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MentorAfrica: I WILL SEE YOU THE WAY YOU SEE YOU. - JE TE VERRAI...

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MentorAfrica: A REBOUND OR A DETOUR? - UN REBOND OU UN DÉTOUR ?

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MentorAfrica: THE WHO THAT STARTED IS NOT THE WHO THAT ENDS. - C...

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MentorAfrica: WHAT IS LOST IS LOST. - CE QUI EST PERDU EST PERDU.

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MentorAfrica: THE BENEFITS OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR IDENTITY ARE IN...

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MentorAfrica: THERE IS POWER IN THE RIGHT QUESTION. - IL Y A DU ...

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MentorAfrica: BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF BEFORE YOU SEEK TO LEAD. S...

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MentorAfrica: LIFE IS A PATCHWORK. - LA VIE EST UN PATCHWORK.

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I saw a post in one of the social media platforms with a caption 'talent in a wrong environment'. It was the photo of a young girl in a ballet outfit dancing in front of a small shop in an area which was obviously for the low income people, on an earth road. The first thing that came to my mind was why was she so interested in ballet in an environment where people know little or nothing about that dance style? Why was she not introduced to a dance style that had roots in that environment and would likely be appreciated by more people? Is that to say that we should only be attracted to things that are not culturally relevant to us as a community? Of course not! But I believe we should begin from our immediate culture and move on from there. The message we send when we say that a talent is in a wrong environment because they are proficient in in something foreign and western leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

In many African communities, a lot of people are already living with an identity crisis. They want to take on the identity of their colonial masters because they have been made to believe that that is what civilisation looks like. In that mindset, they try to distance themselves from anything that is 'barbaric' so they go all out to become copies of their colonial masters. It is true that coming from a background of slavery and colonisation breeds individuals that have been almost stripped of anything that is culturally valuable to them, but after a while the picture gets clearer. Unfortunately, it is too late for many of such people to understand the real dynamics at play. On the other hand, It is foolish to believe that things will go back to status quo because society evolves and nothing can remain as it was. However, values can be reassessed and priorities reorganised.

Most Africans are in a position where they are neither Africans or westerners. They seek to become westerners but they are not accepted as such in the grand scheme of things. They cannot be fully Africans because it means that they will not be looked at as civilised people so, there is this constant pull on both sides and many are existing in limbo; they are neither Africans or westerners. Amusing and pitiful as this may sound, that is the current reality of many Africans. They do not want to be associated with anything African but there are obvious characteristics that they cannot do anything about that still links them to their heritage. The girl in that photo and the person that gave it that caption are in this category. The girl will constantly regret not being born into a society where she can develop that talent and be accepted so, she lives angry at her lot and she will not want to develop dance steps that she can showcase and conquer the world with from what is available to her in her environment. That is the dilemma that many Africans are living with and it is pathetic, to say the least.

Until you understand and appreciate who you are and what you have, you will grovel in other people's space looking for the acceptance you are not likely to get. It is a pity but that is the world in which we live.

Do have a wonderful day! 

Make today a day to remember by the depth of the knowledge you decide to acquire. 

Make sure you properly engage your mind. 

Read more at 

www.mentoringafrica.blogspot.com. Comments, suggestions and questions can be sent to my email if you find it difficult to do so the blog. tagbosa@gmail.com. If this is content that you have enjoyed, help to share it with others.

J'ai vu une publication sur un réseau social avec la légende « Un talent dans un environnement inapproprié ». Il s'agissait de la photo d'une jeune fille en tenue de danse classique, dansant devant une petite boutique dans un quartier visiblement réservé aux personnes à faibles revenus, sur un chemin de terre. La première chose qui m'est venue à l'esprit était : pourquoi s'intéressait-elle autant au ballet dans un environnement où les gens ne connaissaient pas ou peu ce style de danse ? Pourquoi ne lui avait-on pas présenté un style de danse ancré dans cet environnement et susceptible d'être apprécié par un plus grand nombre ? Est-ce à dire que nous ne devrions être attirés que par des choses qui ne sont pas culturellement pertinentes pour notre communauté ? Bien sûr que non ! Mais je pense que nous devrions partir de notre culture immédiate et progresser à partir de là. Le message que nous envoyons en affirmant qu'un talent est dans un environnement inapproprié parce qu'il maîtrise un domaine étranger et occidental laisse un goût amer.

Dans de nombreuses communautés africaines, beaucoup vivent déjà une crise d'identité. Ils veulent adopter l'identité de leurs maîtres coloniaux, car on leur a fait croire que c'est à cela que ressemble la civilisation. Dans cet état d'esprit, ils cherchent à se distancer de tout ce qui est « barbare » et s'efforcent de copier leurs maîtres coloniaux. Certes, le fait d'être issu d'un milieu esclavagiste et colonisé engendre des individus quasiment dépouillés de toute valeur culturelle, mais avec le temps, la situation s'éclaircit. Malheureusement, il est trop tard pour beaucoup de ces personnes pour comprendre la véritable dynamique en jeu. D'un autre côté, il est illusoire de croire que les choses reviendront au statu quo, car la société évolue et rien ne peut rester comme avant. Cependant, les valeurs peuvent être réévaluées et les priorités réorganisées.

La plupart des Africains se trouvent dans une situation où ils ne sont ni Africains ni Occidentaux. Ils aspirent à devenir Occidentaux, mais ne sont pas acceptés comme tels dans l'ensemble. Ils ne peuvent pas être pleinement Africains, car cela signifie qu'ils ne seront pas considérés comme des personnes civilisées. Il existe donc une tension constante des deux côtés et beaucoup vivent dans l'incertitude : ils ne sont ni Africains ni Occidentaux. Aussi amusant et pitoyable que cela puisse paraître, telle est la réalité actuelle de nombreux Africains. Ils refusent d'être associés à quoi que ce soit d'africain, mais il existe des caractéristiques évidentes sur lesquelles ils ne peuvent rien faire et qui les lient encore à leur héritage. La jeune fille sur cette photo et la personne qui a donné cette légende appartiennent à cette catégorie. Elle regrettera constamment de ne pas être née dans une société où elle pourrait développer ce talent et être acceptée. Elle vit donc en colère contre son sort et refuse de développer des pas de danse qui lui permettraient de conquérir le monde grâce aux ressources disponibles dans son environnement. C'est le dilemme auquel sont confrontés de nombreux Africains, et c'est pour le moins pathétique.

Tant que vous ne comprendrez et n'apprécierez pas qui vous êtes et ce que vous avez, vous vous prosternerez dans l'espace des autres, en quête d'une acceptation que vous n'obtiendrez probablement pas. C'est dommage, mais tel est le monde dans lequel nous vivons.

Passez une excellente journée !

Faites d'aujourd'hui une journée inoubliable par la profondeur des connaissances que vous aurez décidé d'acquérir.

Assurez-vous de bien vous concentrer.

 Pour en savoir plus, rendez-vous sur www.mentoringafrica.blogspot.com. N'hésitez pas à m'envoyer vos commentaires, suggestions et questions si vous avez des difficultés à les consulter sur le blog : tagbosa@gmail.com. Si ce contenu vous a plu, n'hésitez pas à le partager.

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