gave people a language with which to talk to one another. If it failed to give them a song, it at least gave them a tongue, for sighing. (Chinua Achebe)
Colonialism changed a lot for the African people. It changed their culture and also their language, but for most of them it didn’t just bring the development of their culture and their living standards.
In connection to this change in 1964 Chinua Achebe said ‘Colonialism gave people a language with which to talk to one another. If it failed to give them a song, it at least gave them a tongue, for sighing’.
In this comment I want to comment on this quote by Chinua Achebe.
On the one hand the new language offered new opportunities.
Africa is a big continent where many people with different cultures and different languages live. Some people could communicate with others because their languages were similar to each other, but other people weren’t able to communicate with them because their language was too different.
The new language connected all the cultures in Africa and it gave them the chance for communication.
People from Nigeria could go to other parts of Africa and there they were able to go for example to the market and buy some food or other things which they couldn’t get in Nigeria.
Moreover, the English language brought education to Africa because everyone had to learn the language and it also were built schools. In schools African children learned English and also the English standards and rules. Before colonization in Africa, the people were very uneducated. They lived their typical African life, for example they were very lazy people and they spent their time sitting in front of the house, playing with the children or talking to some people. Some of them planted some plants or cared for their fields but they weren’t able to do more things like that. There were also few rules and everyone did what he wanted to. Education brought a structure in their life. African people learned the language and the rules of the British. Some of them learned to read and to write and others even learned Math.
On the other hand the African were forced to hide their mother tongue and some of them lost it because they had to learn the new language. For old people it was very difficult to learn this language. It was their habit to communicate in their mother tongue and it was also a tradition for them to learn this special tongue. Young people and children could learn the new tongue easier than the older ones. Some of them weren’t able to speak their mother tongue because they still had to learn it. But they had to learn the English language and so they didn’t spend much time with learning the mother tongue and they spent more time with learning English because they were forced to do so by the British.
As a result, the mother tongue and in connection to that their culture and traditions got lost.
Furthermore, the new language brought acculturation and that not only brought advantages because different cultures got in a conflict.
In this regard one can see these circumstances in the story ‘Dead Men’s Path’ written by Chinua Achebe.
The young man Michael Obi lives together with his wife Nancy in Nigeria. He was the headmaster of a school there because he was educated in the Western tradition.
Michael Obi tries to improve the school. He knows that soon a British person will come and visit the school and the will write a report about it. Obi wants to read a good report about his school, so he decides to follow the British standards for schools.
He notices that a small path connects the school yard with the shrine and the burial place of the natives and he is annoyed about it and wants to eradicate superstition. For this reason he builds a fence, so no one of the natives can go to school. One day later a priest comes to him and he tells him that the path is a very traditional thing for the natives because they believe that their souls go along this path after their death. But now they can’t because of the fence. Obi just ridicules the priest and he tries to make his dream of a good report come true.
As a result the school compound, some hedges and some flowers and also a part of the school building are destroyed.
That story shows the negative of the English language and its connection to acculturation. Obi is influenced by the English culture and tradition. He tries to enforce the English standards at his school and at the same time he ignores the Nigerian traditions.
To put it in a nutshell, the new language gave the Africans new opportunities and an education, but it brought also a clash of cultures and led to the loss of African traditions.
To return to the statement of Chinua Achebe, I want to say that I think the new language destroyed more than it improved. People were forced to learn a language, they didn’t want to learn.
Some people accepted this fact, so they were able to communicate in English. It gave them ‘a song’. Others didn’t accepted the new language, they learned it, but they didn’t like it, so the language is just useful to ‘sigh’ about the British colonization in Africa.
by Sandra
What is the responsibility of Great Britain towards its former colonies in the British Empire?
postet by Captain Cook Labels: British EmpireThe responsibility of the British Empire towards its former colonies is nowadays a very difficult and controversial topic.
But to understand this complex conflict between the British Empire and the colonized people, you have to “go back into the past” and have a look at the period between the 17th and the 20th century. It was the time of Colonialism. During this time, many people thought that the superior and enlightened Europeans were different from other races they conquered. Some people, like the Africans, were not only regarded as less intelligent, but also as not really human. This imperial mindset resulted in many British people believing in their absolute superiority over the non-whites.
Furthermore, the African people were considered as inept and incapable of building civilization and therefore it was the “burden of the white man”, his “sense of mission”, to come to the colonies and to civilize those “dark and barbaric tribes” by giving them the gifts of freedom, justice and humanity. This can be explained by the simple reason that the British people considered themselves as the “perfect race” who were in complete control of both themselves and the new technologies (Industrial Revolution). “Of course”, the colonists did all these things selflessly and without any desire to make money or to benefit from them. They just wanted to bring progress and humanize the colonies because it was their “duty”. And in return for all this hard work they felt they had the right to take the land away from the natives and use it for themselves.
