“Here then, is our main question: if there is need for a ’study of the historic continuity of a single culture’, why can’t this be African?  Why can’t African literature be at the centre so that we can view other cultures in relationship to it?” From On the Abolition of the English Department by Ngugi, Liyong, Owuor-Anyumba

The purpose of this essay, which we found out was written for Africans not Europeans, it seems is to demand that Africans study the African classics. Makes sense, right?  Literature is just one way to study cultures, and if a whole continent full of African students are studying European cultures, what will happen to their own identities? I read Devil on the Cross by Ngugi and did a pretty close study of it for a group presentation.  In this book Ngugi writes a long and somewhat confusing story about a gathering of the top theives and robbers meeting in a cave in Africa to argue why they think they are the best theif.  These characters are all African big-wigs that are European pawns, exploiting the poor peoples of Africa.  One character puts robots of white children in the window of his school to attract the rich African families to pay money for a less than great education.  This book I think was written for multiple audiences, but mostly for Africans.  I don’t think many of us realize that in other countries, they often study the same classics that we do exclusively.  I’d appreciate more requirements for world literature than what we have now.  I know at least I learned more important truths in my Postcolonial lit class than in med ren.