tossing their manes proudly) and have names, ambitions and desires. They also have family values: see how lions teach their children? Elephants are caring, and are good feminists or dignified patriarchs. So are gorillas. Never, ever say anything negative about an elephant or a gorilla. Elephants may attack people’s property, destroy their crops, and even kill them. Always take the side of the elephant. Big cats have public-school accents. Hyenas are fair game and have vaguely Middle Eastern accents. Any short Africans who live in the jungle or desert may be portrayed with good humour (unless they are in conflict with an elephant or chimpanzee or gorilla, in which case they are pure evil).
After celebrity activists and aid workers, conservationists are Africa’s most important people. Do not offend them. You need them to invite you to their 30,000-acre game ranch or ‘conservation area’, and this is the only way you will get to interview the celebrity activist. Often a book cover with a heroic-looking conservationist on it works magic for sales. Anybody white, tanned and wearing khaki who once had a pet antelope or a farm is a conservationist, one who is preserving Africa’s rich heritage. When interviewing him or her, do not ask how much funding they have; do not ask how much money they make off their game. Never ask how much they pay their employees.
Readers will be put off if you don’t mention the light in Africa. And sunsets, the African sunset is a must. It is always big and red. There is always a big sky. Wide empty spaces and game are critical—Africa is the Land of Wide Empty Spaces. When writing about the plight of flora and fauna, make sure you mention that Africa is overpopulated. When your main character is in a desert or jungle living with indigenous peoples (anybody short) it is okay to mention that Africa has been severely depopulated by Aids and War (use caps).
You’ll also need a nightclub called Tropicana, where mercenaries, evil nouveau riche Africans and prostitutes and guerrillas and expats hang out.
Always end your book with Nelson Mandela saying something about rainbows or renaissances. Because you care.
This entry was posted on Monday, July 2nd, 2007 at 4:26 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
What’s good V. aka Joy. lol. Always on ur socially consciencous grind! Thaz what’s up! Lovin’ how the author put everything in an alegorical style.. Ancedotes about the plight and flight of Africa’s continued devolution… Word pictures always paint a most beautiful image of the verite of the place. Ironically I’ve been musing over a poem I wrote recently which will be entitled “Sunrise” or “Sunset” depending on ur id perspectives.. I guess the point is to write, write, right.. About mother Africa and all she’s done for the world as a whole.. For we truly could not have existed (so long or so well) without her…
Salaam
P.
Because You Care? Yes!
P.
Yes! Binyavanga Wainaina is a brilliant Kenyan author and I think this piece really puts in perspective how much Africa is filtertered through a lens.
Even when we mean well and have the best intentions at heart, it’s very easy to only view Africa in a one-dimensional. condescending way. What I love about this article is that the author forces us to to focus on this power dimension and how the Western world as a whole still has a very colonial mentality when it comes to Africa…. whether it’s intentional or not.
I am SOOOOOOOOO PISSED!! I went to post my reply to ur comments Vin. and hit the wrong button and erased my shit!! ARRRGGGGGHHH!! It was good too! lol. I wrote a lot and can’t remember it all now.. Dammit! But I was basically saying that the real strength of Africa is her ppl. Their ability to ADAPT and Survive no matter what! It is the true honor of being of “African Descent” IMO.
I like the way he takes a satirical and almost sarcastic tone to his commentary on how Africa is viewed by many in the western world.. He defintely emphasised the “Stereotypical” view that many ppl have esp. from the media of what Africa is all about.. It is about SOOOOO much more!
As communication, transportation and technology advances the bubble that many have viewed Africa from will continue to dissingrate.. Hopefully b4 it is too late to save her… Either way she will survive not based on ppl’s perceptions of what she is but based on the reality and beauty of her strength… And I think that is the true essence of his writtings..
P.
*Man Up!*
Bad Western characters may include children of Tory cabinet ministers, Afrikaners, employees of the World Bank.
—NOW THAT’S FUNNY!! Honestly reading and re-reading this article I had to laugh several times! It is as much serious and it is funny.. Why is the TRUTH always so humorous?? lol. Excellent article Joy! Thanks for sharing!
