“The condition of the native is a nervous condition introduced and maintained by the settler among the colonized people with their consent.” Frantz Fanon, 1961, The Wretched of the Earth
Fanon’s quote, repeated on the first page of Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga, seems to state that Fanon held the colonized people of Africa partly responsible for the colonial system of governing and, by extension, the oppression of the African people. Fanon notes the silence of Africa in the face of colonialism and her inability or lack of will to act against the colonial governments. However, by blaming the African people for inaction discredits much hard work by Africans at opposing the colonial states. Although a majority of Africans did not actively participate in revolt against the European colonial powers prior to the 1960’s, the colonial system was propagated not by lack of action by Africans, but rather the overwhelming military strength of the European armies. Indeed, many Africans did rebel against the European colonial system to protest increasing inequities of power and were occasionally successful, but only at the high loss of human life.
Fanon depicts this interplay of ‘colonial’ and ‘native’ actors as being largely a one-sided, colonialists’ affair; not only due to the military and political power of the Europeans, but along with the contributing factor of low rates of revolt. Yet, in this reprimand of the African people for their inaction against oppressive government policies and bureaucracy, Fanon also empowers them by exposing their nascent agency to stop these unjust actions by violently rising against the government.
However, contrary to Fanon’s opinion, violent revolt did occur, however the military prowess o...
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...or concurrent trend throughout the colonial period was one towards collusion with the colonial powers. Both violent and more peaceful resistance, while effective in the short term, were unsustainable in the long-term as violent resistance was quashed by the growing European armies and peaceful resistance was taken out of context and became ineffective demonstrations of the exoticism of Africa.
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Imperialism in Africa took root in the late 19th century when European nations divided up the continent for their own benefit. Each nation practiced a certain type of rule over the Africans of which they conquered. For example, the Germans, the Dutch, and the French used the practice of Direct Rule over their colonies in Africa. This system is characterized by the colonizers need for the colonized to become assimilated into their culture. The purpose of this was to make the African people “civilized” and act like Europeans. The governing administrations forced on the native inhabitants by the colonial power were meant to undermine those institutions set in place by the indigenous people. By taking over the community’s government on all levels,
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Colonialism has plagued indigenous people worldwide and has spelled disaster for countless cultures, languages, and traditions. Over the past 500 years there have been different phases of colonization in Africa as well as other various parts of earth. There were many reasons behind exploration and colonization including economic and tactical reasons, religion, and prestige. Colonialism has shaped the contemporary understanding of individuals from Niger as well as other parts of Africa and other places too, like the Chambri and Tlingit people; mainly in economics. Because of the colonial past of so many cultures, numerous indigenous people today face many issues. Today colonialism is still active, known as Neocolonialism, which has devastating effects on global cultural groups.
Introduction The past is another country, where it is only possible to go as a tourist, and which we will never fully understand. We can describe what we see, but it is far more difficult to know why people acted in the way they did, or what they believed, and why they believed it.
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While Collins does a succinct job of examining the economic and political factors that heightened colonization, he fails to hone in on the mental warfare that was an essential tool in creating African division and ultimately European conquest. Not only was the systematic dehumanization tactics crippling for the African society, but also, the system of racial hierarchy created the division essential for European success. The spillover effects of colonialism imparted detrimental affects on the African psyche, ultimately causing many, like Shanu, to, “become victims to the white man’s greed.”
An overwhelming majority of African nations has reclaimed their independence from their European mother countries. This did not stop the Europeans from leaving a permanent mark on the continent however. European colonialism has shaped modern-day Africa, a considerable amount for the worse, but also some for the better. Including these positive and negative effects, colonialism has also touched much of Africa’s history and culture especially in recent years.
Okeke, Phil E. "Reconfiguring Tradition: Women's Rights and Social Status in Contemporary Nigeria." Africa Today 47.1 (2000): 49-63.