Oscar Wilde is a name not mentioned in the two books presented here. Given the canon of writers taught in British colonies, this is no surprise. Even in an essay written in 1948, T. S. Eliot did not refer to writers like Wilde by name. It would be interesting to find out what Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o has to say about Wilde.

Fenna Reus reconsiders two books that have been spreading their ideas for a long time, which, however, have never before been issued in similar if not identical editions in German before. Please note that both the lectures of Decolonizing the Mind and and the talks and other contributions of Moving the Centre are no longer available in book form in English. You can only access them free of charge on the Internet, while any progress that has been made since their first publication in terms of the people and ideas mentioned can only be seen in the German editions – containing each a glossary as well as a commented index of names and people.

To Speak is to Rule: Language in the Shadow of Colonial Violence

 “Language carries culture, and culture carries, particularly through orature and literature, the entire body of values by which we come to perceive ourselves and our place in the world. ” (translated from German, DTM, p. 16)

Every two weeks a language dies as estimated by UNESCO. This is not just a loss of linguistic diversity. Language is a tool for communication on the one hand, on the other hand it is a culture bearer. Language determines how we perceive ourselves and the world around us.

What is, however, the basis of our perception? For many born and raised in the Global North this question appears abstract – because everything we learn and believe is said to be universal. If we were to come up with influential thinkers, most people are more likely to think of Shakespeare, Kant, and Newton than of Tagore, Fanon, or Milstein. No wonder, since we come across the former more often in our educational system. But for authors such as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, inclusion in the literary canon was a hard-fought achievement, not something to be taken for granted.

When words are punished

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was born in Kenya in 1938 and grew up under colonial rule. The loss of his brother and the torture of his mother during the Mau Mau uprising left deep scars. In Decolonising the Mind (1986) and Moving the Centre (1993) he emphasises how colonialism and neocolonialism still permeate the political, economic, and social structures of Africa nowadays.

His story stands as a representative example of the experiences of many Africans. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o coined the phrase: “The Third World is all over the world” (MTC, English edition, available free online, p. 18). Anything Western is considered universal; what is not is degraded and considered local.

As early as in school he was to experience the consequences of that creed: Whoever was caught speaking their native language – in his case Kikuyu – was beaten and had to wear a sign that read “I am stupid”. Opposed to that, English was regarded as “the language spoken by God” (MTC, p. 33). This way the Eurocentric scale of value was manifested and everything “Other” put down as less valuable.

Language as an Instrument of Oppression – Disembodied Minds and Mindless Bodies

Language serves as a tool of psychological subjugation. For if a bullet symbolises physical domination, then language serves as means of mental enslavement. Even nowadays people from Africa report the alienation from their own language – a symptom of neocolonialism.

The hierarchy of languages mirrors global power dynamics: European literature is glorified, whereas non-European authors rarely receive recognition. This imbalance leads to stereotypical Western images of Africa, which are reinforced by media and the educational system.

Already during colonialism literature served as a means of spreading racist ideologies. Some works openly perpetuate the notion of African cultural inferiority, others centered around the “White saviour” and deemed the uprising against foreign domination uncivilized.

Whoever controls language also shapes thought. English, for instance, has become synonymous with intelligence and performance — from the arts to the sciences to public administration. Proficiency in the colonial language was considered a mark of distinction, whereas indigenous languages were given little value.

These structures persist: Western media coin the image of Africa, and French, English, and Portuguese dominate education and public administration. Indigenous languages remain marginalised, curricula follow European standards and largely exclude African history and philosophy.

The cost is a deep alienation: Many people feel detached from their culture and language, develop a stronger attachment with what is foreign instead. Learning becomes an intellectual act only, disconnected from lived experience.

Freed from linguistic shackles: The mother tongue as a key to freedom

To dominate language is to rule over the perception of a people. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o thus advocates a notion of liberation from neocolonialism that explicitly includes the cultural dimension: Africans should write in their native language. Neither in English, French, nor in Portuguese, but in Kikuyu, Swahili, and other African languages.

Writing in European languages is “a case of black skins in white masks wearing black masks” (MTC, p. 20). This reference to Fanon’s Black Skin, White Masks describes the inferiority complex People of Colour develop when assimilating to white ideals. Only by writing and thinking in one’s native language can this inferiority complex be overcome.

The goal is dis-alienation: no longer any discrepancy between spoken language and the cultural centre. Any language and means of expression ought to be respected equally. Writing in one’s native language first and translating afterwards enables people to reclaim their cultural identity.

The fact that English has now established itself as a practical solution cannot be denied. During the transitional stage of shifting the cultural centre, writing in the mother tongue should be followed by translation. Francophone African literature is therefore a necessary intermediate step — but the ultimate goal is a return to the mother tongue

“The Third World is all over the World” ‒ A vision of a new tomorrow

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o does not see the independence of former colonies as a completed process, but rather as a beginning of a continuing journey of liberation. He knows no discouragement; but sees the chance of establishing a global order of pluralism and cultural exchange. In his image, Africa is no longer reduced to Eurocentric fiction, but appears as a subject of its own history.

One core aspect of this vision is shifting the center on two levels: internationally, toward a multitude of equal nations; and within society, from elite circles to the custodians of African traditions. Learning should once again be understood as a lived experience, not merely as an intellectual abstraction.

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o questions the legitimacy of English as a language for the world because of its history of oppression. His solution: Many languages can co-exist, create own cultural centres and still participate in exchange – A language for the world and a world full of languages are not mutually exclusive concepts.

Such a multi-centered framework, grounded in independence and equality, is not a threat but an enrichment. It enables a genuine dialogue between cultures in which Africa is no longer a pawn but an active shaping force.

This implies much more for us Europeans than treading on unknown paths. If we do not degrade African literature as an exotic eye-catcher, but actively and genuinely engage with its stories, we create space for unknown perspectives and dialogues. By dedicating readings to African authors, buying their work, and discussing them in reading groups, we amplify their voices in international discourse. Only through such commitment can we succeed in broadening the literary mainstream and shaping a canon that authentically reflects the lived realities of all cultures.

When it comes to the culture of an entire continent, it is already mainstream.

Fenna Reus