Image of Africa?

Question

As an British born Ghanian I have always been proud of my roots. You may have seen a previous question which asked I asked 'Does Charity really help', but now I have a follow up question.
After Comic Reflief I started to reflect on Weston Societies preception of Africa. I think when most people think of Africa they think, refugees, war, AIDS, extreme poverty and ...Safari Parks. But there is so much more to Africa than these images. Africa is not one big country it is a nation which is full of culture and rich traditions. But I feel that the beauty of Africa is very much over looked. I would be ignorant if I made excuses, but yes its true, that Africa does have a lot of problems.
So what I really wanted to ask was, do people think that Africa
is a terrible place to live and be , or are the media to blame so the negative image of Africa which is shown. Are African perpetuating their own problems, or is the media out to make money out of the plight

Am I wrong, but people seem to think that nothing good comes out of Africa, except our diamonds and Gold. P.S.
To the Africans out there if we want to be treated like everyone else, why won't people gives Africa and other developing Nations Fair Trade. And why is it that there so much corruption? Let me know?

I go to Ghana as often as I can but it like £600 a trip, quite expensive if you try and go every year. But it is worth it trust me.

Bolavo- cheers for identifiying my dyslexia

Answer 1

wel for one africa is a continent, not a country as others make it out ot be. secondly for me africa is not a 'black and white continent'- it isn't just those people that make up for that population. there are asians and chinese, japanese etc of whom were born in kenya, south africa for example. and yes you're so right- the image of africa that is constantly projected to us on screen is so one-sided and often people overlook the achievements and successes of it's people and its' multiculturalism. i don't think africa is a place i would want to avoid- all continents and places around the world has it's share of problems. people also associate Aids and HIV as something only people in africa have, when you only have to look at china in the far east for instance where the Aids epidemic is just as worse as a country such as south africa. i do feel however that most- not all the media is accountable for implying and showing to us a perception of africa that is not turly representative of africans everywhere and a lot of africans have to rely on themselves and not people like bono all the time. they have to discover what their contribution is to the world and open up and to accept all types of criticism as well as to listen and act on it. i throughly dislike corporations or charities which attempt to highlight issues such as poverty, illness, whilst at the same time they are not condemning the abuses that are taking place in that region. most of that money doesn't even go to the people who need it most, rather into the pockets of evil despots. so-called crusaders such as bono, bob geldof use it as an excuse to boost their self-inflated egos, to seek further publicity and of whom assume money is the solution to africa's problems when those problems cannot be addressed by throwing money at african countries. especially those with ruthless dictators such as robert mugabe

Answer 2

as an Irish man who went to Africa i can tell you what impressed me most about African people. they have a great sense of friendship. Neighbourliness and a great love of what art they see. Where i was i watched for hours as a fella did a wood carving. I knew before that Africans had talent like that but it was great to see another artist at work. The problem is that people have never looked at Africa when it is not a crisis. I spend hours looking for good things from different parts of Africa from history and so on. Something that is great to do. It shows that the imperialist powers not only tried to conquer the land but tried to show that Africa was starting from year dot when they arrived. Just look at the Edo kingdom, in what is now Nigeria. they stole the art works and belived that the work was not made there for years.

Answer 3

I'm Eritrean but i was brought up in Britain since i was 2, and i know what you mean. It totally irritates me when people just assume that Africa is a country how bloody ignorant of them.
I cringed when watching comic relief because i felt this is what people think of Africa, aids, poverty, chaos and lack of self sufficiency. OK i realise its not that great otherwise i would not have come to the UK, but I've been back home many times and I've also been to Egypt, Tunisia, and Kenya and they are some of the most beautiful places in the world.
And as long as corruption remains and exploitation from the west exists Africa will never realise its full potential.

Answer 4

I am a student of cultures. I am American born myself but have wanted to go to Botswana since I was, like, 10! My sister went to South Africa last year through school (we have Nelson Mandela shirts and pillows now, all over the place!) and I am so jealous of her. I haven't had a chance to travel as far as that but I hope to someday soon!
I know, this is southern and Ghana is a different part... I admit I don't know much about that area. My personal friends have been mostly from Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia. So those countries and South Africa are my exposure. The people are amazing! I wanted to go to Botswana originally because I learned about Okavango. But then my interests matured and changed from there.

Answer 5

I'm Belgian me. My image of Africa is that it of a continent with many different peoples that were forced by the colonial powers into neat boxes that could be defined as countries. The 'soul' of the continent was ripped apart. Literally and figuratively. I believe it has started to regain it's composure. Some African nations have united the old tribal attitudes. Others haven't
The nuns made us knit woollen swimwear for 'poor children' in Africa back in my schooldays. It's warm in Africa and African children, we were taught, went to outdoor schools and had rivers to swim in instead of swimming pools. And i I never dared ask them why they would want to wear woollen swimwear!
I'd like to think that future generations of Africanscan slowly but surely outgrown the legacy of colonial days that is the corruption that seems so rife according to the media. Even in West Africa the British would pay Africans in the coastal areas to collect slaves from the interior.
From a religious point of view Africa needs to modernize. I posted a question:'Are they fighting a losing battle?' regarding Aids in Africa. Too late to answer but it's up for voting. http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Av_eNyRruAGF2atrdFRbOS4hBgx.?qid=20070313091714AAO0xwm
How much of the mineral and fossil wealth that is being ripped out of African soil and waters actually benefits Africa?
I think it's a continent with ginormous potential for the future, it needs to grow up a bit though :-)
On a travel note ... to watch and listen to the Atlantic ocean standing on Namibias Skeleton Coast would be the trip of a life time

Answer 6

The media. The images they provide are the only ones most people will see, so that's all that they have to go off. I work with a guy from Senegal and three guys from Nigeria, and they say that the main cause of Africa's problems is the lack of education.

Answer 7

African culture is very hard to understand for European people because they do not comply to our "norms"
I have heard recently that African people were the most "green people" on our planet, no genetic food, fresh fruits and vegetable everyday...
A beautiful Continent that do need help as a lot of war and disease have been left to be far too long...
I do think you ought to go and visit your country of origin, you need to see it to understand better Africa.

Answer 8

The culture of the African nations has tended to be somewhat overshadowed by Western values largely, perhaps, because of the white man's pioneering discoveries there. However we in the west are slowly beginning to appreciate the diversity, despite the press. It's just taking a while.
Long live diversity and variety!

Answer 9

Ha well what can I say perhaps this is the view of your government brush it under the carpet and it will go away and for some1 born in england and who lives in england your grammer is pittifull

Answer 10

Media is the only one to blame...just like middle east...westerm media destroys whatever they want...