Africa's conflictual mimesis

Abstract

This article interrogates the meaning of xenophobia as used in South Africa showing how comparatively the English language seems to have found its lost excessive pride (hubris) in Zambia. A comparison of the Zambian and South African societies is as important for the present South African society as it is for Zambia to maintain sight of the fact that until the Europeans partitioned Africa, Africans moved about freely from North to South and back, East to West and back, in and out of the continent. This article seeks to lay bare two myths spun in the name of modernity. The first one is that of the boundaries (also notoriously known as borders) which have given false perceptions to some Africans. The second one is that of language; black Africans who insist on their local languages, many a time shun a language like English and end up falsely believing that this strengthens their identities. This perception opens them to the dangers of ethnic discrimination and polarisation.