A significant change that has taken place in the modern society is the way communities from different geographical regions perceive one another. A lot of hostile perceptions of people regarding a particular area or county are largely based on what the media feeds them. It is on such a foundation their knowledge is built.
Here is excerpt from Marko Pito’s journal, a self-proclaimed journalist in the year 1989, after travelling for many days he came to a huge bridge under it a small bar named WESTMOBSTER BAR, then after having a brief chat with the men inside, they ask where he is from, he said “I am a cultural anthropologist, I came here to find the roots of the Vikings, I am from Swaziland”. They asked him where exactly that place is , in his reply, he gives a brilliant answer , he says, “if you know south Africa, if you can correctly point it out on an atlas, then you probably know where Swaziland is”, “Oh! you mean Africa?” they giggle back still very dizzy , “I know lots of stuff about Africa, one huge hairy man said , “in fact we learn a lot by simply looking at the news”, “go ahead”, says the researcher, describe it in just five phrases, then they got down to work , first I may say:
“Africa is a warzone, there is fighting everywhere all the time, I’d advice my relatives to think twice before taking adventure trips into the continents soil.
Africa is a land of beggars, there are beggars everywhere, on the streets lined up in long queues from the time you set foot at the airport to the time you reach your hotel apartment, make sure you carry bundles of cash to give along the way when you visit.
Africa is a land of primitive Bushmen who live together with wild animals, so remember to bring your cameras over when you travel because you’d expect to meet lots of wildlife along your journey.
Africa is a hostile continent, there are numerous savage tribes that constantly butcher one another for sport, or simply for fun. Cannibalism is also rampant in this part of the world. So be careful with your journeys so that you do not be turned into a feast during your honeymoon.”
The researchers then asks, “What proof do you have to indicate these statements are true, for what reason should you believe in them?” they point at the television behind them, “don’t you see it is all in the news, even a blind man can see that.” Then a middle aged lady who had been listening to their conversations as she served them asked the visitor, “If you were doing research of such a very important subject matter, why would you come to a bar to seek answers from? Shouldn’t you be in some college by now? ”
The young reporter heartbroken left the restaurant without saying a word, several days later, he was able to fly his way back home. For several weeks he could not discuss the aftermaths of his journey with anyone, after persistent persuasions from his friends he finally led it out , he told them how long and gruesome his journey had been, he also lets them know about what he heard at the WESTMOBSTER BAR., another roommate tries to brighten him up, I too have been to WESTMOBSTER, “in fact WESTMOBSTER estate is a huge residence full of expensive housing designs, when you are there , you feel like in paradise but there are other shocking things I saw near the city”, he murmurs jokingly.
There is plenty of selfish lifestyle going on in this part of the world; everyone lives for himself with no regard for the others.
It is an estate full of ill-bred kids, their children are all spoilt. The moment a visitor walks in through the street, their children came out to throw toys and eggs at them, telling them to get away from their neighbourhoods, A boy can tell his father, “your head looks like an avocado”, and the father neither does nor says anything.
Soap operas give false impressions that western children always have disputed parenthood, and family quarrels dominate daily life.
Then when the researcher once again queried the source of their confident remarks, they point towards the television; “don’t we see all that in the big screen?”
This interview tool place way back in 1989, I don’t know how those statements fare by now. I don’t know whether any of those accounts have some truth in them, one thing I am sure about is that people are the same all over the world , they are equally vulgar, one group tries to downplay the other by giving positive remarks to themselves and ill remarks to the others.
Like the Nurei and Bondoti tribes, the Nurei tribesmen call themselves the true peoples of the world because they can fish and swim efficiently unlike the Bondoti farmers who scratch the soil like weasels. Bondoti on the other hand say they are the truly civilized people because they grow food and keep them in stalls in case of a draught that may occur, saying Nurei tribesmen’s hands are covered with scales all over from catching too many fish in the rivers, every community tells good stories about their tribe to their children whereas say horrible things about all the tribes around them, that’s human nature.
Some More Stories:
