Colonial Impact on Art and Culture of Gabon - Coursework Example

Introduction.

Both culture and art form wonderful means of strengthening and preserving a community's sense of place, forging the communities’ personal identities, and showcasing their creativity. In general, culture and art promote multiple learning opportunities, entertainment opportunities, personal growth benefits, leisure, and improved communication with other communities. Above all, culture and art identifies a particular group and compares practices among communities or embedded nation communities. For instance, the Gabonese culture and art in relation to their colonial powers, the French. This short essay paper examines the colonial impact of the Gabonese's art and culture in relation to the French's influence in terms of literature of the country, film, festivals, music, and dance, and the cuisine. Furthermore, the paper furthers to explore the leading or notable influences on art and culture and their works in Gabon, providing examples and impacts of their work

both locally and globally.

Colonial Impact on Art and Culture of the Gabonese.

Impact on Language.

It is observed that in Gabon, the country inherits the Francophone dimension of national identity from its colonizer (France). This effect is substantially striking that Gabon’s vernacular languages continue finding it challenging to resist the onslaught of French for the country even lacks a mechanism to control or lower the existing French dominance over local languages spoken in Gabon (Boussougou, 2015). Researchers continue to debate the extent that the Gabonese language has declined due to the overbearing influence of the French language. According to the hypotheses set by various researchers, the French language is a threat to the ethnic languages. Fundamentally, the French language inhibited the Bantu language literature use in Gabon, which currently do barely have any written form. Many Gabonese writers have recorded their pieces of literature exclusively in French, such as the famous Angele Rawiri and Vincent de Paul Nyonda. What continues to widen this already existing gap between generations is the continual teaching of the French language in schools. For the Gabonese, the country’s native artistic masks, folks dance sculptures that greatly identifies and distinguishes the Gabonese historical culture appears to be currently a relic of the past given the established colonial language composition. Despite the French language's negative effect on the country's native languages, it is the country's official language. Though Bantu languages are spoken among the Gabonese, they remain unofficial and undocumented, thus not part of the statecraft or use in Business. Gabon remains mostly adopted and used formal language in the country.

Impact on Literature.

Just like many other African works of literature, the Gabonese literature began as an oral tradition. Traditionally, the Gabonese culture has been expressed through paintings, fashion, and sculptures. Presently, they are only available for purchase in craft markets in Gabon. Many French People, as well as other European speakers, have had their writers pen their works on Gabon. With their influence, most literature is written, such as those by Angele Rawiri. Vincent de Paul Nyonda exclusively utilizes the French language giving no room for the literature expression of the Bantus people such as the Fangs, Sira, and Mbere.

Impacts on Films.

Many films acted in Gabon encompass various French related cultures, proving the extent to which the Gabonese culture is significantly eroded by their colonial masters (Cinnamon, 2011). Taking an example of a film titles “LE SILENSE DE LA FORET,” that was filmed in the year 2003, the film is recorded in French, though with some English subtitles. This shows why Gabonese seem to have a failed cultural continuity of language expressed through the film (Havilland, Prinks, McBride, & Walrath, 2013). Though the film is recorded in Gabon, it describes the interaction of European-educated African with the mythic rainforest people presented as 'pygmies.' From the film, one may notice how the native culture is disrespected with the influence of western education. Another film, "Le grand blanc de Lambarene" which was filmed in 1994, utilized the French language with English subtitles with no translation in any of the Gabonese Bantu language groups. Its description or plot revolves around the arrogance of a medical missionary from France viewing the Gabonese primitive children in a meaningless culture. The movie prevented meaningful cross-culture encounters. Generally, the film industry borrows significantly from the French culture as opposed to focusing on the Gabonese culture composition.

Dance and Music Impacts.

The history of modern Gabonese music began in 1974 by Pierre Akendengue. Pierre trained in Europe, borrowing the current modern music style from western classical music, particularly from Paris France. Though traditional Gabon music is still being practiced particularly in the country's villages, the shift in music has substantially been influenced by western cultures, particularly from France, the country's colonial master. Also, the country currently embraces the US hip hop style in the form of the Gabonese pop. However, some have the Gabonese element distinctively making them popular throughout Francophone Africa; they incorporate several folk styles from western influences. The distinctive Gabonese rock takes the form of makossa, rhumba, and soukous. The latter utilizes traditional instruments such as the mouth bow, harp, the balafon, rattles, drums, and the bells (Yates, 2017). The pure forms of the traditional songs and dances are sung mostly during the performance of ritual mostly by the Fang people, who are the most populated ethnic group. For Gabonese, dancing is a national pastime with the recent dances constituting the Ivorian oriengo, and coupé-decalé, having originated from people handicapped by polio. Generally, Gabonese are very spiritual people with their traditions mostly centered around worship and the afterlife. The aspect of art was majorly a foreign concept to their culture as it has great origin and force from the Westerners. This is because, during the precolonial period, the Gabonese regarded tribal dances, music, masks, instruments as acts of worship, and thus, the current adopted styles are as an influence from their colonial masters as well as other European countries like the US and the UK’s hip hop rock styles.

