Summary of How Not to Write About Africa - Binyavanga Wainaina

The video "How Not to Write About Africa" by Binyavanga Wainaina critiques common stereotypes and clichés used in writing about Africa. Wainaina humorously outlines a series of misguided artistic techniques and concepts that perpetuate a narrow and often negative view of the continent.

Key Artistic Techniques and Concepts:

Steps and Advice:

Contributors:

Notable Quotes

00:05 — « Always use the word Africa or Darkness or Safari in your title. »
00:41 — « Africa is to be petted, to be petted, to be petted, worried or dominated. »
00:50 — « Be sure to leave the strong impression that without your intervention and your important book, Africa is doomed. »
01:47 — « The starving African who wanders the refugee camp nearly naked and waits for the benevolence of the West can have no past, no history. »
02:16 — « Any work you submit in which people look filthy and miserable will be referred to as the real Africa. »

Category

Art and Creativity

Video