Discussion

Binyavanga,
I am not a writer, but I can read. When I started this article I started thinking, 'DAH this isn't anything like I remember Africa. You are dang gum right though, that is how people write.
Subadar

Africa is NOT LIKE THIS! I live in Africa and it is not really not like this. As long as people keep on writing and speaking so negative about Africa it will be hard for The People to get out of that poverty and violence mindset. Speak life not death! African

i think this is fantastic article. although i have never been to 'Africa', i think it takes pieces such as this to make you realize that you as well as many others are ignorant of how much not just popular culture and media make generalizations about massive, complex communities (if they are at all), but states and other entities as well. I thought the passage toward the end about the nightclub where "mercenaries, evil nouveau rich Africans and prostitutes, guerrillas and expats hangout", was hilarious relevant, as countless media outlets and popular culture figures, let alone many anthropologists, portray this as an average scene within the continent. Although i feel this writer does take an almost overly pessimistic tone, i feel the intention was there simply to emphasise the many problems and generalizations many people, at least the one's that i know, go through when referring to 'Africa'. I am guessing the writer acknowledges that some situations of concern are prevalent in some parts of 'Africa' (although not EVERYWHERE as it commonly seems to be described), but one problem i find with the position the writer has taken seems that according to them there isn't anyone who doesn't think like this when describing 'Africa', although i am sure the writer would probably think otherwise, it isn't mentioned. Although i have lots of other things to say about this article, i will stop due to tiredness, in general i thought this was an interesting, thought provoking and well written piece, keep it up Binyavanga!

Okay so can someone do us a favour and forward this article to every Western publisher? Excellent stuff Binyavanga - I got referred to your piece after I blogged about Oprah's foreword to a book of African photography. Check it out - it's laugh out loud funny: "The first time I set foot on African soil, I knew I had returned home. It was a powerful experience coming back to the land of bones. It felt like a return to myself."

More here:

http://mynewsblogs.24.com/ViewComments.aspx?mid=1403b365-ab78-4064-8882-b687df0fa3b2&blogid=24eaaf4b-337f-4c7d-9ea7-148e346575a5

How about (Wainaina) try to to avoid the broad brush stereotyping and generalization that you're criticizing in others? How about recognize that some things do change over time, some people are involved in good work, some writers do avoid stereotypes, and some partnerships span continents (Even from Africa (not the country, specifically Kayanga, Karagwe, Kagera, Tanzania) to North America (not the country, specifically Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America)? http://amizadeeric.blogspot.com/

watched this TED talk today and found it quite enlightening... felt it was along the same vein of Wainaina's essay and wanted to share...
Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html

A knee slappingly good piece that accurately depicts the expatriate/foreign/non-black African perspectives, depictions and writings about Africa and things African. Excellent stuff Binyavanga!

This article is quite annoying. Firstly, it might apply to near post-colonial days but very people who write about Africa actually do any of the things the author is parodying. Secondly, people often write about Asia as a whole, or Latin America as a whole.

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.

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.