Ngugi Wa Thiongo - Why Africans hate their own languages | Diaspora Connect: Ep. 23

Host: Kenju Waweru
Guest: Ngugi Wa Thiongo
Your biggest power is your story. Diaspora Connect empowers our community at home & abroad by demystifying the diaspora life to Africans back home and acting as a resource to our listeners by offering tools to navigate the diaspora as well as easing the tension between Africans and African-Americans through storytelling.
Ngugi Wa Thiongo is Africa’s greatest living author and world-renowned scholar. Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o visited Seattle to speak at Townhall. One Vibe Africa was privileged to host a FREE community meet and greet with Ngũgĩ at Lukinya Fashion House in Kent, WA where we recorded this series of Diaspora Connect podcast that will come in four parts and a Q&A portion. Stay tuned as we will be sharing this valuable content in the coming weeks!
Thank you to all the Kenyan and African communities and other supporters of the Mzee that welcomed him to Seattle. Please join us in sharing this video and the upcoming pieces and subscribe to our KZbin channel for fresh original content from Seattle and Kisumu, Kenya!
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About One Vibe Africa:
One Vibe Africa is a grassroots, Seattle-based nonprofit that creates cultural and innovative programs and events to promote social welfare and economic empowerment for youth in the Manyatta slum of Kisumu, Kenya. One Vibe uses music, visual art, dance, culture, poetry & film to bring hope to youth who suffer from extreme poverty. Through our efforts, we inspire youth toward a deeper appreciation of their culture and traditions, inspiring them to reach their highest creative potential. Students are educated on current events and are provided access to career networks that would have otherwise remained out of reach to them. One Vibe Africa is the lead organizer of the annual Madaraka Festival in Seattle, Washington, which raises funds for our efforts in Seattle and Kenya. To learn more about One Vibe Africa, visit www.OneVibeAfrica.org
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[@kasaisatv9765]

I wonder what content we Africans are interested in, if for three years now, this video just has 25k views only. We still have a long way to DECOLONIZING THE MIND.

[@MadarakaFestival]

exactly, it will change. Thank your for doing your part. Please share it widely

[@rtmanyemba]

I hear your point.... But the other way to take it is this.... Wat does this measage help in the bread an butter an survival efforts of the average African.... This is more of self actualisation conversation.... For the person trying to put food on the table, or leaving their land of birth for a foreign land to earn a living, this is a discussion they wont find interest in ...

[@DonaldG-qq4ol]

I always appreciate Africans speaking their native language on KZbin videos even though I can't interpret. Thank you for the question and thank you for the answer.

[@MadarakaFestival]

Donald Blackmon thank you for your feedback!

[@madmouse4400]

Yes our languages are our souls and histories , it's with our souls that we'll find the development and independence

[@MizVia]

Thank you for sharing! “Self alienation (enslavement) vs self empowerment”

[@liliannjau5585]

I always love watching Ngugi wa Thiong'o interviews. He is very smart

[@AfricanQuizClub]

I listened to this and it almost made me cry. I feel trapped for not knowing my mother tongue and how to share the same with my kids. I know I come from royalty and a wealth of culture but am scared its slowly dying away and I cant help but feel helpless.

[@MadarakaFestival]

NEVER GIVE UP, keep fighting

[@yldabale]

You can go back and learn, family.

[@Tefera-hf8fw]

Royalty? so where in Africa?

[@smurph6953]

People here in Ireland can look down on me for speaking Irish it's sad the minds are still colonised very much here.

[@leofarmqueen7951]

Greetings from Jamaica. I am interested to learn African language

[@wambuimacharia5321]

We should embrace our culture

[@dasbarasat2637]

This is so true...but not said before

[@dandamuxima]

Unfortunately, here in Brasil more than 160 indigenous languages that still remain are being forgotten and part of our identity goes with them. All these facts makes things a little bit more complicated coz we are synonymous of miscigenation, a fact that brings confusion and insecurity between us. The settlers destroyed our self pride and our souls.

[@MadarakaFestival]

We should try and document and pass it on to the next generation. How do you think we can preserve those languages?

[@dandamuxima]

@@MadarakaFestival Yes, indeed, we should try. In my view, we brazilian should be proud of our land firstly., Then, I think that developing mother tongue courses at universities could help to preserve that knowledge but mainly preserving and respecting the rainforest and its people, as the fire are devastating their home each new year and consequently pushing them to the slums at the cities, turning them into marginals.

