Hakuna Matada?

When I first think of Africa I imagine vast savannas and watering holes surrounded by animals of many different species. These are the thoughts that come from my childhood mind set. Africa used to be a wild and interesting place like The Lion King, and as a place of animals and dance. It is a place that I think of as having the most beautiful culture of any other place in the world. With its stunning masks and brightly colored clothes that are intertwined with intricate and celebrative dances. I used to only know of it as a place of adventure and beauty based on what I had seen in Disney movies and picture books. It was a place that I had believed was truly exemplary of Hakuna Matada. Now I have learned the true nature of the continent of Africa. Not only the horrible slave trade that involved Africa in the world trade market hundreds of years ago, but also a more pressing issue that comes to mind when thinking of Africa today.

In many countries of Africa their governments are still fledgling democracies. They are constantly fighting for control, and today Africa is the continent farthest from peace. Everywhere people are fighting and in such harsh conditions it is almost unbelievable to those of us who are fortunate enough to be living in the United States of America. In the country of Sierra Leone a civil war has been going on that is devastating to all citizens in the country. In the 1990s a president was running the country, but a group of rebels fought against the government and destroyed everyone, men, women, and children, no matter who you were. As unbelievable as the situation is, it is the truth. The rebels would torture and kill anyone in the most brutal ways possible. A government run military was also present in Sierra Leone at the time. They too were reckless fighters. They would also kill anyone who opposes them and also innocent citizens. Both armies main source of soldiers were the teenagers, whose families had either been destroyed or they had been separated when running from their small villages for safety. These teenagers have been brainwashed into hating the enemy, whichever army it may be. They judge their day’s success by how many they kill, and they have pride in finding the most painful ways to kill someone. These young soldiers lead raids and kill hundreds of people when they are still as young as eleven years old. The conditions in Africa bring grief and pain to many around the world. To even hear of the terrible lives that are being lived there makes me angry and distressed when I think of the people of Africa. Now military governments that are harsh and cruel are running many countries, or there are countries simply in a state of complete chaos and no government has been formed. These thoughts of Africa also lead me to think of the Genocides and ethnic cleansing that is occurring there. The most famous of these is the Rwandan Genocide. In this genocide the Tutsis were being mass murdered by the Hutu military much like during Hitler’s reign. Although people mainly know of the Rwandan Genocide there are sadly many others. In Africa many Genocides have occurred and are occurring in secret. Africa is a place that is overflowing with war and hatred and also sickness. AIDS is another topic that comes to my mind when I think of Africa. People are not only faced with the constant fear of war, but also this mass epidemic. AIDS is the largest epidemic of Africa and people around the world are trying to find a cure for this problem. It is feared that the epidemic in Africa could spread over the entire world. Africa has proved itself to be one of the most complicated places on earth. It is so primitive that people around the world do not have the full experience of the true situation. I think that we as the privileged world community must fight to change the way everyone thinks of Africa. Instead of being seen as a place of war and sickness we should fight to make Africa a better place to live for all of its citizens. We should not help Africa to save ourselves from their diseases and hatred, to gain power in the political world, or to help anyone person in particular, but for the cause of humanity. I know that I wish I could think of Africa as a scene in the Lion King, but after understanding what is really happening there I feel like that is a difficult challenge. Everyone should try to restore Africa’s picture of Hakuna Matada.