Link Africa

Posted by: youngafrican on: August 17, 2010

• In: Link Africa
• 1 Comment

Efé children of the Ituri Forest in Zaire (Rep. of Congo, central Africa) begin the Osani game by sitting in a circle, feet touching, all connected. Each child in turn names a round object like the sun (oi), the moon (tiba), a star (bibi) an eye (ue) and then goes on to name a figurative expression of “round” like the circle of the family, togetherness, a baby in the womb, or the cycle of the moon. As players fail to come up with a term that is “circular” they are eliminated from the game. Eventually, only one remains. Tradition has it that this player will live a long and prosperous life.

• “Slum tourism is a one-way street: They get photos; we lose a piece of our dignity”.
• “Oh! So, THAT explains your features!”
• Nobody expects to see the Somali flag in a beautiful moment,”
• “I admit that ethnocentrism is one of the reason why I decided to blog so that I can denounce the communitarian diatribes”
• “If I was smart, I would have waited a few years and made an iPhone app: a little satirical story about how to write about Africa every day, interactive and adaptable, for ninety-nine cents. Fuck Granta… thanks, Granta.”

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Tags: abcnews, Binyavanga Wainana, how to write about africa, k'naan, link africa, links, media, media representation, new york times op ed, nneka, slum tourism