Chinese-born French author, playwright and Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian once remarked, «La culture n’est pas un luxe, c’est une nécessité» (‘Culture is not a luxury; it is an imperative duty’). This statement underscores the profound role culture plays in shaping the trajectory of any nation’s progress. It is said that the likes of Gayton MacKenzie, arts and culture minister, do not pay enough attention to culture as they chase likes on social media.
The so-called African culture or cultures could be responsible for the lack of development and assertiveness due to their positioning compared to stronger cultures, particularly Western cultures, from long periods of imperialism and subjugation. As a result, many African cultures were systematically marginalised, making it difficult for African peoples to assert themselves in the global arena fully. This historical context contributed to the perception that African cultures are less developed or capable, hindering economic and social advancement efforts.
The UN World Commission on Culture and Development Report suggests that “the relationship between culture and development should be clarified and deepened in constructive and practical ways.” In this context, culture is “the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterise a society or a group. It includes creative expressions, community practices and material or built forms.” Scholars like Des Gasper and Augusto Lopez-Claros have also explored the tenuous relationship between culture and development, but this topic remains at the periphery of economic and political discourses.
Nations with robust cultural foundations generally surpass others economically and otherwise when they effectively leverage their culture and symbols to mobilise resources and channel collective energies. In such cases, culture is not a mere accessory to development but a cornerstone that permeates all aspects of life: social relations, politics and economics. This holistic integration enables societies to harness their unique identities as tools for innovation, cohesion and growth.
It is disconcerting that “the culturally strong” areas and regions in South Africa’s east coast, from Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga to KZN and the Eastern Cape, exhibit high poverty notwithstanding cultural treasures and heritage. This paradox highlights the failure to harness cultural assets as economic growth and development drivers. The persistence of poverty in these regions suggests systemic challenges in translating cultural heritage into tangible socio-economic benefits for local communities.
Thus, this opinion piece argues for reevaluating African cultures as a critical source of pride and progress. It advocates for “delinking,” as Samir Amin suggests, to free African cultures from the constraints of capitalist systems that currently stifle their potential. By liberating cultural practices and values from exploitative economic systems, African cultures can be reinvigorated as powerful forces for social, political, and economic transformation.
South Asian cultures and improving fortunes
By embedding culture into the core of their national strategies, these nations transform it from a potential liability into a powerful asset. Culture is a unifying force, fostering shared values and a sense of purpose that fuels individual and collective ambition. In this light, culture becomes a resource that benefits its owners, empowering them to navigate global challenges while preserving their distinctiveness.
Xingjian’s insight reminds us that culture is not merely about preserving heritage but is a dynamic and strategic force that can drive progress and prosperity. The latest examples of this achievement are South Asian nations like China, South Korea and Singapore. These countries have preserved their cultural essence and integrated it into their policies, industries and education systems.
China, for instance, draws on its rich history, philosophical traditions and artistic legacy to promote a sense of national pride while leveraging cultural exports like cinema, art and literature to assert global influence. Through initiatives such as the Korean Wave (Hallyu), South Korea has transformed its cultural assets, including music, dramas, fashion and food, into a global phenomenon, significantly contributing to its economy and soft power.
Prosperous Asian countries easily blend their diverse cultural heritage with modernity, fostering a sense of inclusivity and innovation that underpins their remarkable economic success. However, frequent economic comparisons between prosperous Asian countries and regions like Africa and the broader Third World often omit the critical role of culture in driving development.
This is not to suggest that African cultures are inherently weak. Instead, they have been systematically weakened and exploited to serve the interests of external powers. From the colonial era to the present day, Africa’s rich cultural heritage has been sidelined or commodified to benefit outsiders rather than its people.
Emasculated African culture and impoverishment of a people
Colonial powers deliberately undermined African traditions and social structures. For instance, European colonialists imposed foreign languages, religions and governance systems, dismissing indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices as ‘primitive’. This eroded the social cohesion and identity of many African communities.
The disruption was not merely incidental but a calculated strategy to weaken local resistance and ensure economic exploitation. Traditional African resource management systems, like the communal land tenure systems in Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe, were dismantled and replaced with privatised systems favouring settler economies.
In the post-colonial era, African cultures continued to be commodified in global markets. For example, African art, textiles and music have been extensively appropriated without fair compensation or recognition of their originators.
