Though modernization/civilization and digitalization have all brought about growth and an easy lifestyle at large and in Africa in particular, they have ironically played a big role in dampening or stifling our enthusiasm for our African culture and tradition.
As years go by and new things continue to evolve, we as Africans continue to drift away from our roots. Even our cultural representatives like artists et al, have adopted more of the western culture in their way of life, sound and actions. While the growth of technology can be used for all our benefit globally, where we can equally use it like the westerners do to brand our own (culture, identity and more) and sell it to the world too, we are instead shying away and basking in and lusting for foreign lifestyles.
Does it baffle you when some African musicians and activists are not taken seriously whenever they try to intensify and amplify the need to do “us”? They are ignored and considered “mad” by most of their own. The truth of the matter is that, African stories can only be told preciously, consciously and precisely by Africans.
However, we have failed in that area, because the westerners come to Africa, learn little about the area and write/paint what they think is the African story. Therefore, telling a fake narrative about Africa which is then sold to the masses and bought by them.
How is it that we have stories but can not say it even when we have loud voices and long lasting breath? Though they get insulted most often from their own people for trying to rejuvenate the downing culture, it is very encouraging to see young artists like Mr. Leo, Vernyuy Tina and Ibali gradually crawling back to the roots and tell our narratives. It takes self discovery to valorize one’s credentials.
We have been wondering why their musical growth has suddenly tightened, but the answer is simple: We are not ready to listen to our own stories. We are equally not ready to accept that we have been very much captured by external and foreign cultures which have succeeded to make us appear wrong in our “Africaness”. It’s imperative to start paying attention to details, lest we lost it all.
These artists trying to tell our untold or narrowly told stories, know it is a huge process. The progress won’t come overnight per se, but it will eventually come. Their messages will one day be understood by their people even though their attention is far fetched. No matter how we glue ourselves to the western lifestyle, the truth will never change.
Every group of people have an origin and as they have an origin, so do they have a unique lifestyle which defines them. Everyone (including the West) who’ve succeeded to impose their way of life on us, do have a tradition. It’s impressive, how some artists are crawling back to their roots. It might not be easy to go back to some lifestyles of the past, but it’ll be worth it, if our stories are told by us, in our own way! Should they be told uniquely in our own language?
It might be told in any language as long as the message going across is comprehended. Many artists go to foreign countries for shows and are not well received or they go unnoticed. This is not the absence of talent, or motivation but rather the lack of identity. People are expecting to see the African in you when they are told you are coming from Africa.
