American Evangelists and the Growth of Homophobia in Africa

My Heart’s in Africa reviews a report by Rev. Kapya Kaoma, an Episcopalian Priest from Zambia, which explains how American evangelists are fueling the current wave of homophobia in African countries such as Uganda:

“In a conference call with members of the media today, Kaoma declared that, “The US culture wars are being exported to Africa. They’re having an impact not just in the US, but also amongst African Christians.”

The culture wars Kaoma refers to have been particularly intense within the Anglican communion, his (and, as it happens, my) church. After the election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, to bishop of New Hampshire, a number of bishops moved to “realign” their congregations outside of mainstream Anglican authority. Two new, more conservative Anglican groups have emerged, and some African congregations have aligned with these new groups.

Kaoma argues that, in the mainline US churches, most congregants and pastors are leaning towards progressive Christianity. The more conservative individuals – in the minority – are aligning with the fast-growing churches in Africa…

These conservative pastors, Kaoma argues, “need to demean the leadership of US mainline churches,” and present their views as the legitimate alternative. It’s become common to present the US mainline churches as imperialistic, and to argue that these mainline churches as trying to export non-African values. “Once you appeal to the post-colonial ethos, people are bound to overreact. The entire gay issue has been put into the post-colonial narrative.” Because the issue of gay rights has been turned into a battle about a purported recolonization of the African continent, Kaoma argues, a struggle for gay rights isn’t seen as a human rights issue, but as an attempt to export “un-African” ideas to the African continent.”

Racialicious questions why African Americans continue to play African roles in movies set in Africa:

“’Invictus,’ a film about Nelson Mandela’s efforts to unify post-apartheid South Africa through rugby, opens Dec. 11. The film stars Matt Damon as captain of South Africa’s 1995 rugby team and Morgan Freeman as Mandela.

I’ve little interest in seeing this film, but the commercials for it caught my attention when I noticed someone attempting what I considered to be an atrocious South African accent. That someone was Freeman, an amazing actor, no doubt, but not convincing to me as a South African ….

After pondering how Freeman speaks in the film, I wondered why a South African wasn’t cast in “Invictus.” With Clint Eastwood as director and Damon in a starring role, would it have been that much of a gamble to cast an unknown in the role of Mandela? Then, I thought about other films set in Africa—“Hotel Rwanda,” “Cry Freedom,” “The Last King of Scotland” and “Sarafina!” All feature black Americans in starring roles as Africans. A recent exception would be 2006’s “Blood Diamond” in which Djimon Hounsou has a starring role.

I understand that casting African American film stars likely makes movies about Africa more marketable, but would African Americans be as accepting if roles designed for them were given to whites to increase a film’s marketability? Judging from the uproar surrounding Angelina Jolie starring as Mariane Pearl in “A Mighty Heart,” I think not. So why aren’t more people speaking up about the tendency of African roles to go to black Americans?”

Grandiose Parlor wonders why no effort is being made to transform the Makoko slum in Lagos, Nigeria, into an entertainment hotspot:

“Slum on stilts is the description for the 50,000+ strong fishing community called Makoko that abuts and stretches into the Lagos lagoon. Some have called it ugly, “ugly (” Idowu Ogunleye, photo journalist, Lagos), and even “dangerous and volatile” (John Vidal, Guardian).

Looking from outside, either though photographs, or from above while driving across the adjacent bridges, I see something different: I marvel at the resiliency of the inhabitants.

Ugly, dangerous and volatile are far from my minds, I see in Makoko, an exotic breed striving to lead a meaningful life despite all odds. Even despite the dire circumstances, I see culture in confluence with commerce.

Makoko is certainly different, and may be tough on the exterior, but it has life, it’s unique and lively. I wonder why the powers-that-be would rather see it as an eyesore than a vibrant community needing uplifting?

Yet, all it takes are few committed minds that can see beyond the grime and grunge and transform Makoko into a commercial and entertainment hot-spot on the lagoon. “

Bankele gives a number on tips on how Africa can profit from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa:

“So besides global giants like Sony and Coca Cola, what other opportunities are there for Kenyan and other African nations & companies?

The World Cup will draw thousands of people making their first or a rare trip to African continent, which can yield opportunities for locales outside South Africa

- Beach tourism: The World Cup is associated with summer, but takes place in winter in SA (southern hemisphere), and while the weather will be relatively mild compared to Europe and US winters, it’s not beach strolling weather like you could get in Mombasa, Zanzibar or Seychelles.

- Regional packages: Ethiopian Airlines has travel packages that cover more than one country e.g. see the attractions of Ethiopia, Tanzania, Egypt, and Kenya and will probably sell those in SA. Likewise Kenya Airways (or local agents) who will probably have travelers from Thailand and China can draw on the same to entice people on the way back e.g. also tour the Great Rift highlands of Kenya and Ethiopia and visit athletic camps to see where world beating Olympic athletes hone their skills...

Governments: there are opportunities for proactive governments to get involved and promote their countries with marketing campaigns, or with travel advice for locals, expedited transit visas (JKIA) or passport renewals. See what UK government is doing.”

Ushahidi, an African open source project which allows users to crowdsource crisis information, announces that it has received a $1.4M grant from the Omidyar Network:

“The funding will enable us to scale the platform, put resources towards Swift River and grow our operations in Kenya.

Omidyar has funded Digg, the Wikimedia Foundation, Creative Commons, WITNESS and the Sunlight Foundation. Why should they fund us?

A good starting point is their boilerplate, which states: ‘Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change...’

Where Ushahidi fits in is their Media, Markets and Transparency section, specifically in the way that the Ushahidi platform can be utilized around the world for greater government transparency. Ushahidi’s innovative use of technology to strengthen democracy by amplifying citizen voices and its ability to connect potentially millions of individuals to information that could transform their lives are what drew Omidyar Network’s interest.”

Upstation Mountain Club announces the death of Cameroonian novelist, poet and politician, Mbella Sonne Dipoko, one of the leading first generation Cameroonian writers alongside the likes of Mongo Beti and Ferdinand Oyono. The announcement includes a link to an interview from 1990 in which Dipoko talks about his writing, his life in Europe, his return to Cameroon, and his eccentric look:

“In the West they would call me a romantic, one of the last breed, I suppose. A romantic and not a mad man, as some people do here, in Africa, fearing the beard and scared of the head of hair...

I tell you, in Douala, sometimes it takes me as long as an hour to get a taxi. When they stop, it is to give some chap who might be waiting with me a ride. But me, no! They don’t want the beard. They don’t want my look. They are damned scared.

Don’t let anyone impose their will on you. So let them be scared of my look, of my beard, of my head of hair. They are just philistines who are afraid of originality. They wish to be caricatures of Europeans. When they are scared of a mere beard, what would these people do when war comes, when the horizon suddenly begins to sneeze smoke and spit flames? Who will save the nation? For only the courageous can defend the colors of a country? Only people like those few taxi drivers who, not minding the way I look, give me a ride in their vehicles, will be at the command of our cannons. For, they are courageous people. They love all their people, even those who do not look like caricatures of Europeans.”

* Dibussi Tande, a writer and activist from Cameroon, produces the blog Scribbles from the Den.

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.