How do we go about decolonizing our education? Our universities? When one hears the cries of decolonization of education, the statement far more complex and difficult than it seems. What does it mean to decolonize education let alone decolonize something?
I believe before we can understand the term of decolonization, we first need to understand the term to colonize. To colonize, one would say is to capture an area and its people indoctrinating them with the captor’s way of life, thinking and so forth. This is seen with the British with many nations (including ourselves) and also this is seen with Apartheid and its former colony of Namibia during South Africa’s illegal occupation of Namibia. Therefore, to colonize is effectively to brainwash a culture of people with your own culture. When I was young, I used to say the colour black is evil and ugly. I was taught in school (formerly white schools) that black is a bad colour and is used to describe that which is bad in the world. It is quite interesting that even the kindergarten generation of today still are being taught this lie about the colour black. One asks the question, how do we go about it?
The point of colonisers, besides exploiting the spoils of their colonies, was to form a replica of themselves in those colonies. In Francophone countries in Africa, it has been documented that the more French the “ uncivilized people “ were, the more France bestowed more benefits to those peoples. Therefore, it is imperative we take the time to unpack this part. What colonisers did was teach us their way of life. The scramble for Africa in which European countries sliced Africa like a cake and gave each representative a piece, was the beginning of the political teachings of Europe to Africa. The way the Europeans divided Africa, it was based on a political system created by Europeans and not Africans. No African King or Queen was consulted about the divisions. They cut as they saw fit and then each country sent dignitaries to their respective “establishments “and applied European laws and customs. Thus, already at this point in time, Africa began losing its true nature and culture. This is seen how church leaders under the faith of Jesus Christ give thanks to the gods of African tribes for cleansing ceremony or celebration of sorts. The clash of these beliefs indicate to us how confused we are as Africans. Therefore, where do we start when we say decolonize our education?
The narrative simply has to change. With the idea that black is evil and ugly, it was my father who taught me how beautiful black really is. What he did was not teach me a new teaching or a new way of life, he simply changed the narrative. Therefore, we change the narrative of our teachings to a way that will empower the Blackman, then the education can be decolonized. I am a strong believer in the fact we can never go back to a time when Europeans or Arabs had not entered Africa. Even Asian countries, as deeply connected they are to their cultures; they too keep up with the time. A monk giving a Ted talk said that he finds it quite funny when he gives people his email account. Decolonization is not the reversal of time. It is rather understanding where we are as a people, where our mental framework is structured and the reaction to these interpretations. We live in a time of extreme great diversity and freedoms that certain freedoms and cultures of people in Ancient Africa would not have been allowed. Even in post-colonial times, certain cultures and freedoms remain a taboo in our African cultures. Therefore, the decolonization of our systems and educations will allow us to analyze these freedoms and so forth. By doing so, in the pursuit of decolonizing our systems, in the aspect of going back to the true African way of life, I believe we will be doing more damage than good. Our true ancient ways have been water washed and destroyed by colonisers. This was key in the sense that a nation with no history has no identity therefore the future generations will define themselves with the history they write. A South African can relate and find identity with Apartheid on a deeper level than with his own true origins as a human. Because the history books are filled with Apartheid than it is with King Shaka and so forth. Thus, the belief we have to look at the now; and change the narrative to a way in which it will relate with us and more importantly, empower us.
One could say that we keep everything within our communities. However, even this is a problem. One of the main reasons I believe that from the 1960’s many African countries began entering into a new world of independence in such rapid succession, the colonisers knew in one way or another, African countries will still depend on them for survival. After World War II and the power of nuclear bombs were witnessed, countries realized that the war had now become indirect. Again, this was a war among the Europeans in which the rest of the world got tied up in. Africa got involved simply because of the various colonies that were in Africa. Colonies that do not even get recognized in their role in those World Wars. This speaks of the extent of how Africa as a whole has been cast out into the wilderness and seen to be of no relevance to world affairs. To some extent, this is true seen how Africa was involuntarily dragged to these affairs. The idea of an Africa for Africans, on paper, sounds as if it is the way forward. The truth only holds water if, as Africans, we will be able to gain respect for ourselves and gain respect for being African. However, the world we live in today is not meant for the African. The days of Mansa Musa, Cleopatra and so forth no longer exist. Days where African dynasties in their own unique way commanded the attention of any other nation who wished to enter into engagement with them are over. How often do we hear that the Blackman must have short hair so that he looks respectable? How often do we hear that the Black woman’s hair must not touch lower than her shoulder for her to be beautiful? How often do we hear that for a Black person to sound educated, they must speak their colonizer’s language, in our case English or Afrikaans? A black child does not go to church and he is deemed a devil worshiper. Many examples can be listed to drive home the point that an Africa for Africans living the African way of life is non-existent and cannot exist; not in today’s world that is.
Therefore, the understanding comes as forth. Various townships were able to strive in pre-democratic South Africa. Yes, they experienced great harshness and most still do but the ones that were able to produce teachers, lawyers, doctors, businessmen and so forth speak to the testimony that even though our true African ways of living having been destroyed, no doubt than we Black people can live and survive. The decolonization of the education system must begin there. We must not be taught about how great New York is but rather be taught how we can transform Soweto into New York. We must not be taught about the great kingdoms of Europe with their dukes and so forth but rather be taught about the Great Zimbabwes, Timbuktu and our royalties and so forth. The narrative of how Africans are taught must change. It is good we are taught Western medicine, Western accounting and Western science. Because we live in a Western world, the Black man must learn about his environment and how he can make the most of it. However, the narrative must change. It is sad when our former president takes an additional wife we frown yet when England announces a royal wedding we celebrate with them. FC Barcelona was in the country and it was quite amazing how we quickly discarded our patriotism and pride, and with great gusto and confidence, cheered on the international superstar Lionel Messi. On the surface level, one would say that there is nothing wrong with cheering on a very well-known player. However, the deeper level speaks about how we see ourselves as a people. So much so that even in the stadium, this nature of lack of self-respect was seen through how the visiting international team were seated on luxurious premium bench seats and the home South African team sat on plastic “whatever “ bench seats. The narrative needs to change to the point that we see that we cannot elevate guests higher than us. The great Emperor Halie Selassie was, if not the only, one monarch in which even Queen Elizabeth had to bow down to in his presence. As great and, according to various documentaries, humble the Emperor was, he did not forget his true identity and pride.
This strong sense of self and pride in self is mostly seen with Asian countries. The Japanese Samurai, a highly respected warrior class. They speak of their sophistication in combat with their beautifully crafted weapons yet the great Ashanti and Zulu warriors are usually referred to as “good warriors of their time” and are pictured with roughly cut primal spears. Yet these warriors were superior in almost every way in combat as the Samurai were. One could even say that the Spartans were the Zulus of Europe. Easily I could have said that the Zulus were the Spartans of Africa. However, that would have not changed the narrative because for the Zulus to mean something, I would have had to compare it with a European civilization. Therefore, Africa taking second place to something or someone else in the world.
For us to decolonize our education, the narrative within our education has to change. This will lead to an effective and impactful decolonization of our education, and our country. The narrative to speak more of African pride and prestige and not water it down with Western philosophy. Western philosophy must only be an aid to our systems, not the cornerstone of our foundations. We have to call out African first, everything else after. African first, teacher second. African first, man second. African first, woman second. Africa must be the seat of our pride and joy. In doing so, whatever that comes after, must be worthy of the royal seat or be discarded into the dungeon. This is the way we will be able to effectively decolonize our education and eventually, ourselves.