Article
More than just Elephants and Safari’s…
ID # 3771
Both the I didnt know there were cities in Africa article and The Danger of A Single Story speech were very similar in that they both attacked some of the most common stereotypes people have regarding the CONTINENT of Africa. I capitalized the word continent because Africa is so commonly referred to as a country. Chimamanda Adichie is an African novelist from Nigeria who discusses the danger of having one single story of Africa. I really enjoyed her speech because it gave me a firsthand account of some of the experiences people from different countries in Africa have encountered when others have a single story of Africa. The video reinforced the idea of judging people based off of their individual characteristics and personality. When Adichie first came to the U.S. many of the people she encountered assumed she was a certain way because she was from Africa and expected her to create things that were exclusively African. Although she later mentions that she began to accept her African identity, it is important to note that she is not solely defined by that one identity. This story can be applied to anyone in the world who visits a country other than their own. Americans are American, but there is no single story that describes the experiences of us all.
The article we were required to read touches on some of the same themes. I did not find the article surprising because I have encountered some of the same thoughts and feelings about Africa. I have met alot of kids this semester who believe that Africa is a country of amazing sceneries and wild animals that are only accessible in the U.S. via national parks and zoos. With media outlets and children’s books and movies only focusing on the “single story” of Africa, it makes it hard to dive deeper and actually learn about its inhabitants and culture. In fact, many people think that the movie, The Lion King, is an accurate description of the place. I really appreciated the tips the author included so that people may expand their knowledge on Africa and its many distinctly different countries. It was shocking to see how much of a problem stereotyping still is today when it comes to Africa. When I visited Uganda, I was told to bring old t-shirts and shorts or skirts. Dont bring anything nice, I was told. This type of behavior is flat out disrespectful in my opinion because it leads you to believe that you are going to a dirty place and your only agenda is to attend safaris or go guerilla tracking. In actuality, most Ugandans like to look nice everyday and care about their appearance. With that, I encourage any future visitor of the continent to bring nice, acceptable clothing that you would wear on a normal day in the U.S.
Further Uganda Resources:
Culture Kit:
Videos:
A Typical Day at New Hope Orphanage
Articles: