Discussion

Interesting touch with the brilliantine. I thought of "Old Spice" and Brut - they signify the decades -

He looked at himself twice,
then splashed on his cheeks
Old Spice, it brought a wave
of memory that would have crashed upon his feeling of
vulnerability to the weeks left passing by,if she did not appear at the door, with the same incredibly beautiful smile on her face and looked at him without a single regret.

My people would say "lwkm"- laugh wan kill me... People I meet go "oh you from Africa, when i visited, i saw so and so" and I'm thinking "really?? I have never even been there... I need a visa to enter that part of Africa.Africa is a continent not a country... Jeez" this is a very very very very interesting and on point article...
Thank you..

Kristin you are soooo correct too.

I came across this piece quite by accident.. but what a pleasure to hear once more of Rothmans School and the strict but dedicated Miss Leake!
As you will see from the login should you read this, our fathers worked together. Mine is still going strong at eighty-five and is at present driving home from the south of France. The intrepid Marconi spirit? Despite his own ability, he failed to make a scientist of me. I can be contacted at the University of Avignon, where I teach, would you believe, Literature.

Kristin -- your comments are honest and insightful. I enjoyed them as much if not more than the piece itself. Together, they do something that neither would by itself. Much appreciated.

Rana has been coldly precise about Delhi. I hope, in his forthcoming book Rana would offer some idea about the 'other' Delhi which is still untouched by the corrupt lot.

I remember in the early 80s being a student at San Fernando, the medicine school of the University of San Marco, mentioned in this article, and located in Grau Avenue. I remember walking along the street looking for second hand books, all of them dirty, in not a very good shape , but at least affordable. If you were interested in books, this was the only possibility. Now, living in Europe I am glad that Grau Avenue contributed to some extent to allay my thirst for literature and at the same time to increase my curiosity for even more books.
I understand the majoritiy of Peruvians who have to look for other, very "creative" alternatives if they want to take part of world's literature

And, finally, I would like the writer to know that the place in Beira, Mozambique that I was told to avoid because of the "shady elements" said to hang out there was *actually*... In point of fact, the name of the place was the Tropicana.

P.S. My mistake, I need to reword this:

"While your movie must center around the trials of a great African hero/villain, the story should be told through the eyes of a white person or white people--think the South African rugby team or that guy who narrated "The Last King of Scotland." White Americans will not be able to relate to a movie in which black African people are granted full human subjectivity or allowed to participate in reflection or deep thought."

And also this:

"If you are an African-American academic, make your work/documentary centered on your own personal journey. Be sure to spend copious amounts of time at former slave trading posts thinking about the involvement of black Africans in the slave trade. Indulge your own private conflict about What It All Means for you as a Descendant of Africa and of the transatlantic slave trade. If your feelings throughout the Journey motivate you to take an antagonistic attitude toward the Africans you are studying, all the better. There is, after all, nothing to be said about Africa beyond What it Means for African-Americans. It might even get you a cushy post as head of the W.E.B. DuBois Center for African and Africana studies at Harvard University. Just check out the career of Henry Louis Gates."

Part 2 (I was too long to include it all in just one):

"If your screenplay centers upon a big human disaster like the Rwandan genocide, refrain from including anything that could be understood as commentary on political or economic circumstances. African human disasters can only be explained to a Western audience through the lens of the "ancient hatreds" theory. That is, conflicts in Africa happen because of the "ancient hatreds" that certain tribal groups have had for one another since the dawn of humanity. If you are not dealing with a conflict that can be described as "ethnic" in any terms, then you must play up the involvement of African criminal syndicates (especially those run by Nigerians) and warlords in the conflict. Furthermore, the story must include a clear Moral Message; this means that one side of the conflict must be designated as unqualified "evil" and the other as unqualified "good." Again, moral ambiguity is confusing and upsetting and to be avoided at all costs.

