“What Is Asia to Me? Looking East from Africa” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: Summary and Critique

1. Personal and Educational Influence of Europe:

• Ngũgĩ reflects on his early years of education in Kenya, where Britain was the center of intellectual and cultural life: “I had always assumed that my intellectual and social formation was tied to England and Europe” (p. 14).
• British colonial influence framed the world as a contest between Africa and Europe, with little recognition of connections to Asia and South America.

2. Realization of India’s Impact:

• Upon writing his memoir, Ngũgĩ realized the extent of Indian cultural influence in his life, starting from childhood: “After I wrote my memoir of childhood… I looked back and saw how much India had been an equally important thread in my life” (p. 14).
• Indian culture, particularly through food and tea, had permeated Kenyan life, often to the point that Ngũgĩ mistook Indian elements for being African: “The spices, curry, hot pepper, all so very Indian, had become so central a part of Kenyan cuisine” (p. 15).

3. Indian Presence in Kenya:

• Indian laborers built Kenya’s railway infrastructure, which opened the interior for settlement: “Indian skilled labor built the railway line from the coast to the great lake” (p. 15).
• Indian traders and communities became integral to Kenyan commerce, though social relations were often strained between African and Indian communities.

4. Shared Spaces at Makerere College:

• Ngũgĩ’s first meaningful interactions with Indian students occurred at Makerere College, Uganda, where racial and ethnic boundaries blurred: “Doing things together is the best teacher of race relations” (p. 16).
• The shared experience of education helped break down stereotypes, leading to friendships and collaboration, such as in Ngũgĩ’s play The Black Hermit.

5. Indian Influence on Anti-Colonial Struggles:

• The essay highlights the impact of Indian thinkers and activists on African anti-colonial struggles, particularly Mahatma Gandhi: “Mahatma Gandhi started and honed his political and organizing skills in South Africa” (p. 16).
• Gandhi’s philosophy and the Indian independence movement inspired many African leaders in their fight for liberation.

6. Postcolonial Afro-Indian Tensions:

• Ngũgĩ acknowledges the postcolonial tensions between African and Indian communities, particularly in the context of social and economic divides: “Time and again Indians and Indian-owned stores have been the targets of violence, especially in times of crisis” (p. 16).

7. Broader Afro-Asian Dialogue:

• Ngũgĩ connects Afro-Asian relations through political and intellectual exchanges, such as the Bandung Conference and the Afro-Asian Writers’ Movement: “Africa and Asia have met through political entities like the Bandung Conference” (p. 17).
• He emphasizes the importance of fostering direct relationships between Africa, Asia, and South America, promoting a South-to-South dialogue.

8. Intellectual and Cultural Crossroads:

• Ngũgĩ promotes the idea of a global dialogue that moves beyond Eurocentrism, advocating for an intellectual exchange among Global South cultures: “We have remarkable opportunities to work across cultures to learn from one another” (p. 18).
• He calls for a renewed focus on non-European literatures and philosophies, arguing for a broader perspective in comparative literature studies.

9. Globalectics and the Future of World Literature:

• Ngũgĩ introduces the concept of “Globalectics,” which envisions a world literature that transcends national and cultural borders, fostering a deeper understanding across regions: “Globalectics: Theory and the Politics of Knowing” (p. 18).
• This approach emphasizes mutual learning and exchange between Africa, Asia, and South America, challenging traditional Eurocentric academic models.

1. Postcolonial Theory:

Ngũgĩ’s essay is rooted in postcolonial discourse, offering a critique of Eurocentrism and colonial legacies in education, culture, and intellectual formation. His reflections are framed within postcolonial theory, which seeks to address the lasting impacts of colonialism and cultural imperialism on formerly colonized peoples.

• Critique of Eurocentrism: Ngũgĩ critiques the Eurocentric intellectual framework imposed by British colonialism, emphasizing how African intellectual and social formation was “tied to England and Europe” (p. 14). He notes how Kenya’s colonial education system centered on British literature and geography, marginalizing African and Asian intellectual traditions.

