Our Hearts Shall Remain Dark, Forever Dark!

The concept of Africanism may be easy to decipher but a nightmare to live. Perhaps in this age when western winds are violently blowing all over. Stripping us naked and dismantling our shrines.
Africanism may basically refer to something that is characteristic of African culture and tradition. This ranges from our names, rituals, way of worship and food to clothes. Mostly, before the advent of colonialists, children in African communities were named after seasons, historical events, influential (mostly good) people and circumstances surrounding their birth. For example, in my community– Bukusu, Wekesa is a name for a person that was born during harvesting. I was named Wafula when I was born in early April, during rainfall. In many cultures, these names held (and still do) a mesmerizing mistique. They can influence the life of both the child and family. However, the system of naming is gradually changing as we drift into obscure westernism.

Worshipping in our African way is peculiar. Prior to the advent of Christianity on the African soil, who did not know that God is there? Different communities had their own gods which they worshipped, offered sacrifices and libations in sacred places like caves, mountains and trees. For example, Kenyatta in ” Facing Mount Kenya” says that the Gikuyu had Ngai whom they worshipped under the Mugumo (fig) tree whilst facing Mt. Kirinyaga(Kenya). They prayed for life, fertility, good harvest etc etc.

This would have thrived well were it not for the light-skinned and blue-eyed creatures. They came with the bible, a testimony of their narrative of religion. A modern one, I would say. They claimed it came from one true God. Their God. So ours were fake and evil. But if Gikuyu and Mumbi, founders of the Gikuyu community; Mwambu and Sela, founders of Bukusu community are the exact representatives of Adam and Eve, then who copied who in creating these myths? We should note that our myths existed long before we met the bible. Fancy that? Thence serious christianisation commenced. Our religions became evil; our customs became evil; our philosophies became null. We away drifted from Africanism thus.

Moreover, our identity seems to have eroded with the onset of colonialism. And restoring it has proved futile since then. Infact, as Oginga Odinga note in ”Not Yet Uhuru”, it was the quest for Africanism amidst the struggle for independence which made him to enter the LEGCO in skins. Furthermore, during the wake of independence and after, most African scholars championed for Africanism. For example, the late Henry Anyumba, Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Taban lo Liyong pushed for the establishment of the department of Literature in English at the University of Nairobi. Here, they wanted African literature to be taught as present in our cultures.

Embracing Africanism has never been easy. A mirage perhaps. It began with independence. Those who got power adopted the colonialists’ way of ruling. Murder, detention, torture, exploitation, divide and rule etc. These were the best ways to keep power. Worse than colonialists! They left our sense of brotherhood– a true African ideal for dogs. See? Ok.
Westernism smuggles itself into our midst in many a way. Look at the current fashion trends, music and obsession with European football leagues. Women today merely cover themselves. Selling nakedness to those with eyes to buy! Our music long lost taste and didactic values when artists discovered that shouting obscenities– sex, murder, theft etc and dancing awkwardly– flaunting big breasts and buttocks pays handsomely. Money and fame. Who listens to our local griots any more? This provoked me to lament once in a poem ” Winds from the West”:

“… I’ve tried long enough,
To grasp obscenities of alien tunes.
I throw hands to the roof,
And wriggle my butt, violently:
To follow the rhythm of their awkward dances;
But I falter and weep…
I long to hear our drums talk,
Litungu whisper a tune,
My heart can dance to…”

Some of us are busy tearing their cloaks to acquire foreign ones. Sing alien anthems and dance to their tunes. But perhaps our hearts shall remain dark, forever dark. A trace of Africanism.

(c) wafula p'khisa