Speaking of Nigerians: Nigerians are the Quintessential African Villain. Do not include any Nigerians who are "good" or morally ambiguous or complex in any way. Avoid giving your African characters depth in general, but make your Nigerians even more one-dimensional than the rest. Nigerians are to Western films about Africa what Italian-Americans are to Mafia films. Thugs, drug runners, criminals. Always ruthless. No Nigerian women may figure into your story unless they are prostitutes. In general, it's taboo to depict African cannibalism--unless, of course, you are depicting Nigerians. It is a-okay to write Nigerians as cannibals (Just see "District 9" for an example.)."

Okay, so I thought about this a bit longer and wrote this:

"Screenplays about Africa are in fashion these days. Just remember: You can only write movies about great African statesmen (such as Nelson Mandela) or evil despots (such as Idi Amin). No one in the United States wants to see a move about Yoweri Museveni. Why? Because moral ambiguity, mixed administrative records, and dealings with the World Bank are boring. American studios can only sell movies about African heroes or African villains. Even if you find the moral ambiguity in the biography of a Mandela or an Amin striking, you must write your characters either as total heroes or total villains. Anything deeper will be confusing to the Western audience.

When writing your screenplay, keep in mind that you should write your film with a distinguished African-American actor in mind for the lead role. Nothing says Oscar bait like an African-American playing one of these great African heroes or villains. Besides, you will never get your film into the studio without a big Hollywood star behind the project. In order to prepare for the role, the African-American can simply meet with a dialect coach who can teach him the Standard African Dialect that African-Americans use to portray African characters. The dialect training is so standard that the same dialect may be used for every African-American who ever plays the part of an African in any part of the world.

While your movie must center around the trials of a great African hero/villain, the story should be told through the eyes of a white person or white people--think the South African rugby team or that guy who narrated "The Last King of Scotland." Americans will not be able to relate to a movie in which African people are granted full human subjectivity or allowed to participate in reflection or deep thought."

@SparkingJem: I tried to watch the Number One Ladies Detective Agency series, and I just...could not finish it. I started it thinking, "Okay, at least this doesn't reinforce stereotypes about the suffering of a monolith where there are flies on every child's eyelids." But, yeah, it's so...bland, the series. And romanticized, as you say. With African-Americans as the biggest stars of the series.

Another thing I might add to this:

"If you are writing a screenplay, be sure to keep a distinguished African-American actor in mind for the lead role. African-Americans can play leaders like Nelson Mandela--or despots like Idi Amin. Either type of role ensures a de facto Oscar nomination. Dialect coaches can teach African-American actors the all-purpose African Dialect accent that is useful for playing the role of any black African."

I just heard Jennifer Hudson was slated to play Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

I loved this piece. Every word of it is spot-on, and it lets no one off the hook. I was laughing right along until bits and pieces started to hit home, even for a Good Leftist like me (particularly the bit about blaming "the West" in vague terms). Thank you for this. I'm forwarding it to everyone I know who lives/works/goes to any region in Africa. We all need to read it! This is the most perfect take-downs of many of the bigotries that we bring with us to Africa that I've ever seen.

John Donne wrote about a heavenly library where all books open into and shine through one other. I hope/believe it will be that way with people too. All would be known and shown if time were but gone.

Of course, cats and dogs are people too, their stars often among the brightest.

All these connections of love we have with people are like the knots in a transparent tear-drenched net (of fishing line) strung through the transparent shade of the night within and without. We become aware of it when we run into it, but only in pieces. Reading this piece was like shining bright light on that net, so all all those connections burn like stars with our tears. It revives us to these people we love, and how we and they endure. Thank you to Ms. Gaitskill and to Grant for its wise publication of this extraordinary piece.

So filled with gratitude to Ms. Gaitskill for writing this beautiful, brave and nourishing piece. As is always the case with Ms. Gaitskill, the writing is redemptively and gorgeously transformative while at the same time mercifully clear and true.

Also, so filled with sad empathy for the pain and loss for so many.

I thank Ms. Gaitskill for helping me remember that I believe the connections between us are what endures, that moments like this are what we are made of:

I remember one panic-stricken moment at an airport, when my own mind became too much for me to bear; the only way for me to calm myself was to remember Natalia riding a horse, sitting up straight in the saddle and smiling.

I believe there's felt reciprocation in these moments - the violence and brutality of life will do everything to make us think otherwise, but that - not the connection -- is the illusion.

