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Decolonising my, your, his, her, our mind

Africa: The big Scramble shared by many countries. 

Africa was a meeting point for most of the colonizers; British, Portuguese, French and German men were spreading their legacy, banishing the native’s one. That is why, nowadays, the African traditions and stories (riddles, proverbs, sayings) are still alive because of the orality.

Ngugi Wa Thiango is a Kenyan writer and the author of the book “Decolonising the Mind”. Ngugi’s first stories were written in English, a fact that made him realize how Colonization had manipulated and changed people, HIS people. Why was he writing in English when his native language is the Gikuyu? He was making a successful career by leaving behind his roots. 

Africans being punished.

During colonization, missionaries and colonial administrators controlled the literature. They forced children to speak European languages, they told them their Mother tongue was bad and therefore English was better. If they didn’t do this they were punished. This blindness to the indigenous voice of Africans is a direct result, of colonization, according to Ngugi.   

"English in Africa is a "cultural bomb"..."

Due to this Ngugi began to write in Gikuyu. A brave decision, I mean, considering how powerful Globalization had become. “English in Africa is a “cultural bomb” that continues a process of erasing memories of pre-colonial” he said.

Writing in his native language, then, is his way of communicating with African people, returning them to their past life, their real life and remembering himself where he comes from.  It must be very disappointing to realize that you have been alienated; you have forgotten your roots and contributed to post-colonization effects. But, at the end of the day we all do the same thing, especially us, Chileans. Do you know how to speak Mapudungun? Do we know where we come from? Do we respect more native people than foreign ones? Do we? 

                                           Ngugi talking about cultures and languages.