Africa

The last couple of weeks I have been thinking about what it is exactly that africa does, has, is..

People are always talking how africa is behind in development, due to oppression and even weather patterns. One theory goes like this: Since africa has no real extreme weather conditions the people were never forced to develop technology to survive.. like insulated buildings, indoor plumbing, heating etc.. Food in africa is abundant throughout the year, there was little need to store food.. etc etc.. so when the slaveships arrived in africa, they saw no great monuments, aqueducts etc.. It simply wasn't neccesary. No the guy who told me this story was picturing it as a negative, because africa doesn't now have anything to offer the world, and because of their 'backwardness' are easy to exploit.

Now this is a hefty conversation and could go on forever.. but here is my two cents.

If the west gave us reason and politics,
and the east gave us precision and discipline,
then what does the '3rdworld' africa in particular have to offer?

Africa is not a place of great high art ie operas, symphonies and frescos.

Africa is not a place of precision, business and logic.

Africa is a place of dancing, drinking with your friends, laughing, walking to the river with your girlfriends, stories, drums, more dancing, noise, passion, games, feasts, ubuntu, beer, braai, sport, being in the moment, celebrating every piece of bread.

What does africa bring to the global body?

Its heart.

We need to embrace our strength, africa is not Shanghai, africa is not Rome, Africa is not wall street, africa is not the Louvre. We need to engage africa on her terms, not ours.