However this colonial mindset was just a fake. In reality, from the beginning on they had the desire to conquer all of Africa and oppress other peoples. Instead of bringing freedom and justice they brought atrocities and agonies. They exploited and extracted as much as they could from the colonies and destroyed a whole continent. A good example is the Triangular Trade. This trade was a standard practice during this time and took place between the British Isles, the colonized West coast of Africa and the Caribbean. In the first passage, from Great Britain to Africa, trading goods like beads,clothes and weapons were sent in order to civilize the natives. Afterwards, the Africans were sent to America where they were traded like animals and used as slaves. That's the reason why almost 50% of the Africans died during the trip. And lastly, goods like cotton,rum and tobacco which were produced by the slaves were transported back to the British Isles. Because of this
cruel and brutal trade 50 million Africans were stolen from their home country and separated from their family.
So, as you can clearly see, the British Empire owes the former colonies very much. They are also one of the reasons why the former colonies are so disadvantaged and undevelopped nowadays. 400 years of oppression, atrocities and exploitation cannot be just forgotten or excused. Fortunately, lots of colonies declared their independence during the 20th century. They resisted the cruel regimes and started to live in a real freedom and real justice. Of course, there are still many dictatorial regimes in the former colonies which aren't much better than the British Empire. But you have to take into account that many of those dictators are still supported by the former colonists in order to profit from resources like gold or diamonds.
But on the other hand, you also have to mention the positive aspects of Great Britain. After the end of the Colonialism, the time of decolonization started. They even let some of the countries get independent without any resistance. Additionally, they founded a free and independent organisation, called Commonwealth of Nations. This is a kind of organisation which consists of Great Britain and some of the former colonies. Although, the Queen is the Head of State of all these former colonies, they are all regarded as free and equal states. None of these colonies is oppressed or disadvantaged anymore. They are all sovereign states but economic differences still prévail.
But this was just a small step of a very long journey. The former colonizers still have to do many things to make up for the atrocities they committed about 400 years. Many of the former colonies still need much support from outside in order to become financially stable and fully independent. And that's what the British Empire is responsible for. They harmed the former colonies so heavily that consequently they have to pay for it. Maybe then, the destroyed colonies get what they really deserve: freedom and justice.
Taking everything into account, it can be said that the colonizers made two big mistakes. Firstly, they oppressed and destroyed the colonies instead of bringing freedom or justice. And secondly, above all, it is just inacceptable to conquer or to colonize another country if it doesn't want to be conquered. Of course, it is right that the people in the colonies were primitive and undevelopped in technological standards compared to Europe. But if they want to live like that and want to be “native” you have to let them. It's their right and their will to live how they want to live.
by Mesel
Dear Mavis,
I hope you’re fine and you had a good time since we last met. I ‘m sorry that I haven’t written you a letter in such a long time… But please let me try to explain the reason for this, because I’m feeling terrible at this moment and I would really need you, my best friend, next to me.
First of all you know that I went to Malaysia with Guy. Do you remember him? You met him once while he was in England. I thought he’s the man I‘ll spend my whole life with, but when we were in Malaysia something happened, or, actually, I learnt of something that had already happened.
But I want to start at the beginning of the story: After living in Malaysia for quite a few months, I really started to love this place, the nature, the atmosphere, my husband. We were so happy and this just made me feel more and more sure that he’s the one I would get old with.
The problems started with a young native women who lived in the village next to our house. She has three children and I just had the feeling she’s following us all day. And one day, the worst day in my whole life, Guy told me something I would never have imageined… After I asked Guy some questions about her he suddenly told me that the three children of the Malaysian women were also his children and that before he came to Britain she had been something like his wife. As you can imagine, I was totally shocked.
I didn’t know how to handle this. Who would have thought of something like that? I mean she even used to live in this house. Yes, Guy tried to explain the situation to me. He even asked me if I wanted to live somewhere else with him, but I was to totally unable to have a clear thought for weeks. So I stayed with him, in this disgusting house for a few more months. But now I've come to the conclusion that I cannot live with him anymore; I have to leave him…
But, now I feel even worse. Regarding the time I had with Guy, I have to admit that we really had an amazing time together and if you start a relationship with somebody you can’t expect that he never had another partner. On the other hand I can't forgive him for not having told me that he already has three children who would live quite close to us before we left for Malaysia. I had a long time to think about this situation and there’s one issue that makes me the villain in this story, the story of my life: I’m not sure if I want to leave him, because of his lie, or because of the fact that his last relationship was with a native woman. I can’t explain why I feel like this, but I somehow also have the feeling that this is the true reason for me to leave him.
