Beloved and Disputed Tropes in African Literature

A lot of us have probably heard of "Things Fall Apart", "The No.1 Ladies Detective", "Purple Hibiscus", and "Motswasele II" if you're a Motswana. There are many well-loved African literature books out there, and, like many book-to-film adaptations that leave out important details, some authors contribute to certain stereotypes about Africa and Africans.

This piece will focus not on the authors but on certain themes that recur in many African literature books. The reason we want to dive into these tropes is because of the alarming questions African celebrities or influencers have been asked outside of Africa, specifically in the U.S.

Celebrities like Nomzamo Mbatha and Trevor Noah have revealed that they have been asked questions such as "Are there aeroplanes in Africa?" multiple times. While it is easy to criticize people for their ignorance, we must acknowledge that some authors have contributed to such stereotypes through their writing.

Now, let's get into the tropes we love and hate in African literature and why readers should embrace books that celebrate both.

Tropes We Love

Language - A huge part of Africans' identities is their many languages and dialects. South Africa alone has eleven languages, some of which Batswana understand and speak because of the countries' proximity to each other. Names are huge identifiers in many African cultures. Seeing African names with meanings embedded in the character's journey of life and using African languages as part of characters' dialogues make reading African literature all the more wholesome.

Performances - Drums, fire, ululating, dancing, traditional attire, traditional beer, laughing, storytelling, eating of traditional food, and food market stalls are some of the words that come to mind when I think about African performances. African performances happen on good occasions, bad occasions even as a form of worship in different cultures. Books that don't share more of these do a disservice to the African culture because they downgrade what a celebratory people Africans are.

Batswana have Kwassa kwassa, Setswana traditional music, Folk music, Motswako, Dikhwaere, South Africans have engineered Amapiano, Qqom, Kwaito, the Congolese have Ndombolo, Kwassa kwassa, Soukous and Nigerians have Afrobeats, Nigerian gospel and Apala. But do you know why South Africa's Amapiano and Nigeria's Afrobeats took the world by storm? It is because many did not know how action-packed Africans are because not enough literature expressed their originality in music, dance and performance. Africans have always been colourful in personality and multifaceted.

Royalty - We love reading stories about African leadership and witnessing how different it was from modern leadership. We love the legacy that African leaders had of passing down the birthright. We love the spirit of togetherness that each Chieftancy/Kingdom had, the relationship between neighbouring villages and Chiefs and the tribal competitions for the Princess's hand in marriage. All stories about Royalty take on a visual journey of the layout of the village, the Royalty compound, and the landscape in general and we believe it is here that you get to see the beauty of Africa through the lens of the author. The beauty of the small African village you've probably never heard of and not the big landmarks in a certain country.

Farming - We love that Africa has major technological advancements, and we also love that many Africans still rely on farming. Farming isn't something of the past, many still rear livestock and plough. The reason we love this theme so much is because farming serves as a foundational unearthing of Africa's land.

Before the arrival of large machines to exploit natural resources, Africans had a strong connection with their land. This is why they are often referred to as "children of the soil" or "sons of the soil". They held their land in high regard, seeing it as the trusted way for God's provision in their lives. Their culture was intrinsic, which is why we have the Pan-African Diaspora, but their land was a possession far more valuable than what colonists took it for. It was home. Their practices, customs, and beliefs belonged at home and shone brightly there. Therefore, farming for Africans should not be seen as just an activity because it is more than that.

Tropes We Hate

Poverty - We recently saw an ad on Instagram that showed starving African children and was asking for donations for the cause of feeding these children. Poverty indeed exists in Africa but, it exists in a capacity seen in other continents. I am certain that in real life, not many American children are left home alone and baking up a storm as they are in children's stories. However, it is puzzling that African children do not have the same exposure to stories that depict well-off characters. Such stories can inspire these children to strive for more and to believe that poverty does not have to be their defining factor.

Slavery - This theme can serve as a driving force to show a character's resilience and this can be empowering. This theme shows Africans what their forefathers went through, and overcame and gives them hope to strive for a better future. The intentions behind the usage of this theme may be good but slavery involves a level of demeaning behaviour and in an era where Black girls are just learning to love and take care of their kinky hair, we don't want them to revisit their beliefs of not being good enough due to the texts they read.

Witchcraft - The dissimulation is what puts us off with this theme. The topic of witchcraft is often misunderstood. It is a type of magic practised by some Africans (among many outlanders) for various reasons, often associated with dark or evil intentions. As a result, witchcraft is often stigmatized and frowned upon.

Now insert Tinkerbell. A beautiful fairy, using her magic to help others. And this? This is seen as good and admirable. Children often aspire to be like the beloved fairy character Tinkerbell, but we rarely encourage them to consider the role of the witch doctor who attempted to help Ekwefi in "Things Fall Apart". Though we do not endorse either character as a role model, we find it unsettling that (beneath it all) these drastically similar examples are presented as different.

Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie once said in her TEDtalk,

Now things changed when I discovered African books. There weren't many of them available, and they weren't quiet as easy to find as the foreign books. But because of writers like Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye, I went through a mental shift in my perception of literature, I realised that people like me, girls with skin the colour of chocolate, whose kinky hair could not form ponytails could also exist in literature. I started to write about things I recognised.

What have you recognised in your environment?

In Botswana, we acknowledge that diverse practices and technologies coexist harmoniously. Medical doctors and herbalists help their respective patients, donkey carts and cars share the same roads, and traditional games and modern sports are still enjoyed as a means of fitness and recreation. This variety is a testament to the richness of the culture and the ability of its people to embrace both tradition and innovation.

What are you going to do about that realisation?

Write about it. Write about it for the people who know Botswana for the beef, diamonds, elephants, Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park and the first president to marry a White woman. Write about the hidden gems of Botswana that you experience every day.

Which tropes did you resonate with the most and why? Share Your Thoughts! Leave a Comment Below.