REAL AFRICA,WISE AFRICA Presented By: Ariana Bell

Pitfalls Romanticize pre

modern Africa Ignore Modern Africa Exclude modern and

foreign aspects Mythical Real Africa Dark continent

images recede Real Africa

interpreted as Wise Africa

Much needed correctives to our Dark Continent stereotypes “It takes a whole village to

raise a child.” Tribal Gatherings

Common source is the presumption that Africans represents difference

Dark Continent Africans are savages or

children Differences emphasized

so we can convince ourselves that we have evolved

Wise Africa Africans are naturally

good Differences help us

criticize our own society Consider how we can

live our lives as we were originally created

As we were “meant to be”

African Cultures African Art Tourism in Africa Africans in

America

Examples

How we look for the “Real Africa”, often to portray a Wise Africa

AFRICAN CULTURES

National Geographic

o Depicted as rural and statico Distant and incomprehensibleo Africans/African Americans

impacto NG Photographer, Eliot Elisofeno Ignored Modern Elementso Purposeful distortion/highlight

exotico Anthropologists contributiono Come to recognize problemso Africa inhabited by real

people

ART AND ARTIFCAT

20th century remarkable transformationsavagery to geniusNatural History Museum 1980’s New York’s Metropolitan Museum of ArtWashington D.C. (National Museum of African Art)Museum professionals forefront of efforts to educate American population about African culturesStruggle

Art or Appeasement?

Unimpressed Impressed

Expect Museums to Represent Differences not

SimilaritiesReal Africa, through art, will speak to us

o Private collectors and dealerso Status and prestigeo Feed on and reinforce

stereotypes about Africao Outlaw/Restrict export of National

treasureso Value in USo Difficult to resist profito Prices better off in America than

in Africao Environmental conditions/corrupt

officials vs. American enjoymento African Museum's

o Resourceso Preservation

o American Decision Makingo Missing opportunitieso Build relationshipso Inquiry(Basket)o Better understand

TOURING AFRICA

1) Tourist industrySatisfying illusionsphysical comfortdifferent environmentexpectation of

familiarity and difference2) Egypt

Western-style amenities/spectacular antiquities3) East/South Africa

Well-managed animal safaris4) West Africa

Heritage toursTourist Africa not real Africa

carefully managedcommercializedexoticized

Beyond Safe confinementFriend/tour guidedeeply rewarding experienceTrans-African Highway(transits Sahara Desert from Tunisia to Niger and then winds through Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Uganda and Kenya)

Bicycle/BackpackPam Ascanio’s White Men Don’t Have JuJu

AFRICANS IN THE STATES

Athletes, Professionals, Students and RefugeesInteresting and CourageousWestern-educated AfricansU.S. habitantsIncrease UnderstandingPerceptions of Africans

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