This essay really helped me. We are still grieving the collapse of what we hoped would be a new life for our Siberian niece here in the USA. The mother situation with her was in many ways analogous to that of Natalia - she'd been sent to us because there was 'no room' for her in the small studio apartment she shared with her sister, mother and father. She arrived here so torn apart by that 'thrown out' grief that she and her family worked together through heat phone calls to make it pull her back. Prior to her arrival in the US, her mother had been trying to set her up
with 'boyfriends' she met on websites that my husband and I believe were little more than trafficking portals. Her parents knew she needed glasses, she was legally blind without them, but they never used the money we sent to buy her a pair - and so at fifteen she'd never been able to see the board in school. I am so sorry for the situation Caesar and Natalia live in, and also for Ms. Gaitskill's grief. Reading this piece helped me with my grief, and made me stronger somehow (I hope in a way that helps me be there for those I love more fiercly). Thank you.

Thank you for this amusing satire.

I think this is fantastic. I understand the criticisms and yes a lot has changed in the way Africa is viewed and written about but not that much. I'm from a little country that has found a small degree of fame in the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series and let me tell you that is a VERY romantisized version of life in Botswana.
It's true some partnerships do span continents, like the fact that where ever you're from in Africa you get asked the same questions about pet lions, mud huts and if you know this guy who lives in Kenya. If we have to endure this 1st world ignorance (and shame how could they know. They only have easier access to information and education than the rest of the world.) then we should be allowed to poke fun at them from time to time. I believe humour is the best way to highlight social problems. We are also doing our bit to spread enlightenment to the west. http://www.stuff-about.com/2010/03/educating-west-part-1.html
So thank you Binyavanga, I really enjoyed this article.

P.S. CharleyS, this does NOT negate the work you and other NGO workers do or the reasons you do it.

Of course, I agree with all the above. I took this issue of Granta to Bali with me and read this story today. Here, if you run over a dog you must make amends to the Gods, but not so with a cat! I would love to hear what Ms Gaitskill has to say about that.

The author, compelled to come closer to the source of genocide seems to be driven by the desire to bear "witness". In his essay "A God Who Remembers" Elie Wiesel discusses the important work of bearing witness to events such as genocide as essential to the prevention of future atrocities. By bearing witness to this genocide, the author continues the important work Wiesel has called on us to do.

It is annoying, but I think I understand the point.

If nothing else, Africa the continent is so poorly represented in the media.

I work for an NGO. I suppose some of my colleagues are guilty of some of this type of writing.

Then again, how much does the world get to hear - or the US media audience anyway - about the ongoing war and genocide in DR Congo? If it weren't for Hotel Rwanda, I'm not sure I'd even know a million people were brutally murdered there. Now I've been to Kigali, visited the memorial, and spent time in South Kivu in the DRC.

I hope what Binyavanga is doing is poking a little fun.

This white NGO expat man for one definitely feels like he's found his calling when it comes to victims and refugees of conflict throughout the African continent.

Maybe I'm just a sap.

This story has brought tears to my eyes. It made me remember being a teenager and having to save my money to buy one or two books at 'La Feria del Libro'. Since my birthday is on July, sometimes I would go with friends and they will gift me original books (weeks later after my birthday). In a good year, I will have 3 or 4 new originals.
The rest of the year, I had to go to Amazon, as everyone else in my family and get my books there.
The part about the vendor of books being small too, is also so true, and so sad. It's the peruvian government's fault to be so careless, with both the authors, and with the unemployed people.
Now, as an adult, who lives in the US and can afford to buy books, I buy excessively too many of them. And every time I go back to Peru, without exception, I buy at Amazon as well as in the Feria del Libro.

I agree with Vic, she has captured all the nuances of our relations with dogs and what it can mean to be a vet.

This is one of the most heart-rending and uplifting articles I have ever read. Dr Jalloh is the Mother Teresa of the Dog world - a pure hero. Aminatta is a writer of genius, in that she can present an 'issue' that reaches far in practical, moralistic and spiritual terms, in a seemingly objective style. Her own compassion is, though, not in doubt. This story has shaken me.