Abstract
This paper deals with the misuse of the African traditional communal mode of living in modernizing post-colonial African societies that have been transformed by Western capitalism and individualism. In the impoverished community portrayed in Ousmane Sembene’s film Mandabi, this traditional communal mode of living, to which people refer in colloquial term as “African solidarity”, is ironically used as a means to meet one’s individualistic and selfish needs at the expense of others; thus, turning it into a factor of social and economic regression. Mandabi also unveils and suggests a new form of hybrid and productive solidarity that fits better African post-colonial nations that have been affected by Western capitalism and individualism.
Highlights
In his paper entitled “Ousmane Sembene: la Théorie Marxiste et le Roman”, Enagnon makes the point that the work of Ousmane Sembene, who was trained as a filmmaker in the communist
This paper offers a new perspective on Sembene’s work as a filmmaker influenced by Marxist ideology; as it deals with the harmful impact of capitalism and its corollary, individualism, on the Senegalese traditional communal mode of living
Mandabi denounces the misuse of solidarity in post-colonial African communities that have been impacted by Western capitalism and individualism
Summary
In his paper entitled “Ousmane Sembene: la Théorie Marxiste et le Roman”, Enagnon makes the point that the work of Ousmane Sembene, who was trained as a filmmaker in the communist. In Mandabi, the traditional value of “African solidarity” is perverted by the influence of capitalism; as it is ironically used as a means to meet one’s individualistic needs, and even as a trick to dispossess and exploit others. When Ibrahim goes to the post office to cash the money order, he is asked to provide proper identification in the form of a carte d’identité nationale. Ibrahim Dieng, who has not quite adapted to the new post-colonial state, has no identification card and can not cash the money order He goes to the police station in order to apply for a “carte nationale d’identité”. Mandabi shows that “African solidarity” is ironically used as a means to exploit others meet ones’ own and sometimes selfish needs.
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