A Western scholarship has distorted the long history of African culture for centuries, and many of its basic principles have been viewed through the lens of colonization. As a result, the ideas and tenets of African philosophy have been appropriated and changed in value from the inherent parts of people’s nature into commodities. In their works, p’Bitek and Marimba discuss such concepts as culture, spirituality, and philosophy of African nations and how Western ideology has reshaped their presentation without fully understanding their meaning. The commodification of African culture and the imposition of European views on the distinction between culture and philosophy, religion and spirituality have disrupted African people’s ability to self-identify.
The ideas by scholars show that African culture does not distinguish itself from philosophy or drive a line between reality and the spiritual nature of one’s being. European culture is presented as pragmatical and commodifying – it turns pieces of life that are meant to be used into objects for observation. p’Bitek writes that culture turns from “the way of life of a people” into “something that is bought and sold” (“What is Culture?” 14). As a result, younger generations of Africans, especially those living in Western countries, see their culture as a collection of souvenirs, not parts of everyday life. At the same time, they are subjected to the Western religions praising poverty and individualism (p’Bitek, “Man Born Unfree” 21). Ani notes that African-Americans suffer as they do not feel connected enough to traditional African society but feel a divide between themselves and European identity (49). Such disconnect leads to people losing their communal and generational identification.
The readings discussed above show that African and European ideologies clash in many ways, and the latter assumes control over the presentation of the former. As a result, generations of people are removed from their culture, losing it or seeing through the distorted lens of commodification. African culture is inherently linked to philosophy, spirituality, living in the moment, and seeing the richness of life. However, it is turned into a tourist attraction, and its people are forced to perceive it through the eyes of foreigners, losing their inherent link to history and nature.
Works Cited
Ani, Marimba. “Denial of African-Diasporic Humanism.” Let the Circle Be Unbroken: The Implications of African Spirituality in the Diaspora. Nkonimfo Publications, 1997, pp. 47–49.
p’Bitek, Okot. “Man Born Unfree.” Artist the Ruler: Essays on Art, Culture, and Values, East African Educational Publisher Ltd., 1994, pp. 19–24.
“What is Culture?” Artist the Ruler: Essays on Art, Culture, and Values, East African Educational Publisher Ltd., 1994, pp. 13–18.