So hey guys! Apologies for this late write up on
my interview with Dr.Hakim Adi. Besides trying to avoid hearing my annoyingly
squeaky voice, I have been trying to get my life together but enough about me,
about time I give the people what they have been waiting for!
These were my top five.. got the brain thinking questions !
Can
you give me a short description of post-colonial literature?
Each individual has their own definition of
everything in the world, granted the excepted and promoted definition is one
which is similar amongst the majority, it is still important to consider the
individuality that lies in definition. As definition strongly affects not only
the choice of language and words but the outlook an individual has. With this
in mind I began the interview with Dr. Adi asking could he give me a definition
of what post-colonial literature is. He replied with a …. No. I know right I wasn’t
expecting that either! Don’t worry soon after he gave me one … had you worried
didn’t I? I found Dr. Adi’s definition particularly interesting because as
literary critic often enough you are surrounded by other literary critics. Who
also often focus mainly on literature rather than context such as the history
and the circumstances surrounding the theory, prose or poetry? (Yes we do
consider it but we don’t make it our main focus). He argued that whilst
“Post-colonialism is focusing on the world after colonialism ( a period
dependent upon which area this could be from the 1960s onwalards), the
difficulty with post colonialism is that colonialism is not over or rather the
struggle against the features and legacy of colonial rule is not over.
Therefore the term post-colonialism is quite misleading” and thus unclear and
lacking definition. I found that this was something myself as a self-acclaimed
literary critic had never considered, it had always just been a title, a
defined title that I never questioned – wow I really sound like a colonial
servant don’t I ? Maybe it really isn’t over, even mentally.
Would
you agree with the statement “Absence of
postcolonial texts at GCSE level ignores that English literature was always
worldly”
Dr.Adi replied with Yes. I agree with his refusal
to justify how this statement maybe untrue as it is immensely evident that it
is. Living proof! Read my first entry and you will understand.
Would
you agree if Post-colonial literature was introduced into schools this would
have a positive effect on the decedents of minority races in the United
Kingdom?
“Sure, I
mean you want young people to have a general kind of appreciation of the world
in which they live, so that world is mainly made up of people who are not British,
not European. So yes you want people to understand the experience of those in
the rest of the world and also the relationship between Britain and other parts
of the relationship and in many cases both historically and contemporary terms
that relationship is a unequal one. It is either a colonial relationship or a
neo-colonial relationship. So you want everyone to understand that
relationship, appreciate and therefore understand how the world is, not just in
terms of literature but in terms of history aswell”
Dr.Adi’s comment highlighted how English
Literature is not the only subject that has to be reformed. We have to consider
subjects are subtly intertwined and that children have to receive a constant
flow of information across the educational board (Yes guys! It’s not just about
literature) which in turn will hopefully eliminate ignorance.
There
are many regions which are considered as colonial land, much of your writing is
focused on Africa, what drew you to Africa?
Dr Adi answered “What drew me to Africa …. because
I am African, I guess. Also the fact that when I was young there was very
little information about Africa and Africans”.
This comment particularly stood out to me, particularly because I felt I
could relate. Now here is the scary thing, its either I have a time machine,
they got the date wrong on my birth certificate or humanity … just hasn’t evolved
from popularising ignorance. Whilst yes it would be a lie to say that information
about Africa hasn’t improved in comparison to the past few decades, it’s the slow
pace of improvement which is worrying. It brings up the question of what should
be taught in History lessons, English lessons and other lessons in general.
Should Africa be integrated into the school system? Whilst I have not studied
in Africa I’m quite sure European history is heavily interrogated into African
lessons. So the question is why the double standard, this double standard in
its self marks a sense of European dominance and supremacy and perpetuates the
idea that Africa is insolent and inferior. Which in turn discourages a flow of positive
information about Africa. It brings us back to the idea of is colonialism
really over, should the post be removed?
You
have stated that “Africans and those of African descent have played a
significant but often neglected role in the history of Britain.” Do you still
feel that this is still the case, and how do you think this significance could
be acknowledged by historians and other intellect?
“Certainly in history, it is a problem. It is something that
isn’t genuinely presented. You may go through school or even university; you
would study British or European history. For example in British history, often
people never realise Africans were here. Africans were in Britain before even
the English were in Britain. You know
there were African emperors of Britain in roman times. So thorough out that
history Africans are kind of removed. And that’s a problem. That’s not just a
problem for people of African origin but for everyone because it gives a
distorted view of the past. Thus a distorted view of Britain’s relationship
with Africa. So it’s very important to present history as it is then we can
understand the world in which we live, then once we understand the world we can
do something about changing it. If we can’t understand the world then how can
we change it?”
F.
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