’Maternal’’ and ‘’Filial’’ Connections between Africa and America.
LOUIS MENDY
Professor of American Studies at Cheikh Anta Diop University.
Dakar, Senegal.
If the USA was a child, her parents would unquestionably be Africa and Europe. Although it has been historically popularized that America was discovered in 1492 by the European Christopher Columbus, some historians, in their colonial accounts and scholars, like Ivan Van Sertima the Guyanese one, defend the theory that black africans had probably set foot on the American continent before Europeans did.
Unfortunately, the most documented sources of Blacks’ presence on that continent are the slave narratives that include the horrendous passage of millions of Africa’s children to America. Those Africans and their descendants have, thereafter, significantly contributed to the ‘’birth’’, development and hegemony of the American nation.
Consequently, Africa has always cast a ‘’maternal’’ look at the USA where Blacks or rather the African diaspora, in general, have been living in both utopic and dystopic conditions according to many exegetes of African-american studies. In return, the USA should morally bear a ‘’filial’’ look at ‘’Mother’’ Africa for all her sacrifices for the growth and maturity of that ‘’child’’.
Thus, there are strong connections between the two continents in many key social areas, such as culture, literature, religions and family values to name but a few. No wonder then, that an important part of the African diaspora in the USA nurture feelings of belonging to Africa and dream about going back to ‘’Mummy Africa’’.
Our intention in this presentation is to analyze some of the historic connections between the two continents, as well as the role and importance of the African diaspora in the development of the USA.
In the first section, the analysis revolves around Africa’s ‘’maternal’’ look at the USA, then the second one expounds on the ‘’filial’’ responsibility of the USA towards ‘’Mummy Africa’’ and the last one focuses on the African diaspora’s feelings of belonging to Africa and their dreams about returning to the mother-land of their ancestors.
Key words : Africa ; America ; Connections ; Diaspora ; Europe ; Filial ; Maternal.
If you are interested in this panel, send your abstract of about 250 words to: mendymerlouis@gmail.com or to louis.mendy@ucad.edu.sn
before March 15.
THANK YOU.
