Open spaces - Ngugi Wa Thiongi

As part of my MA study this term I have elected a course on African Theatre. It asks the big question of What is African Theatre or Literature? Nearly all written books and plays in circulation have been influenced by Europe through colonisation and so are better discribed as EuroAfrican literature. in fact the rich oral traditions of Africa were completely degraded in colonialisation in favour of European literature and languages. One writer Ngugi Wa Thiongi, who himself was educated under this system, has made a stand against this history for some 20 years now by only now writing his plays and literature in Gikuyu a Kenyan language. In his book "Decolonising the mind" he talks about how Theatre in pre colonial Africa was part of the expression of the community. Drama, dance, song retolled stories of heroism or was used in ceremonies and ritual on a daily basis. It also happened, not in buildings but in the open spaces. When Europian nations colonised Africa for fear of revolution any gatherings in open spaces were banned which had a devastating effect on African community life. The education system put people in class rooms and all of this oral tradition was ignored in favour of Shakespeare and other English or European lietrature. On my trip to Sierra Leone last as I waited for the helicopter to take us to Lungi Airport an old man was selling as book about Sierra Leone. I bought it because I had seen nothing like it in the 2 weeks I had been in the country. It was a book about the oral tradtions of Sierra Leone and had been translated into English. At the time I bought it as a keep sake and because I liked the pictures. Now I realise what a gem I bought.