1. Multiculturalism Throughout African History Tommy Dattilo

2. Pre-Colonial Africa Africa never was, is not, and most likely won’t ever be “ homogenous” Medieval African empires: Ghana (1000 AD) Mali (1300 AD) Songhai (1500 AD)

3. Pre-Colonial Africa Berlin Conference of 1884-1885: European powers divide up the African continent boundaries are randomly, artificially created forced to fabricate sense of national identity 54 “countries” emerged “Africa” didn’t exist before Europe made it! Quite a Eurocentric vision

4. Pre-Colonial Africa What is “Africa(n)”? a heterogeneous, diverse culture varying by country/region Latin: Aprica – “sunny” Phoenician: Pharika – “land of corn or fruit” Aramaic: Faraqa – “separation or diaspora” Greek: Aprike – “free from cold” Arabic: Ifriqiya – “to divide, separate”

5. Colonialism “In terms of psychological violence, colonialism dehumanized the indigenous peoples, created a lasting inferiority complex within the minds of all colonized peoples, and reinforced the mental oppression of the natives in order to exploit their land, labor, and resources.”

6. Colonialism Black and White in Color Black and White in Color The Colonizer and the Colonized The Colonizer and the Colonized Africa, I’m Going to Fleece You Africa, I’m Going to Fleece You

7. Multiculturalism? No… More like uni-culturalism. No… More like uni-culturalism. Africa, I’m Going to Fleece You Africa, I’m Going to Fleece You No multiculturalism if it’s only a one way street! The indigenous gain two cultures, but colonizers declare their own as legitimate. Thus, the natives lose their identity as it’s replaced by the colonist’s. Black and White in Color: Priests teaching native captives basic French weaponry for war, but when the coast is clear, the priests then pull out their Bibles and crosses and force Christianity upon them! Priests “barter” with the natives, and they take their “garbage” and exchange Christian relics.

8. Black and White in Color Priest: “White men are stronger than black men, and do you know why? Because they have a better god! The white man’s god gives strength! See what the white man’s god can do? He can teach a black man to ride a bicycle – a ‘white man’s machine’!”

9. Decolonization “Focusing on West Africa and Nigeria in particular, the Republic of Biafra failed to achieve a lasting freedom due to the inability to establish diplomatic recognition among world leaders, the lack of a powerful ally, and the weak support from self- interested France, its main ally.”

10. Decolonization Half of a Yellow Sun Half of a Yellow Sun The Wretched of the Earth “Concering Violence” Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight

11. Multiculturalism? Eh… Not so much. Eh… Not so much.

12. Fanon: “Concerning Violence” The white man believes that "nature must be tamed, not talked into action.” There is also "scientific proof" of the primitivism of Africans being mentally incapable and "retarded" due to underdeveloped brain structures. Colonizers argue that they do not give the natives humane, moral responsibilities or even respect because of their "limited biological possibilities.” Due to the inferiority complex instilled during colonialism and maintained throughout decolonization, there is a general acceptance of an unequal playing field.

13. Fanon: “Concerning Violence” There are two "sectors” and totally different “species” - the native and Euro - and there is mutual exclusion. The colonizers are rich because they are white, and they are white because they are rich. The only chance to combat and conquer colonialism and decolonization is to shake any questions of "who am I in reality.” The colonized must become "indolent” as the white men describe them and must sabotage the colonial machine by not cooperating whatsoever. They must have "the slightest effort dragged out of them" rather than allowing the colonizers to easily "sink their claws into the prey.”

14. Postcolonialism “Three overall trends prohibit a country from escaping its status as a “third world ” society: foreign intervention, the corruption of government officials, and the lack of legitimate democracy throughout the land.”

15. Postcolonialism My Voice My Voice African Psycho African Psycho On The Postcolony “The Thing and Its Doubles” On The Postcolony “The Thing and Its Doubles”

16. Multiculturalism? Hey, they’re getting there! Hey, they’re getting there!

17. Mbembe: “The Thing and Its Doubles” In order to contest and attempt to subvert power, artistic expression and representation are vital. Everyone experiences everything differently, including the postcolonial power structure, and experiences change too. Thus, "something” is present for us not only because it is displayed and we experience it but because it is the very thing of our experience - tangible, palpable, visible, etc. Yet, at at same time, the thing holds an interesting universal presence as a secretive, distant being. Essentially, each individual experiences his/her own subjective view on all things, and some philosophers argue that "truth" in and of itself is a subjective experience.

18. Mbembe: “The Thing and Its Doubles” The autocratic power is too grand and cannot be overtaken. To resist, one must create alternative realities and change the way in which he/she experiences life as a whole. Any form of direct confrontation would prove fruitless, so the urban culture must recognize the power regime and then twist it around in order to subvert. If so much of the power relies on representation, then the way to fight it is to recreate its representation. Power structures exist for reasons far beyond the everyday lives of everyday people, so they must live with it and try to subvert it on a daily basis with their own representation, all the while cognizant of its ever-present reality.

19. Perception / Perspective

20. “Third World” “Africa is far from being the hell depicted in writing from colonies. They have cows, dogs, chicken, and ducks. There are no wild beasts, no armed fierce savage… only peaceful villagers with pastoral lives in their own land! The only danger is boredom and the company some compatriots!” “Do not be so sure of the inferiority of the black race. It has less to do with the shape of skull or composition of blood than with the conviction we hold of our own superiority. I’m not far from meriting them the honored name of ‘men’.”

21. “Third World” Such an abstract, artificial title. Just as “race” is a social construct, so is “third world.”

22. Thanks!