By Franz J. T. Lee
Essence a n d
Existence IX
1st November, 1999
NEGRITUDE
SCENE: Philosophy Seminar
(After giving a general lecture on African philosophy,
concentrating on West Africa, dealing with the neo-colonial ideology of
"Negritude", and explaining the essence of
the Philosophic Poetry of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Aimé-Fernand
Césaire, Léon Damas, David Diop and Birago Diop,
Prof. Coseino introduces the discussion period.)
Coseino: Apart from the fact, that a great part of "Ancient Greek Philosophy", "Egyptian Philosophy" and "Arab Philosophy" belongs to "Bantu Philosophy", more precisely, to African Philosophy, in the middle of the 20th century, the African "Wretched of the Earth" (Frantz Fanon) also attempted to enter the modern world of philosophic thought. That they entered through the backdoor of Philosophy, through the Apartheid Entrance of "Racist Ideology", that is another story. This is exactly how they expect that a "Kaffir" should behave, should step on the stage of world history, of globalization.
As you would have noticed, in my introductory lecture, we just touched on issues, which concern our central topic, and which refers to the launching of a New Philosophy. Please keep the discussion within this context!
Nelson: I am fascinated by the Negritude
philosophy, by "Black Power", by "Black Consciousness", for me: "Black Is
Beautiful!"
Prof. Coseino, it is simply marvellous
to see the current future in my homeland, South Africa. I am very proud
of our people, indeed, in South Africa, and in Africa, in general: "The
Future is Black!"
Winnie: Nelson, I am not quite impressed by your euphoric statements. I know you love Western Democracy, the British Parliamentary System, that you favour Reconciliatory Pacification of the African peoples, that, to achieve these goals, you are even "Prepared To Die" for them, but, my dear Nelson, "this is not the South Africa, I have ruined my life for".
Karl: Professor, please, explain to us the general African philosophy or ideology which has led to such disastrous effects.
Coseino: Let me explain to you the "Essence a n d Existence" of the "Negritude" Movement.
It all began in the 1930s in Paris. Many French-speaking and Caribbean "colonial" writers and poets wanted to see Paris, at least once, before they died. However, their real literary action, their cosmic motif was to protest against the French colonial policy of assimilation, officially based on equality of all "races"; but, de facto , it emphasized the superiority of European culture and civilization over that of the "barbarian primitivism" of the "Dark Continent". These writers and poets began to study their own African culture and heavily criticized the so-called "Western values".
William: Between the 1930s and 1970s, who were the main figures of the ideology of Negritude in Africa?
Coseino: Among others, the outstanding figures were those which I have already mentioned, namely, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Aimé-Fernand Césaire, Léon Damas, David Diop and Birago Diop and Frantz Fanon.
European Philosophy simply assumed that Africa never had any history or original thought, and that they, the West Europeans, as the divine-elected "chosen few" had the "historic task" to civilize these natives. Even on the battlefields of the European World War, the Africans were treated as inferior "pack animals", as donkeys which have no culture, no feelings, no emotions. By the way, wrapped nicely in modern NATO or United Nations sheep' clothing, or IMF coloured gift paper, this "racist" attitude is rife, totally rotten, nurturing fat global worms to this very day.
Karl: What relation did African original culture have to Nature, to Cosmos, to Essence, to Quidditas? Culture, in any case, comes from cultura, from "caring and tilling the soil".
Coseino: It nurtured exactly the archaic historic relation, which was lost, ever since Adam and Eve had left the "Cradle of Humanity", when the Patria had launched the unilateral process of Alienation, of Labour, which later generated the Accumulation of Capital and the Maximization of Giga-Profits.
Karl: Please describe this natural, social relation.
Coseino: Of course, neither you nor I formal-logically and spatial-temporally were living in Africa in those remote ages, but let me see what our Reason can reconstruct from the fragmented, bourgeois prehistoric, anthropological and ethnological censured data at our disposal, carefully selected and presented for popular ideological consumption.
The main ideas dealt with within the Negritude movement had to do with the "mystic warmth of African life", which had a very intimate relation with Mother Nature, also its transhistoric proximity to and social communication with all ancient ancestors; Africans were in permanent PSI- or telepathic communication with their deceased family members; in any case, they were buried in the hut, under the bed, or in front of the door. They were simply permanently hic et nunc, not dead forever. This is in direct contrast to the "soullessness" "capitalist greed and materialism" , in spite of the omnipresent "World Spirit", in "Western Culture". Previously, we were laughing at such strange cultural customs, but, ever since the Manhattan, Orion or Philadelphia Projects and Experiments, we have become wiser, we take nothing for granted anymore.
Adam: This is really my field, but religious aspects do not interest me so much today. Next to economic exploitation of Nature by Western Imperialism, did Negritude also criticize European Political Domination, did it ideologically nurture the African Movement towards Political Independence?
Coseino: Yes, Adam. Exactly that happened. Negritude taught that its ideology should embrace the totality of African culture, including its economic, social, and political values; also it pinpointed the value and dignity of the "African Man", of the awakening Black Giant who will eventually break all the Chains of Imperialist Slavery.
Patricia: I would like to read about these factors. Who are the authors that deal with the above topics?
Coseino: In Senghor's poetry you will encounter all these themes, which was, in any case, inspired by David and Birago Diop (Senegal), also by Jacques Rabemananjara (Madagascar), Mongo Beti and Ferdinand Oyono (Cameroon) and Tchicaya U Tam's (Congo).
Karl: Is this Negritude movement still virulent in Africa?
Coseino: No, Karl. In fact, already since the mid-1960s, when political independence was achieved by most African countries, and because Negritude had achieved its historic objectives, its poetic themes began to vanish. West African Poetry migrated to Nigeria. Of course, before fading into oblivion, it still influenced "Black Power" in the USA; and the "Black Consciousness Movement" of South Africa.
I noticed that we have to terminate our seminar again. Next week I
will inform you about the life of some of these writers, specifically about
the ideas of Senghor, Césaire and the Diops.
Till then, enjoy your week-end!
(The Seminar Ends.)