Marissa J. Moorman

The Civilising Mission of Globalisation

This interview with Cameroonian filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno explores the interchange between historical-cultural conditions and cinematic practice. Central to this discussion is the lingering effect of the colonial past and its ongoing impact on the postcolonial African situation. Tenos work examines how the trauma of colonialism is exacerbated not only by modernity and Western cultural global flows, but also by the complicity of Africanist icons and traditional practices. The deeply humanistic stance that animates Tenos film practice also bears witness to counter-historical readings of the continents malaise and misfortunes. Of particular interest are constituents of Tenos approach and style, his critical take on Nollywood, globalisations disfigurement of African identities, and his views on technologys potential for Africas future.

Anatomy of Kuduro: articulating the Angolan body politic after the war

Abstract: Kuduro, meaning “hard-ass” or “in a hard place,” is a contemporary genre of music and dance produced and consumed in Angola, especially in Luanda. This article maps kuduro historically and assesses it in its current moment. While the dance is full of invention and the genre has thrived in the informal economy, this alternative expression and the infrastructure it produces cannot be considered politically or economically liberatory. But the international “os Kuduristas” campaign promoted by two of the Angolan president’s children and companies they own shows the dangers of a culturally conservative discourse that dismisses kuduro as a vulgar popular phenomenon while hegemonic political and commercial forces embrace it. Résumé: Kuduro, qui signifie “dur à cuire” ou “dans une passe difficile,” est un genre contemporain de musique et de danse venant d’Angola, en particulier du Luanda. Cet article présente le Kuduro dans son évolution historique et évalue son impact actuel. Bien que la danse soit pleine d’invention et que le genre ait prospéré dans l’économie informelle, cette expression alternative et l’infrastructure qu’elle produit ne peut pas être considérée comme politiquement ou économiquement libératrice. En même temps, la campagne internationale “os Kuduristas” promue par deux des enfants du président angolais et les compagnies qu’ils possèdent, montre les dangers d’un discours culturellement conservateur qui rejette le Kuduro comme un vulgaire phénomène populaire tandis que des forces politiques et commerciales hégémoniques se l’approprient pour promouvoir leur discours.