A NEMUTANDANI
NEMUTANDANI ASAKUNDWI 52428745
THE WORKS OF WAINAINA: HOW TO WRITE ABOUT AFRICA [2005]
Wainaina wrote this satirical analysis in 2005 where he describes the way in which western people describe Africa, African people and their experiences there.
The focus of this piece is to point how western people exploit Africa in their writing.
Different ways in which Wainaina explained how the westerners write about Africa include:
STEREOTYPED WORD CHOICES
The introductory paragraph of "How to write about Africa" mentions words that most westerners use to describe Africa. These are words like: gorillas, safari, darkness, tribal etc. and many of these words make Africa to sound so outdated and old-fashioned. These words also focus on ethnic groups and landscape by outlining how mountainous and jungle-like Africa is.
STEREOTYPES AND GENERALISATION
Westerners treat Africa as if it were a single country while they ignore its diversity of fifty-four countries and over 900 million people. Africa is represented as this hot and dusty place that is filled with thin, tall and hungry people. Wainaina says that rice, beef and wheat must never be mentioned but instead weird African cuisine consisting of monkey brain, goats and snakes with worms are what we eat.
EXOTICISATION
Wainaina calls out the tendency of western writers to see or view Africa as uncivilized and exotic compared to the western world. And western writers exoticize African bodies by highlighting that they have big, black lips and rounded buttocks. Western writers also view Africans as rhythmic and athletic, and this stereotypes Africans as physical rather than intellectual.
CONCLUSION
This piece highlights harmful stereotypes implied by western writers when they write about Africa. And how writers exoticize Africa by focusing on its wilderness and primitive nature instead of being authentic and complex when writing about Africa. Western writers should rather talk about the continent`s rich resources and diversity in different tribes and ethnic groups.
The works of Wainaina: how to write about Africa.
29 Apr 2024, 20:42
Wainaina wrote this satirical analysis in 2005 where he describes the way in which western people describe Africa, African people and their experiences there. The focus of this piece is to point how western people exploit Africa in their writing. Different ways in which Wainaina explained how the western write about Africa include:
STEREOTYPED WORD CHOICES
The introductory paragraph of "how to write about Africa" mentions words that most westerners use to describe Africa. These are words like: Gorillas, safari, darkness, tribal etc. and many of these words make Africa to sound outdated and old fashioned. These words also focus on landscape and in ethnic group by outlining how mountainous and jungle-like Africa is.
STEREOTYPES AND GENERALISATION
Westerners treat Africa as if it were a single country while they ignore its diversity of fifty four countries and over 900 million people. Africa is represented as this hot and dusty place that is filled with thin , tall and hungry people. Wainaina says rice, beef and wheat must never be mentioned but instead wierd African cuisine consisting of monkey brain, goats and snakes with worms are what we eat.
EXOTICISATION
Wainaina calls out the tendency of western writers to see or view Africa as uncivilized and exotic compared to the western world. And western writers exoticize African bodies by highlighting that they have big, black lips and rounded buttocks. Western writers also view Africans as rhythmic and athletic and this stereotypes Africa as physical rather than intellectual
CONCLUSION
This piece highlights harmful stereotypes implied by western writers when they write about Africa. And how writers exoticize Africa by focusing on its wilderness and primitive nature instead of being authentic and complex when writing about Africa. Western writers should rather talk about the continent's rich resources and diversity in different tribes and ethnic groups.