P.eace
This reminded me of a post on the akmb awhile back where a young lady from Africa was upset at how Americans viewed Africa in general. She was appalled at how the tv, news, and books always portrayed Africans as a stereotypical, poverty stricken, battleground all over. She vented and finally accepted (after several responses) that the images shown was all people had to go on and she began to enlighten us on the good as well as the bad.
We just need to dig deeper than the surface to find out what’s really going on. And the sarcastic spin on this article was hilarious, thanx for posting.
yeah, it’s the sarcastic and satirical approach that makes this article as effective as it is!
If any of you get a chance, you should definitely check out a novel called “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. “Cry the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton is also a phenomenal read.
But even though the differences are magnified throughout our litterature, it’s also highlighted in all these Hollywood movies and even independent films and documentaries. It’s hard to even describe but at the Toronto International Film Festival years back, there was a spotlight on Africa with hundreds of films from African directors, producers, writers, etc. and the comparison between some of these films and Hollywood’s depiction is just unmatched. From watching these films, you can pull out and identify what the directors choose to focus on, the vocabulary in the script, the story they want to tell and the message underlying the film…. there’s no Western hero swooping in to save the day, there’s little emphasis on “tribal conflicts”, they were (literally) quite simply a diverse combination of the struggles, relationships, loves, fears, accomplishments that we all encounter depending on our cultures, religions and societal and personal values and beliefs. I’m not suggesting that in order to write about Africa, one must keep it rosy and not focus on the problems that do exist, however, Africa is not one-dimensional and Africa is not one country…. it’s a vast continent with many different cultures, languages and beliefs. There’s an absolutely incredible film called “Yesterday” that was beautifully directed by a South African producer and it tells the story of a rural mother living with HIV. But the difference between this film and many other films is that the film DOES NOT PREACH, nor does he harp on the sterotypes that we are all accustomed to seeing. It’s no accident that the term AIDS does not surface once in the entire film, yet the magnitude of the pandemic comes to life and the reality of it’s effects is striking. The central focus of the film is on this mother’s daily routine. The film moves away from the scenarios of doom and gloom that pervade the HIV/AIDS issue. Stats after stats, two million, five million, eventually they lose meaning. But when you see the human suffering and tragedy of one person, it speaks to you as another person and that is its power.
The subtle stereotypes are non-existent- not because they made a conscious effort to eradicate them, but because their views are not filtered through the same lens as those who know Africa from nothing more than the media, word of mouth, and the occasional tourist visits. Not that one can necessarily fault Westerners because, as you said Mstoya, for many people, what is shown through the media is all many people know. Which is why, as y’all said, it’s so important to read, read, read…. to not believe everything that’s shown to us and to dig deeper, do our own research and come to our own conclusions.
How many films and books are written about Africa?? Thousands I’m sure…
From those that I have seen/read I don’t think all of them put a negative spin or always use stereotypes in their writings
or in their production. I think there are somethings that are inherit to Africa and yes the continent is quite diverse and yet
very similiar in its struggle for survival for ALL of Africa is still considered 3rd world! I think ppl are more educated about Africa than in times past.. Not as educated as they should be perhaps but certainly not with blinders on as to legitmacy of Africa’s ablity for self sufficency. My point is it is important to keep an open mind incases like this.. Not not filter the truth.. Yes! Negative or the Positive. And to not nec. assume that the majority of westerns think that Africa as a whole is some backwards dying nation? I don’t believe that is the general consensus.
Authors write from the perspective of their own experiences… Readers read (or should) with a view of gaining a new perspective on another persons point of view.. I think there are books and films that show Africa in both shades of light. Hopefully they will continue to promote truth good or evil as regards the history and future of Africa as a whole.
**I am of the belief that Africa although being divided into many different and diverse countries are infact interdepent on each other.. Just as the USA is dependant on UK and vise versa.. When Africa realizes this maybe those countries will finally come together and stop warring against one another which is the greatest plight plaguing Africa at this time.. i.e; Dafur**
P.