Does this make me a bad, racist person? Or is it just normal to feel superior as an English woman in a colony of Britain?
If I am just overreacting right now I could ruin my whole life. Maybe everything could still work out fine if I just could forgot about his past. However, I will probably never know... I can't stay.
Mavis, I’m also writing you to tell you that I’ll return to Britain. I know it must be confusing for you to read this letter, but I’m glad I still have someone to write to and I hope you understand that even if I’m not sure whether this is a mistake or not, I came to a decision: I will leave Guy, this city, Malaysia. I will return to Britain.
When reading the letter you might think this is definitely a mistake regarding my feelings to him, but even if there are still feelings towards my husband, there is this one disgusting and undescribable emotion that makes me want to cry every single day I’m at this place or even in this country. I don’t know if this is the right decision and neither you nor anybody else can probably tell me. However, now that I've made up my mind, I feel stronger than I've felt in weeks.
Therefore I would like to ask you to help me into a new life in Britain. I really need a good friend like you when I return. Overall, I hope you can understand me and how I feel. I had a great time here in Malaysia and I wish you could see this beautiful nature in all it’s wonderful colors, but all this doesn’t mean anything if I have no one to share it with. Even worse, if you kind of lost the person to share it with.
You are my best friend, and I very much understand if you can’t understand my decision. Please be assured that if ever you need help I will still be there for you. I’ll always do my best to help you. I'll let you know soon when exactly I’ll return to Britain. I really hope to see you then.
Thank you for everything you have done for me so far.
Best wishes,
Doris
by Frank
Read this article from the New York Times: The Jihadist Next Door
It's a fascinating account of a young Syrian-American who grew up in small town Alabama, very assimilated, very much part of the popular crowd. He is now a major figure in an Al-Quaida subsidiary called 'Shabab' in Somalia. It felt to me ads if this true story picks up where 'My son the fanatic' left off.
It is a long article, so you need patience. Make sure that you at least study the interactive timeline that is part of the article!
Also, the comments New York Times' readers made about this article are very interesting to read! Read a few and write your own! (Please e-mail me a copy of your comment!)
Watch this comment on the movie 'My son the fanatic". Does it make you want to watch the movie? Why? Again, comment and send me a copy!
Hello comrades!
I just wanted to remind you to read the second ending to the short story "A pair of jeans" !
It is very important to understand Miriam's character and the cultural context!
See you on Wednesday ;-)
I am currently reading a very good book called "If The Buddha Got Stuck" by Charlotte Kasl. It is a very interesting book, easy to read and it will speak to "anyone who's ever experienced being stuck in life".
Regarding our examination schedule and recognizing everyone complaining about too much work and stressful times, I thought of recommending a book to you that might open your mind to think about yourself, your life and throw a more esay-going and objective glance at your goals and everything you have already achieved in life.
I hope that at least anyone does read this at all, but I would be very happy if someone would comment or even ask me, I would love to share my book with you (although once read it, you most likely want to have your own copy)
It has about 220 pages but is very thin and perfect for reading one chapter during your ride to school or during some free minutes. You don't have to read it in one rus, you can read it step by step.
Here is an excerpt from the book:
"The purpose of life is to be alive. Not to gather objects, achieve, accumulate successes, or forge your body to fit a mold. It’s simply to be alive. To touch, feel, sense, hear, see and live in a dynamic flow of whatever arises in the moment; to accept the wild and crazy thoughts that go through your mind, your animal nature, your wisdom, the fears that arise and grip your chest, the laughter that brings tears, and the joy that takes you beyond yourself. To be alive is to meet and accept every part of yourself - the scuzzy, sweet, passionate, talented, or slow. From this place of self-acceptance you can be a good friend to yourself and others.
This does not preclude achieving, learning, or taking good care of yourself, but you do so because your body, mind, and energy converge to do whatever feels in harmony with the aliveness that you are.
From this point of self-acceptance our consciousness spills over into the vast expanse of human experience and we start to see the connections between all sentinent life, between our brothers and sisters everywhere. Said another way, we start to experience love.
This book is about the journey from being stuck to unstuck; from feeling trapped to being free; from compromising our values to living at one with our integrity; from being immersed in thoughts from the past to living in the present. It's a process and a journey that sometimes starts with a dull ache and other times with acute pain. It's sometimes motivated by survival needs and other times by the thought, "There's got to be more than this." Some people are visited by grace with a mind-opening experience that leads them to realize there is a whole different way to live, and becoming more open at ease becomes a touchstone for life."
If the Buddha got Stuck at bücher.de
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