African sculptures and artefacts looted during colonial times, like the Benin Bronzes in the British Museum, remain prominently displayed in European museums, with limited efforts toward restitution. Strangely, France and Germany launched a joint fund of 2.1 million euros in January 2024 “to research whether African artefacts in French and German national museums were justly obtained.” This is blatant and unrepentant theft.
Similarly, the global popularity of African music and fashion benefits international corporations and artists who exploit these cultural elements without adequately crediting or compensating their African creators. Solomon Linda and his Evening Birds band were wildly popular in the 1940s and recorded many songs with Eric Gallo. Later popularised by Lady Blacksmith Mambazo, their song Mbube (the Americanised “Wimoweh”) sold over 100,000 copies by 1949. Unfortunately, Linda and his band were not given any rights to their music.
Unfortunately, this exploitation continues today as musicians do not benefit from their labour. For example, XiTsonga musician Sho Madjozi (Maya Wegerif) recently announced that she will quit singing. She cited exhaustion from the music industry’s demands, explaining that the industry’s emphasis on constant self-promotion rather than creativity has drained her, and she no longer has the energy to “play that game”.
Moreover, Africa’s cultural expressions are frequently commercialised in ways that alienate them from their traditional contexts. For example, in tourism, Maasai traditions are showcased in Kenya and Tanzania primarily as attractions, often stripping them of their profound cultural significance. The Maasai, who gain little from this commodification, are left navigating the tension between preserving their heritage and catering to tourists’ expectations.
In addition to tourism, this malpractice is prevalent across the continent for various purposes, including sports. In recent years, the predominantly white SA Rugby have rolled out their mighty impi’s, a trio of ripped performers who emulate Zulu warriors. This portrayal echoes how Zulu dancers, seen at tourist events, perform for international audiences. Both instances highlight the commercial exploitation of cultural symbols without regard for their significance or respect for the communities they represent.
South Africa’s hollow “our culture”: A pastime of vanquished people
AZAPO’s Nelvis Qekema mused, “What if bottled alcohol (utywala besiLungu) was altogether removed from Afrikan cultural ceremonies? Apart from the bottled alcohol pushing the cost of the cultural ceremonies through the roof, they distort the objectives and meaning of these ceremonies. People prioritise drinking and getting drunk rather than observing the cultural significance of these ceremonies.”
Qekema further raised a provocative series of questions about the influence of foreign alcohol on African cultural practices. He questioned how it came to be that amaGqirha (diviners) seemingly cannot perform their spiritual functions without gin, notwithstanding the presence of umqombothi. He further challenged the notion that African spirituality requires appeasing spirits through the use of “foreign” and often expensive alcohol, asking who decided this and from what authority.
Expanding his critique, he pointed to integrating brandy into African cultural ceremonies, wondering how it became acceptable for such a ‘foreign’ product to dominate these sacred spaces. Today, he observes that even an African family council feels incomplete without a bottle of imported brandy, leaving him to ask how and why such practices were allowed to take root in African communities.
Of course, it is not easy to address Qekema’s questions, but the economics of amadlozi is way too strong and has been the backbone of the demand side in the South African economy for many years. It can only be a wild dream to remove any of the FMCG, including alcoholic beverages. The solid network and infrastructure in lies, deceit and manipulation (also called “our culture”) lay an unshakable base for amadlozi economics.
In our context, a cultural ceremony is a capitalist creation that stimulates demand and keeps the white economy alive. There are just way too many ceremonies: imbeleko (at birth), funerals, lobolo, weddings and imigido for various reasons… it is doubtful that our ancestors killed so many animals as we do now. The whole ‘Afrikan cultural ceremony’ vibe is, therefore, nonsensical and must be discarded altogether for as long as it impoverishes people.
Once rooted in communal contribution and modest rewards, cultural ceremonies have become commercialised under capitalism, requiring significant participant payments. While some ceremonies may become obsolete, Qekema advocates for progressive reforms to adapt cultural traditions rather than discarding them entirely. Unfortunately, these reforms are almost impossible since “our culture” is deeply connected with capitalist machinations.
Besides exploitation by outsiders, African culture is bastardised by amabhinca and izangoma. Culture is also not about tripe or vests with leopard prints. Instead, it should be the fuel that burns our energy for a prosperous future.
Siya yi banga le economy!