US President Barack Obama meets with ebola
survivor, Dr. Kent Brantly at the oval office on
September 16, 2014 (pix Pete Souza/White House)
By Emma Fox
The
African continent – which is so often unjustifiably spoken of collectively and
dismissively throughout the globe as a one entity – can truly claim a unity
through its diverse and eye-opening library of great literature and language.
Whether
it is in the dreamlike magical realism of Ben Okri, the
underlying critiques so carefully yet organically articulated by Nadine Gordimer,
or the poignant and profound work of Assia Djebar, Africa’s
many shapes and sounds have been delivered in a perpetual life poem which has
courageously addressed various social challenges and defined the continent as a
rich and creative Diaspora of contemporary literature.
While
these works detail issues and triumphs which are focused on a particular
region, they also encompass the bigger picture – just take Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,
for example – which has accumulated some truly remarkable responses to the
heavy footprint of colonialism and the rest of the world’s inability to look at
Africa and African countries separately through an unclouded lens. It is
through language and literature where reclamation, liberation and life
transform, a vital tool through which lies the potential for change, and is
especially crucial in combating the recent challenges which certain parts of
western Africa are facing.
Health Workers at Ebola Treatment Centre, Liberia
An Epidemic of Misplaced Words
The battle
with language has proven immeasurably challenging across the centuries
throughout the world, and its use has both spurred on revolutions, triggered
wars and changed the entire constructs of society. Yet even in the 21st century,
in the subconscious language of corporate media photography, headlines, and
discussions, the dialogue surrounding particular challenges remains very
problematic. The recent Ebola outbreak which
has been responsible for more than 2,000 deaths in West
Africa is a prime example of how misconstrued dialogue can prove
harmful. On the one hand, governments and major health organisations have
failed to acknowledge the severity of the outbreak and take precautions in all
areas necessary. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the international media,
particularly in Europe, the UK,
and North America, have propelled an
increasing paranoia about the virus.
This
paranoia is not entirely unfounded, of course – extremely contagious with a
fatality rate of up to 90%, an Ebola outbreak anywhere can quickly
become disastrous. Yet the western world is much more sufficiently equipped to
deal with any outbreak, and measures have been implemented to ensure that the
virus doesn’t go overseas. What is telling about this paranoia is that it
threatens a sense of security and complacency in the western hemisphere,
because it is so devastating, foreign, and out of control – and in turn, with
the exception of the courageous aid workers who have gone to Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Nigeria – compassion has been waylaid for fear.
(pix:
Liberia and Sierra Leone are in desperate need for resources for
tackling this disease, but the dialogue surrounding Ebola – both locally and
internationally – needs to change. Local governments need to open up a
transparent discourse with effected communities as well as navigate their resources
effectively, and educate officials on how to deal with the outbreak as well as
compassionately discuss customs – such as wakes – which must be foregone in the
event of an Ebola-related death. Internationally, more pressure needs to be
placed for aid but not as a scare tactic for major mainstream media. Not only
does this further particular stereotypes without addressing the problem, but
because it is merely “shock news”, it falls off the radar even when the crisis
is still present. Will Ebola ever gain an objective, or completely immersive
voice?
Learning
from Language
While
attention must be turned to the vital voices of the community such as families
and loved one who have been affected, doctors and nurses, conscientious
journalists and other people who have become involved with Ebola, one of the
most powerful voices which can truly shed a universal – but not reductive –
light on this crisis is through personal journalism and literature. Just
like Phaswane
Mpe’s moving chronicle set in South Africa, Welcome to Our
Hillbrow, confronts the issue of AIDS and the struggle of living
with its social implications in Africa, emphasising the need for resources to cope both physiologically, socially, and
personally, so too should other sources which engage directly with
the virus. While HIV still encounters a large amount of stigma not
only in African countries but across the globe, it has an emerging voice which
will continue to grow through the words of those with HIV and AIDS as well as
the families and friends who have been affected.
(pix:
It is
critical not to
associate AIDS with Ebola, given that the two illnesses are vastly different in
nature and must be dealt with in very different ways for obvious reasons from a
medical perspective; nor is it acceptable to appropriate these with Africa as an entity. But changing the way that people
speak and hear about these challenges is key to empowering individuals and
societies who can in turn put pressure on governments and organisations – and
even reach out further afield – for help. Without romanticising or stereotyping
the illness, more people need to speak out about Ebola, especially those with a
strong voice who can make the rest of the world listen. It is an obligation of
those voices of the community to step forth and address this issue, to ensure
that eyes are opened, that pressure for aid is made more public, and this topic
does not fall
of the radar.
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*Ms. Emma Fox, a freelance writer residing in London is a contributor to SCRUPLES. Prior to becoming a full
time scribe, she worked in banking
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