“Even our anticolonial resistance assumed Europe as the point of contest; it was we, Africa, against them, Europe” (p. 14).

• Decolonization of the Curriculum: Ngũgĩ’s efforts to challenge the dominance of European thought by introducing African, Asian, and Latin American literatures in Kenyan university curricula is a key postcolonial act. This reflects the broader postcolonial goal of dismantling colonial structures and reclaiming indigenous intellectual traditions.

“We had committed the crime of placing [Shakespeare] among other writers and changing the name of the department from English to Literature” (p. 18).

2. Comparative Literature:

Ngũgĩ calls for a reimagining of comparative literature, expanding it beyond Eurocentric boundaries to include dialogues between African, Asian, and Latin American cultures. This approach aligns with world literature studies and the push to make the study of literature more inclusive and global.

• South-South Intellectual Dialogue: One of Ngũgĩ’s key contributions is his emphasis on direct cultural exchanges between Global South regions. He points out that Africa, Asia, and South America have rich intellectual traditions that should be studied together, without always filtering through a Western lens.

“I have always felt the need for Africa, Asia, and South America to learn from one another. This south-to-south intellectual and literary exchange was at the center of the Nairobi literary debate in the early 1960s” (p. 17).

• Broadening Comparative Literature: Ngũgĩ’s proposal to include non-European writers like Lu Xun, Kim Chi Ha, and C.L.R. James alongside Shakespeare is a direct challenge to the Eurocentric canon of comparative literature. This pushes the boundaries of the discipline to engage more meaningfully with global literatures.

“We had committed the crime of placing [Shakespeare] among other writers and changing the name of the department from English to Literature” (p. 18).

3. Globalectics – A New Contribution to Global Literary Studies:

Ngũgĩ introduces Globalectics, a theoretical framework for understanding literature as an interconnected, dynamic exchange across cultures and continents. This theory builds on postcolonial theory but pushes it further into the realm of global literary studies, emphasizing the need for mutual learning and dialogue between cultures, especially those of the Global South.

• Interconnectedness of Cultures: Globalectics is based on the idea that literature should not be studied in isolation but as part of a global conversation. Ngũgĩ’s notion of Globalectics rejects cultural hierarchies and instead proposes that different literary traditions illuminate one another through dialogue and exchange.

“It is time to make the invisible visible in order to create a more interesting—and ultimately more creative and meaningful—free flow of ideas in the world” (p. 18).

• Challenging Eurocentric Literary Models: Globalectics moves beyond the Eurocentric model of world literature and instead proposes an approach that places African, Asian, and Latin American literatures at the forefront of global discussions.

“Globalectics: Theory and the Politics of Knowing” (p. 18) suggests that literary knowledge is dynamic and global, not limited by national or linguistic borders.

4. Cultural Syncretism and the Blurring of Cultural Boundaries:

Ngũgĩ also engages with the concept of cultural syncretism, demonstrating how Indian and African cultures have merged in Kenya through everyday practices like food, tea, and social rituals. This blending of cultures reflects broader postcolonial discussions about the fluidity of cultural identities in formerly colonized societies.

• Culinary Syncretism: The essay illustrates how Indian culinary practices (e.g., curry, tea) have become integral to Kenyan daily life, symbolizing the cultural interconnectedness between Africa and Asia.

“The spices, curry, hot pepper, all so very Indian, had become so central a part of Kenyan cuisine that I could have sworn that these dishes were truly indigenous” (p. 15).

• Cultural Exchange Beyond Europe: Ngũgĩ emphasizes that cultural exchanges between Africa and Asia have been long-standing and should not be overlooked in favor of Africa’s relations with Europe.

“Africa and Asia have met through the political entities like the Bandung Conference; the nonalignment movement; the Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization” (p. 17).