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Binyavanga Wainaina: Rewriting Africa
One of Africa's most renowned young authors discusses the need to challenge
the dominant narrative about the continent.
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It is time to change our image of Africa.
Critics say that for too long now, aid organisations, foreign diplomats,
politicians and journalists have been stuck looking at this vast continent
as a convenient photo-opportunity to illustrate victimhood and desperation.
And few men are more forceful in advocating a change in how we perceive
Africa than Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina.
"If you look at the website in Kenya of any western embassy, they talk about
partnership for development and then you see a lot of school children
suffering and then being helped by the ambassador. But they don't list the
companies that are operating here. So it is the question of: What is the
full picture?" Wainaina says.
He feels that by leaving lots of stories under-reported, misreported or
reported again and again, the West perpetuates stereotypes about this
multi-faceted continent.
"In the last five years we have seen a multipolar world come. I am
interested in a powerful Africa, and I really mean an Africa with Power in
the globe, power with capital P. where we have our say and where our say
means something."
-Binyavanga Wainaina
Wainaina found worldwide acclaim through How to write about Africa, his
<
http://www.granta.com/Archive/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1> scathing
satirical essay that is a mock tip-sheet for Western journalists writing
about the African continent.
It includes lines such as: "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."
"The world of humanitarianism and aid in Africa is designed to keep people
passive, dependent and [to] allow power," he tells Al Jazeera.
Wainaina concedes that the "starving orphan" is often a reality on much of
the continent, but he adds:
"The question is not so much the question [of whether we should be] talking
about it. It's that, since the 90's in particular, but throughout the
relationship between Africa and the West, that is the dominant narrative. If
you go back to the 19th or 18th century it was the child, the willful child
that needs to be contained or controlled, or who can be enslaved. Now it's
the child who needs your breast."
"A significant amount of coverage, probably the vast majority of coverage on
Africa by the West, reinforces the pre-existing idea . The existing
narrative must be a dependent and collapsed place. And then, oh maybe there
is a good news story if you are lucky," he says.
"I am interested in a powerful Africa, and I really mean an Africa with
Power in the globe - power with capital P. where we have our say and where
our say means something."
Talk to Al Jazeera sat down with Binyavanga Wainaina, one of the continent's
most influential young authors, to explore why the world is still not
understanding Africa, and how to break the lens of media distortion.
Received on Thu May 02 2013 - 21:20:31 EDT
