So much more to Africa than poverty
Continent full of vibrant, modern cities, writes Onai Petra Paswani-Abote.
Over the past few weeks, social media had the hashtag #wakandaforever trending before and after the Black Panther movie premièred.
I attended the première, a sold-out event in Calgary, mainly because one of the lead actresses, Danai Gurira, is a Zimbabwean home girl, and as a celebration of Black History Month. Growing up as an avid reader, I never fancied comics and preferred books — so I grew up unaware that there had been this comic based entirely on a black super hero.
The utopian depiction of Wakanda — a fictional matriarchal society, with impeccable and extremely advanced technology — was refreshing to watch and contrasts with what has been the African story often told by outsiders as that of dire need, poverty, conflict and hopelessness.
I’m always appalled at how Africa as a continent is presented in this part of the world. I have seen not-forprofit television advertisements crowdfunding for water, health and education projects. The efforts do amazing work on the ground, which includes bringing access to clean running water to remote and some urban areas, supporting maternal health and ensuring children, particularly girls, are in school, nourished and immunized. I have seen this first hand. However, the story often ends there.
My children joined me in Canada last summer and were in school that September. I was excited to go to the first parent-teacher conference. The week before, my daughter had excitedly jumped up and down as I signed the parent consent form to what would be her first field trip in Canada.
They were going for swimming lessons to learn lifesaving techniques.
At the parent-teacher meeting, amid discussing my daughter settling in and the impending trip, the teacher sought clarity on my daughter’s swimming ability. I assured her that she could swim, yet somehow, she remained doubtful. I almost fell out of my chair when she asked where in Zimbabwe my daughter had swum. Puzzled, I asked for clarity. She asked if she had swum in a river or an actual swimming pool. I took a deep breath, and then reiterated that my daughter had swum in swimming pools in Zimbabwe. I should have added that it’s common for houses in the suburbs to have swimming pools in their backyards, some even heated during our not-so-harsh winter.
This made me realize that people who have not travelled to Africa might actually believe that what those TV advertisements portray is the day-to-day lives of all Africans. What they don’t know, and what is not always shown on TV, is that there are thriving, bursting communities and cities with skyscrapers, great universities, huge shopping malls with world-famous luxury stores, nightclubs and some of the most luxurious mansions.
Some of the private schools are equipped with latest technologies, while some government schools are catching up.
It’s certainly not all hunky dory, but people aren’t living in the jungle.
African societies are patriarchal, which makes watching African women warriors kick ass on the movie screen as they fight and defend Wakanda refreshing. Girls and boys are inspired to believe in themselves and to take up roles that patriarchy would not have ascribed to them. This gender inclusivity becomes very critical in shaping the minds of our young ones, the leaders of tomorrow.
The impact of messages portrayed through such mediums should not be taken for granted.
My children already know that they can become anything they aspire to be in this world, as long as they work hard and never give up.
The idea of Wakanda ensures that they see this possibility, albeit through the work of fiction. The message remains the same. Even the sky ceases to be a limit.