In the book I read by Tsitsi Dangarembga titled “Nervous Conditions” I found the culture very different from our culture today. A very important aspect to me that stood out to me was the value of work. In chapter six it talked a lot about how special white people were on missions and they were holy. They were labeled as very giving people. They gave rather than take from the African people. They made many sacrifices for their people which made them very superior amongst others. A change from the past to the future is there arent as many white people on the mission anymore. One downfall about the people who helped on the missionaries was it was hard to understand them because they always answered in Shona. I know that had to be very hard and difficult for the African people because they were so use to talking to the white people in English or not having the proper education to speak English.
Ive also looked at English as being the primary language. When I read books like this it reminds me that over in Africa many people didn’t have the opportunity to learn more that their own native language. Many families couldn’t send their child/ren to school because of being in poverty and due to their lack of. I rememeber growing up I had a Mexican Friend. All they spoke in her household was Spanish. This really confused me and made me feel out of place. They were very nice and helpful but it was a hassle for me to accept that we were different from one another and had some developing to do.
I think that that section of the chapter was intended to be irony because, in Dangarembga's perspective, the white missionaries were not quite as generous as they seemed. Surely they did not "take", but they would not "give" unless the people they were helping agreed to assimilate to their world views. You describe a really interesting situation with your Mexican friends. That was a valuable experience to feel empathy with them as they experience life in America. Tolerating these situations of powerlessness and learning from them is a lot of what Dangarembga is talking about.
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