There are many, many films and books out there that definitely do not put a negative spin on Africa and likewise, there are many Africanists that do due diligence in their teachings and writings. And the litterature that is out there is more often than not written with respect to the different countries and their cultures. The point I’m trying to get across is not that everyone outside Africa is un-educated about the politics, ways of life and resiliency of Africans… on the contrary, I think many directors do their best to really research the history before they shoot, I think many writers draw on past litterature and do a good job citing actual accounts… the point I’m trying to get across is that there is a marked difference in the way African authors write about Africa and the way African producers and directors bring an African film to life. In short- they tell a story. They tend to steer away from highlighting a cause and simply paint a picture of life in Africa.
In terms of international intervention, there is a growing desire for more and more activists to delve into the human rights violations in different coutnries in Africa which I think is necessary and I fall into that category myself. The point that the article draws on and that I am also drawing on is that, as important as it is to advocate for AIDS awareness and interventions, for famine relief, for better conditions in refugee camps, for violent rapes against women, etc, etc….. it is important to not only focus on how we can ameliorate these conditions but to truly understand why they happened in the first place. What the organizers of Live Aid realized after the concert in the 80’s is that if you don’t understand the political systems in place or what actually led to the famines in Ethiopia, all the money raised will not reach the people who need it most.
We’ve made great strides in this respect…. activists and humanitarians understand now that you can’t just raise money and hope to save people, you have to reach world leaders and pressure governments. But in film, litterature and other media outlets, as wonderful as a director or author’s intentions may be, there is still general tendency to concetrate more on building around central issue rather than telling a “human story”. I absolutely do not think that the majority of the Western world sees Africa as a “backwards, dying land”…. but when you undress one’s most sincere intentions (in film and litterature), there is still a general belief which the storyline must center around an issue in which outside interventions are called into play.
When I talked about the “power dimension” in my first comment, I am speaking of an un-intentional position of power. When the Europeans colonized Africa in the late 19th century, they had a genuine belief that they were doing the right thing by “civilizing an uncivilized people”. They truly believed that in colonizing these countries, they would “save Africans from their own barbaric nature”. What the author of this article is trying bring to life is that these subconcious feelings of the West playing big brother, or intervening for the sake of a people is still inherent in the way the western world depicts Africa in film and litterature. That is not to say that they have blinders on or that they are uneducated about what they write or film… not at all. And that’s not to say that they do not do a great job of showing the beautiful face of resiliency and pride and making an effort to uplift an audience. What it does speak to is that the inherent focus seems to ultimately draw back to helping Africans rather than simply telling a story. That’s the best way I san describe it and watching “Yesterday” really puts it into perspetive. You have beautifully written scripts from all over the world of love stories, stories of daily struggles, etc. but it seems that when a film is based in Africa, there is always sn underlying story of missionaries, the United Nations, Doctors without Borders, Humanitarians, Peace-keeping soldiers, etc. saving people. There are exceptions , yes. But it’s no wonder why most people have a filtered view of Africa when these stereotypical roles are always depicted in the biggest movies in Hollywood.
ROTFL!! DAMN V.! Hahha *Waves White Flag!* Hehe Good points… Big Up!
P.eace
I pretty much agree with all the points you made here except this one…
“When I talked about the “power dimension” in my first comment, I am speaking of an un-intentional position of power. When the Europeans colonized Africa in the late 19th century, they had a genuine belief that they were doing the right thing by “civilizing an uncivilized people”. They truly believed that in colonizing these countries, they would “save Africans from their own barbaric nature”.
Now there is some truth to every lie.. lol. And in this case I believe that the “Poltically Correct” propaganda of the time was that these (Africans and Native American Indians) ppl needed saving.. “Civilizing” them? I think ultimately the goal of that time period (gov’t power) as well as today is to CAPITALIZE on ANY situation, nation or ppl that will allow them. But I digress..lol.
Yes over the years a twisted view of Africa has been portrayed in the general media.. Even those with well meaning intentions.