The Impact on Cuisine.

In analyzing the Gabonese cuisine, it is evident to spot the French cuisine's prevalence among the cooking traditions, practices, and foods as well as the dishes that the Gabonese embrace. In larger cities, a myriad of French specialties are available and liked by both French people living in the country and a significant majority of the Gabonese. Generally, the traditional cuisine of the Gabonese in rural areas constitutes Cassava, rice, yams, meat, chicken, bush meats, fishes, monkeys, wild boars, and antelopes as their staple foods altogether. Gabon's communities are much associated with hot red pepper with the berbere paste serving as an example. Fruits are also a common part of the Gabonese cuisine (Hopkins, 2019). Common foods and dishes include Brochettes, Beignets, Atanga Dacryodes edulis, and Fufu, a dish made of pounded Cassava, Nyembwe, and chicken with pine nuts, Congo chewies, seafood, baked bananas, plantains, and Gari, (a cassava flour prepared as porridge). The colonial master (France) introduced Italian pasta and bread to Gabon's cuisine.

Religion and religious Syncretism in Gabon.

Christianity (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism) is the main religion practiced in Gabon, with over 50% of the combination. Islam follows, and then the traditional indigenous religious beliefs. However, it is common to find that much Gabonese practices traditional indigenous religious beliefs and Christianity (Yates, 2017). This asserts the presence of religious syncretism, which constitutes polytheism or multiple religious belonging. Christianity is totally different from traditional indigenous religious beliefs, and thus, having a significant number of Gabonese practicing both constitutes religious syncretism.

The Gabonese Notable Influences On Art and Culture.

Gabon’s Major writers.

Gabon has had various renowned writers, both male, and females, contributing both locally and internationally. Cheryl Toman is one of the most renowned francophone writers with her "Women Writers of Gabon: Literature and History." Toman's contribution is majorly concerned with her African Oralities in literal genres (Toman, 2016). She holds the best-documented oral pieces of literature in entire Africa. Another Gabonese writer is Jean-Baptist Nguema Abessolo, born in 1932 in Oyem, Gabon. Abessole holds many books in short stories renowned both in France and Gabon. His works include Les Aventures de Biomo, Contes de gazelle, and Contes du Gabon. Vincent de Paul Nyonda, a famous Gabon minister and playwriter, having written a series of plays and books. The late former minister of Gabon is renamed for several facilities after his authorship, having contributed greatly to developing literature in forms of play writes (Toman, 2016). Other Gabon's famous writers with a great contribution in the literature include Georges Rawiri, Andre Raponda Walker, Patrick N'Guema N'Dong, Angele Rawiri, Edna Merey-Apinda, Nadia Origo, Meryl Eterno, Alice Endamne, and Elisabeth Aworet.

Major Artists.

Boris Nzebo, who was a renowned painter of hairdressing signs, and beauty salons. This left him a great identity mark not only in Gabon but also in Cameroon. He is known for his contribution to contemporary art in Cameroon and Gabon. Myriam Mihindou, born from a French mother and Gabonese father, was renowned for forging and sculpture. Her contributions were based on her use of organic materials in the art. Her contributions are recognized in Egypt, Reunion Island, and Morocco. Owanto, a Gabonese, won a 53rd International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2009. He is renowned in public and private collections around the world for painting, sculpture, video, and photography. He has greatly contributed to promoting cogent and optimism experiences in the art industry globally.

Major Film Makers.

Samantha Biffot was a Gabonese screenwriter and director was first renowned in Paris France in several productions and later in 2010, registered her own production company in Gabon and began developing TV series, movies, and documentaries. She is recognized for the best African series that made her win the prize for the “Best African Series at FESPACO 2013.” Her films include “The African Who Wanted to Fly” and the “Parent mode de’mploi: Afrique” both of 2016. Imunga Ivanga was a filmmaker born in Libreville, Gabon. He won the Golden Tanit in Carthage and Jury prize at Cannes Junior. His works include “L’Ombre de Liberty” filmed in 2006 and Dole filmed in the year 2000.

Major Musicians.

Gabon has many musicians who have significantly contributed to their talents, both locally and internationally. Pierre Akendengue was a musician and a composer from the Republic of Gabon. His contribution stems from his cultural advisory via music that led him to win the "Prix excellence” at Libreville during the African music award. Pierre has over twenty discographies. Annie-Flore Batchiellilys, a native Punu speaker from Gabon, was a singer, composer, and musician renowned for traditional Gabonese forms of singing accompanied by blues and Jazz. Her contribution caught many eyes when she founded the Nuits atypiques de Mighoma festival. Her efforts have also been witnessed in Quebec, Canada, through a fellow Singer Mario Chenart. She has recorded over ten albums.

