So, Kenyans. We need to update our definitions of racism, surely. The last time Europeans talked of Africans having savage cultures was in the early 1900s. Before my parents were born.
Here's a rough timeline of racist narratives:
Here's a rough timeline of racist narratives:
15th to 17th century: Africans don't know the Christian god
17th to 19th century: Africans are biologically inferior and it can be proved by experiments in a lab
19th to mid-20th century: Africam cultures are backward
17th to 19th century: Africans are biologically inferior and it can be proved by experiments in a lab
19th to mid-20th century: Africam cultures are backward
1950s to 1980s: Africans are "developmentally" behind and need help from the West to catch up
1980s to today (neoliberal era where racism is described in business terms): Africans need to be entrepreneurs and benchmark with the West to catch up.
1980s to today (neoliberal era where racism is described in business terms): Africans need to be entrepreneurs and benchmark with the West to catch up.
So you can whine in 19th century Marxist language about religion as opium of the masses, and our faiths being called savage, but actually, the current racism is TVET. And as you talk of cultural authenticity, your traditional chiefs are collaborators with English neocolonialism.
You think the wazungu in charge of KWS care whether your African traditional religions are legit? Ask @m_ogada how wazungu landgrabbers are using African traditional leaders to steal land in northern Kenya. TODAY.
So proving the validity of African traditional faiths is good for your self esteem. If you're already convinced of that validity, wonderful! Now you need to use it to demand power.
But this trying to guilt trip people into praising African culture is suffocating.
But this trying to guilt trip people into praising African culture is suffocating.
But I blame, again, the education system for this outdated grasp of history. I've heard lecturers repeat these old narratives. But it's because my generation is stuck in elite dreams of the 70s. Don't follow us there. You should be #BlackLivesMatter, not using these old stories.
So when you go back to history, it's for foundation to claim social justice and power today, not for proving you have a history. Few Europeans would dare say publicly that Africa has no history, religion or traditions. More statues would fall if they did.
So pick the battles of YOUR generation. If you need to know what the previous ones did, ask.