The funding to do a movie in Africa in the first place has a lot to do with the kind of movies westerns make regarding Africa. This is a case of the “Golden Rule” and I don’t mean the one from the Bible..lol. The capitalist one that says “The man with the GOLD RULES!” and therefore those who are producing such films regarding Africa (or authoring books from westerns point of view) are the ones who are finacing these these books and films. And as you mention they may want to shed light on the plight of Africa in some respects feeling that that is a better use of resources than just “Telling a Story” But the bottom line is that they are TRYING to sell books! And are trying to SELL movie tix! And producers will tend to stick with the tried and true (in their realm of experience) of what SELLS (and bonus if it educates lol) rather than showing general life in Africa with the Joys (no pun intended) and pains that we all experience. I guess the author you cited was tryin to draw attention to the fact that Africans in there daily routine of life are just like everyone else basically.. And should be shown as such. Westerns may feel that’s boring? For what westerner wants to pay to watch an African love story? *Of course we know that is a clear example of a stereotype* but I am simply trying to point out some of the rational and reasoning behind why some producers and authors choose to spin there tales of Africa based on some need? Or victimization? I think that is what they think “WE” want to see.. and yes without much choice to the contrary that IS what we do see.. So I see ur point.. lol. I also feel though that it (as with any indengious ppl) that it will really continue to be up to native African Authors and Producers to have their stories told/seen in the way THEY want them to be. If we want stories of Africa to be told in the simple narrative.. We will and should write them ourselves and not nec. expect foriegners to tell our story for us? (Yes, I made it 1st person..lol.) All in all I have benefitted from the rich white folks that have funded projects about Africa. Along with visiting the land myself (which I think every westerner ESP black ppl should be req’d to do! lol.) I can say I have seen both sides of the spectrum and the both have something to offer.. Both the “Story Tellers” and the “Historians/Documentarians” And again your arguements were well made Joy I generally agree with the principle.
P.
word. I see what you’re saying….
and my bad, I should have clarified that paragraph that you quoted. When I said “THEY had a genuine belief”, I was referring to the European Metropole- the general public in Europe. Of course the Governments were a different story. To take the Belgian Congo for example, King Leopold colonized the Congo to extract as much rubber and ivory as he could and in the process essentially killed roughly 10 million people. But to pacify the Europeans back home, he claimed that his sole interest in the Congo was a philanthropic humanitarian mission (which was obviously furthest from the truth). He even held exhibits in Belgium and brought Africans over as part of the exhibit to demonstrate to Europeans how “civilizing the Africans” were helping them. (He would show Africans naked and then fully clothed which depicted Europeans as the saviors)… basically, he painted a very different picture to Europeans then what was actually going on in Central Africa. So you’re right, the Government then (and now) definitely capiatized on the rich resources of African land and the labor of Africans….. but back home, the general belief of Europeans was that their governments were doing a generous thing by going into Africa and “saving the people”. Actually, even with the missionaries who were on the ground in Africa, though they didn’t support the violent means used, they still believed that the “civilizing mission” was a necessary and noble cause. And ironically, it was the media of that period (Journalists and eventually photographs or the “kodak”) that captured the violent realities inside the colonies. It was only then that the Europeans themselves could see past their Governments lies and find a different view of what was actually going on.
Mark Twain once wrote in his book about Leopold:
“The Kodak has been a sore calamity to us. The most powerful enemy that has confronted us…. The only witness I have encountered in my long career that I couldn’t bribe.”
I think that says it all.
Good discussion… great feedback!!!!
I’m really happy to read that article. Africa is a big continent, not a country. That continent is not just about Hunger, poverty, diseases, mutilation or whatever. There are beautiful places, cultures and values, big ressources. It is the place where you can really learn about the value of love, family, friendship. It is a place where people are always laughing, even if they have problems, there is such a good ambiance. There are so many good things I can say about my continent, but I don’t have enough time. People should just describe things the way there really are. They just have to show all sides of things, not just about Africa, but about everything that are written in books or media.