[@uamunongoshakeskaotororasu4772]

I learn a lot from this video please continue to impower us we were lost people who are mentally damaged Eurocentric false lecturing. Thanks a lot father Prof Thiong'o

[@harrypeters3099]

Thank you for this great interview, I just used it for one of my English literature assignments at university!

[@MadarakaFestival]

Harry Peters that’s wonderful! Please share with others too!!

[@malaikatellingthestoryofgo6535]

@@MadarakaFestival Me too!!! some great quotes to be had there !!! lol He is amazing!!

[@apachemimi9762]

Muudu witu !!

[@vanessabarcelos5774]

I'm thinking about Brazil, where most of us have no other mother tongue than that of the colonizer. I feel sorry for the indigenous languages that we have lost.

[@MadarakaFestival]

I think there is still a chance to learn the indigenous languages, do you agree?

[@purple4463]

THANK YOU PROFESSOR THIONG'O FOR YOUR BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN BOOKS, YOUR INSPIRATION, AND LOVE FOR AFRIKA. 💕💕

[@dakingsr]

The brother speaks the truth. Then in order for us to unite, we must forge a unified language.

[@MadarakaFestival]

It's exactly correct. Language is currency. If we don't have a unified language we will continue to be oppressed. All oppressors have a unified language and national or continental currencies...

[@madmouse4400]

Not really , that suppose if a country has many languages in education and administration , people would be divided . That suppose that if in Nigeria , if we teach Yoruba kids that the earth is a sphere , that 3+5=8 , their oral literature , how to calculate the surface of the cercle ,... in their language (yoruba) , they would suddenly transform into bloody murderer who would kill , discriminate or segregate those who don't speak their language and create division . And that's ridiculous , use your mother tongue (or language of your culture) never transform anyone into murderer or divided anyone , or that means that french kids who speak French , English kids who speak English , German kids who speak German will become killers for to speak their mother tongue .

[@timothymaina4411]

Exactly! That's why retain my traditional name

[@OkeloJavan]

It's so important, do you know what your name means?

[@austineochieng8117]

Perfect interview

[@akanyijukavanansio2601]

Thank you professor

[@zakiaemanuel6618]

Nice interview 😊

[@cavecrusherisdead]

Facts

[@MadarakaFestival]

Indeed!

[@hellenmuroka941]

king

[@madewithrealdiamonds]

African and the Americas defined, make you a proud spanish, english, french, dutch or portuguese speaker and you entirely forget your identity and heritage

[@WilsonNzuki]

Awesome! Love this!

[@MadarakaFestival]

Wilson Nzuki thank you! Share with your network please! Blessings

[@ngomusacherncy8432]

I havent listened but I cant relate to the topic. In South Africa especially KZN we LOVE our language ZULU. AMANDLA💪🏾

[@Tefera-hf8fw]

exactly most Africans are multilingual

[@petermwangi708]

this man though i think all youths should now have his steps we are still colonized..... ni thayu...🙄

[@MadarakaFestival]

True!

[@ningthouningthoujam3373]

Is he still gonna be denied the Nobel this year as well

[@Kevlexicon]

in the hardtalk interview on youtube ngugi talked about how international (colonizer) institutions set aside prize money for african writing-on the condition it's written in english which probs explains the institutional (bankkker class) hostility towards his african self respect

[@MansaKimani]

Good Stuff

[@m.b.nagaraj7666]

All Colonialism experienced Countries hate their own language. Not only in Africa Indians too

[@Tefera-hf8fw]

If they did all their languages would have been dead yet we are still using them daily. most of India's population are multilingual and Africans too.

[@m.b.nagaraj7666]

But INDIAN LANGUAGE NOT DOMINATED IN.EDUCATION

[@msambweni123]

Teach me to be me

[@juancarlosvasquezgarcia6134]

Does anyone have a link to the book of the Irish author Ngugi mentions in the interview?

[@mueni333_]

You can find it in PDF format on libgen

[@m.b.nagaraj7666]

People hate their own language in the Colonial Countries. English French Spanish and Portuguese killed Countless languages. This is common in Indian sub continent and Africa

[@Tefera-hf8fw]

wrong

[@Tefera-hf8fw]

While writing and teaching in the 'coloniser's language' plus living in his country. this guy is confused.

[@cytkl]

Loose your mother tongue loose your roots

[@MadarakaFestival]

Correct

[@zakiaemanuel6618]

Nice interview 😊