So, I’ve been reading some of the online noise again as my sabbatical is over. I’ve always found it interesting how people try to play parts online. I guess I’ve never been able to buy in to the whole always wanting to be seen and read. I figure there has always been a place for that, and if I have designated a space online as “mine” I shouldn’t have to worry about “You” or “Them” (though big brother is always a concern, ha ha). It just seems like so much extra work to make something a performance that doesn’t have to be. There is a time and place for that. However, if something is mine, it is going to be me. Period. Well, not quite period. I guess it will be me and things I am interested in or am involved with. I just can’t be bothered to be on for an audience all the time. I am too comfortable with my voice for that. Plus, I don’t really have anything to prove at this point.
I did my annual break from the internet. This year it was different though. It was more of a sabbatical for social media during which time I remember what life was like without 24/7 access to random people who I don’t really know but are constantly in my realm of awareness because I’ve let them in to my brain space. I don’t even remember the day I decided to walk away from it all, close down accounts, forget password, leave it outside of my life. It was a wonderful experiment though. I found that not having the constant stream of noise allowed me to refocus and reground. My life looks completely different know. I think I actually relearned how to speak to people face to face, and as a result I’ve made more people I would consider “Friends” rather than “acquaintances” that I probably have in the entire time we’ve been in North Carolina. Because of this, I shall consider the sabbatical experience a success. As a result, I will be changing the way I use social media.
It is interesting when you look at the work of scholars across fields and see the term post-colonial all over the place. I admit, I love post-colonial theory, because I think it is fascinating,. As a person of color, it has colored my world view and my academic experience. Even now, as I sit outside of the academy, it is something that remains an important aspect of my reading in terms of news, art, etc. There is a trend I have noticed though, especially in academia and GOs/NGOs. Often when people discuss regions or populations that are direct decedent of the legacy of colonialism, they are referred to as the “other” and they are not included (and if they are, they are not visible) in the high profile conversations outside of artist expression.
I think the use of the term “other” is so loaded. It implies an inherent dichotomy against the “standard” and keeps the relationship of the colonizer/colonized alive and kicking. I can’t help but wonder if this is more hurtful or helpful. I understand it is necessary to illustrate the power relationship, even in modern discussion, and binaries are the easy way. However, “other” does not have a clear opposite. It simply relegates people to being outsiders indefinitely because there is not a way to stop being “other”, no matter where you history takes you.
Art forms are extremely powerful as they are designed to be consumed by anyone who has access. They are a mode of communication that can be coded and read differently based on the origin of the reader. I love that throughout colonization people continued to make art that reflected their unique elasticities, even if they were influenced by the colonizer. I also love that the art is still a big part, and it kept traditions alive through the ritualistic aspects of creating and ingesting art. One of the best examples of this to me is music. Even when artists sang in the language of their colonizer, and when they often continue to today, they use traditional instruments, rhythms etc.
So, what happens outside of art (in the academy)? It is hard to tell. Institutions aren’t very open most of the time, and when they collaborate, it is behind closed doors. Now, I know there are plenty of people that are decedents of the colonized who are working in the academy. My hope is that they are included in collaborations as much as possible, and these collaborations don’t just happen between people in western universities. Now, I know they don’t, but a lot of times, that seems to be the case. I guess, what I am really wanting overall is to just see more diversity in the academy so that we get to hear more perspectives on what it means today to be in the post-colonial world.
Ok, I’m done rambling. I’m not even sure if all of this makes sense.
[caption id="attachment_298" align="aligncenter" width="567" caption="Map of French West & Equitorial Africa"][/caption]
I read a news story today that has me asking “did French West Africa ever dissapear or was it just reborn?”… The former République de Haute-Volta, now known as Burkina Faso, has reached an agreement to let some sans-papiers work in France if they have a legal work assignment. I am trying to make sense of it all. It seems that from both sides, experience in France and French involvement is seen as a conduit to success. It is one of those interesting side effects of colonial past that ended less than 50 years ago (in 1960).
Apparently there are over 4,000 Burkinabè in France (both legally and illegally) and they will be giving out 500 work cards out. Here is a partial quote from Brice Hortefeux, Minister of Immigration, found in the article:
Selon M. Hortefeux, Paris délivrera 500 cartes professionnelles par an pour permettre à des Burkinabè de se rendre en France « dans la légalité et la transparence » pour bénéficier de « qualification et d’expérience sur le territoire français ».
The parts that are directly quoted make me cringe and I really want to find the whole quote… “in legality and transparency”? to benefit from “qualification and experience on French soil”… I’m not sure why it makes me cringes. I understand both sides really. I guess I wish that the standards for success could be different. But, as I said above, it is less than 50 years after independence and things take time.
Now, the reason I am asking about French West Africa being reborn is, this story introduced me to l’Uemoa (Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine) . It is basically a bunch of West African countries that have come together for the economic betterment of the region. When you think of the French colonial expansion in terms of the silly civilizing mission myth (sorry, not buying it) and from the economic standpoint of expanding markets and work forces, it looks like it is the same old song. With economic growth in the region, the civilizing aspect was rendered moot, because people had to learn the language and customs of commerce, thus they learned French language and customs, and are still using them for their advancement, and France is still investing in the region with groups like Groupe Agence Française de Développement. It is all, very interesting to follow.
Anyway, that is it for random thoughts brought up by that article. I am looking forward to seeing how the region continues to grow and define itself.
I enjoy how separated we are from the past. We always think we are doing something new and out there. We are convinced that time passing = progress, and never look or discuss evidence to the contrary. As a teenager, I loved old and foreign films. When Bravo used to show them uncut, I would record them on VHS tapes and watch them over and over again. When Criterion came out with DVDs, I had my own nice mini collection. One of the films I always heard about and really wanted to see was M. When I finally saw it, I was shocked. The news had made it seem like perversion, kidnapping and murder were all modern phenomenons that were out of control… yet, here in 1931 was a film that was basically the image of dispair that was being projected on the news every night at 11 pm. As a teenager, that was pretty eye opening for me.
Fast forward to now… I did a post on Ebony/Jet putting their archives online over at Black Web 2.0. The ability to archive and search with Google as the tool is something I think is monumental, and I am so happy that more and more archive databases are being put online and searchable like this. Anyway, since they were added, I have spent some time going through the Jet archives from the 50s so far. Can I just say we are still having the same discussions. There were tons of articles on sexuality, including homosexuality. Issues with cover stories relating to black men with white women, age and love, mixed twins (two different fathers) etc. It leads me to believe that these are just human discussions. I think we will continue to have them indefinitely, the only thing that will change is the medium… and the medium makes it more dynamic and open (at least that seems to be the trend so far).
[/caption]