How Does Western Culture Affect The Way African People View Their Identity?

Introduction

We live in the world that has change significantly, looking at the fact that post-apartheid has influenced young, black females to adopt Western styles. When looking at the world as a whole it is important to know your identity as it refers to the distinct personality of an individual. Most young, black females have neglected their identity as they move around the world because they are affected by many circumstances which change their way of living, language and cultural rituals. On the other hand, Western people use their power to influence African people to adopt their styles and view their culture as non-important. In this essay I am going discuss the influence of the society to both Ofilwe and Fikile, the scintillating impact

(Matlwa 2007:131) Therefore there is a true reflection that both Fifi and Fiks abandoned their identities because they only desired to be recognized as white people. Fikile is more confident with everything and “she have even started speaking in the English language even when she do not need to” (Matlwa 2007:137). Again we can see that Fiks is actually proud and happy that she sounds like any other English speaking person. We always stress out that when a person tries to forge other people’s culture, it is likely that they will always regard him/her as an extra-ordinary person, “Where fully human identity is characterized by the “unmarked” race of whiteness, being black presents an untenable choice: become fully human by identifying with what you are not and never can be, or be your “self”- in effect a non-self, defined only by difference and negation” (Franz Fanon in Strauss

Some issues arises when we look at how problematic identities as defined, namely an essentialist theory which “…posit identity as a fundamental, unchanging core of meaning that precedes and transcends culture and politics.” (Strauss 2007:184) We also look at how body struggles to construct an identity out of the contradictory demands and conflicting desires in post-apartheid society. As Fikile proclaims that she grew up in white environment for the most of her life, from primary school right through to high school, therefore it become clear that Fikile has an aspiration to become “white, rich and happy” (Matlwa 2007:118)

To conclude, I think we have to know our identity and also be proud of what we are. Therefore it is important to know our cultural norms and rituals as the symbolic of being proud. However, when we look at how Western cultures influence African culture, it is clear that we as black people we are uncertain about our