“Do you speak African?” Lets conceptualize the
absurdity of this question by changing the adjective: "Do you speak
European/North American/Asian/Australian?" I hope I got my point across, yet
this question amongst others seem to easily flow from people’s mouth to my
ears.
Unlike the other contributor to the blog, Ali
Latifa Fakhry, I currently do not reside in Côte d’Ivoire and have not done so
on a permanent basis for a couple of years. Despite the physical distance, I’m
still connected to the country; it’s my birthplace, it's where my family and
friends live, and it's home to me.
After years of frustration
from the general ineptitude and ignorance I’ve encountered, and being demeaned
to a simple National Geographic special, I look forward to showing you one
country on the continent, my hometown.
I have no intention of speaking for the whole
Ivorian community, that attempt alone will start another civil war. Nor do I
intent to fluff the reality of life, it can be challenging, but after all
découragement n’est pas Ivoirien.
And yes, I’ve seen wild animals such as
elephants and lions, and the first time I saw them was at a zoo in the US, not
in my backyard in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Although Salif Keita is Malian, I think this is
one of the best songs to capture the essence of this blog
Ahoua Koné on FB : Ahoua Koné
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