Conclusion.

Culture forms a powerful development driver with nation-wide socio-economic as well as environmental impacts. A nation's productivity and development are greatly influenced by culture. People's lifestyles, behaviors, values, consumption patterns and related environmental stewardship under interaction with the environment affect what a country produces, and the socio-economic strategies it adopts. Culture plays a major and irreplaceable role in the economy through the creation of green jobs, making sustainable cities, reducing poverty, preservation of the natural resources, and provision of access to water and food. The underlying point or idea is that people's lives, to a great extent, depend on their ability to take part in the culture and benefit from it. It is one of the primary pillars of development and sustenance of communities for progression. A cultural sector that is free and strong stands to promote other rights and values such as diversity, freedom of expression, and debate about needs in society, thus standing out as the very crucial in the economic development of a nation such a Gabon.

Reference.

Cinnamon, J. M. (2011). Fieldwork, orality, text: ethnographic and historical fields of knowledge in colonial and postcolonial Gabon. History in Africa, 38(1), 47-77.

Yates, D. A. (2017). Historical Dictionary of Gabon. Rowman & Littlefield.

Toman, C. (2016). Women Writers of Gabon: Literature and herstory. Lexington Books.

Boussougou, S. (2015). The Impact of French on the African Vernacular Languages: For Better or for Worse? Gabon as a Case Study. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Hopkins, J. (2019). Extreme Cuisine: The Weird and Wonderful Foods That People Eat. Tuttle Publishing.

Haviland, W. A., Prins, H. E., McBride, B., & Walrath, D. (2013). Cultural anthropology: The human challenge. Cengage Learning.

Impact on Literature.

Just like many other African works of literature, the Gabonese literature began as an oral tradition. Traditionally, the Gabonese culture has been expressed through paintings, fashion, and sculptures. Presently, they are only available for purchase in craft markets in Gabon. Many French People, as well as other European speakers, have had their writers pen their works on Gabon. With their influence, most literature is written, such as those by Angele Rawiri. Vincent de Paul Nyonda exclusively utilizes the French language giving no room for the literature expression of the Bantus people such as the Fangs, Sira, and Mbere.

Impacts on Films.

Many films acted in Gabon encompass various French related cultures, proving the extent to which the Gabonese culture is significantly eroded by their colonial masters (Cinnamon, 2011). Taking an example of a film titles “LE SILENSE DE LA FORET,” that was filmed in the year 2003, the film is recorded in French, though with some English subtitles. This shows why Gabonese seem to have a failed cultural continuity of language expressed through the film (Havilland, Prinks, McBride, & Walrath, 2013). Though the film is recorded in Gabon, it describes the interaction of European-educated African with the mythic rainforest people presented as 'pygmies.' From the film, one may notice how the native culture is disrespected with the influence of western education. Another film, "Le grand blanc de Lambarene" which was filmed in 1994, utilized the French language with English subtitles with no translation in any of the Gabonese Bantu language groups. Its description or plot revolves around the arrogance of a medical missionary from France viewing the Gabonese primitive children in a meaningless culture. The movie prevented meaningful cross-culture encounters. Generally, the film industry borrows significantly from the French culture as opposed to focusing on the Gabonese culture composition.

Dance and Music Impacts.

The history of modern Gabonese music began in 1974 by Pierre Akendengue. Pierre trained in Europe, borrowing the current modern music style from western classical music, particularly from Paris France. Though traditional Gabon music is still being practiced particularly in the country's villages, the shift in music has substantially been influenced by western cultures, particularly from France, the country's colonial master. Also, the country currently embraces the US hip hop style in the form of the Gabonese pop. However, some have the Gabonese element distinctively making them popular throughout Francophone Africa; they incorporate several folk styles from western influences. The distinctive Gabonese rock takes the form of makossa, rhumba, and soukous. The latter utilizes traditional instruments such as the mouth bow, harp, the balafon, rattles, drums, and the bells (Yates, 2017). The pure forms of the traditional songs and dances are sung mostly during the performance of ritual mostly by the Fang people, who are the most populated ethnic group. For Gabonese, dancing is a national pastime with the recent dances constituting the Ivorian oriengo, and coupé-decalé, having originated from people handicapped by polio. Generally, Gabonese are very spiritual people with their traditions mostly centered around worship and the afterlife. The aspect of art was majorly a foreign concept to their culture as it has great origin and force from the Westerners. This is because, during the precolonial period, the Gabonese regarded tribal dances, music, masks, instruments as acts of worship, and thus, the current adopted styles are as an influence from their colonial masters as well as other European countries like the US and the UK’s hip hop rock styles. Read More