Internationally acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie tackles the dangers of stereotyping Africans in her lecture ‘The danger of a single story’ hosted by TED: Ideas worth spreading.
In this talk, Adichie tells of how growing up in Nigeria she was first exposed to only American and English children’s books, which made her oblivious to African literature. When she started writing her own stories at a young age, Adichie only wrote about blue-eyed Anglo children eating apples, and thinking brown skin and Africa had no place in literature. Her perception changed after reading ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.
When I was watching the talk, it reminded me of experiences which I have encountered and still encounter today. People seem to only hear/see one story. Like the moments when my colleagues or non-African friends are surprised at my affection for Ghana and my longing to settle there one day. They usually respond with something along the lines of ‘Really, you want to live in Ghana!!! Isn’t Ghana poor with just mud brick houses, starving people and great wildlife. Well that’s what TV has told me all these years (or I read in a magazine). I haven’t met anyone to tell me otherwise’. Adichie makes it clear that we need to tell our stories.
For more great talks check out the TED website. I am now hooked on TED, so you will surely be seeing more posts on other great TED lectures.
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TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started as a conference in 1984 aiming to combine the worlds of Technology, Entertainment & Design.
TED believes in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. Their various global sessions and online platform offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.
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