The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 06, 1991, Page 5, Image 5
From the motherland to the 'free' lana
African students c
By SERENA HOLMES
Staff Writer
Imagine people believing that you live in trees and eat insects when
the truth is that you are a middle-class citizen of an established nation.
Funeka Mbulawa, Roger Mouafo, Muctaru Kabba and Felix Fojrlemu
have heard generalizations like this often.
eral Americans have doubted her origin simply because her complexion
is not a dark brown.
Forlemu, a humanities graduate student from Cameroon, said the pictures
of the rural poor in some African nations are often believed to represent
the entire continent.
"You never see the cities. There are cities in Africa ... that are
much, much, much more beautiful than the cities here in the United
States," he said. - - :J| ;
"We have big families, and not everybody has the
privilege to be educated. So when you're starting
out, the family tends to depend on you a lot."
Muctaru Kabba, student from Sierra Leone, Africa
When he visited Washington, D.C. this past year, Forlemu said he v/as
shocked by the level of poverty that the homeless there live in. Fie said
he understood they were only a segment of the nation.
"If somebody comes here and takes their picture (and says) 'Jhat is the
image of the United States. People live like this,' it's not fair," he said. '
Many African students said if African families were like some Amerinone
tKinlr tVi/%?> J ? ? A C-!? 1 jt t * - * - *
vai.o umiiv. uity aic, cvciy uiaiiicu man in /virica wouiu nave a muiuiuac
of wives.
In the past, polygamy was widespread in Africa. It still has a place in
African society today, Forlemu said. In Cameroon, polygamy is legal, but
many Cameroonians are satisfied with one mate, he said.
"Our parents sort of broke that link. We, the younger generation, haven't
grown (up) in such a polygamous atmosphere. We don't see why
we should marry more than one wife," he said.
Marriage is highly respected in Africa, Forlemu said, and gender roles
are distinct. Mouafo, an economics graduate student from Cameroon,
said men in his country appear to have more authority in the home than
they do in America.
He said the woman is always consulted before decisions are made that
concern the family. ' ?
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^i^ERVICE^
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rrA^ The Gamecock
j) ^ \y\ 1Editor-in-chief, Summer 1991 &
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LOCAL presents
"How Positive are You Tl
Dr. Ruth Ann Fox-h
In a Seminar On Positive '
/?Everyone Invited
1 Russell House Rm. 332 J
jpjffiFPf/ March 6, 1991
OFF CAMPUS STUDENT S
I ?
Women... Careers... Succt
in honor of Women's History Mom
Wednesday, March 6,1001
The Career Center presents a Workshop to Prepar
that Special Job
All Students. Join us for one or more of the 1
f
lispel U.S. cliches
In South Africa, not even the traditional family unit has escaped the
influence of Apartheid. Women whose husbands are either imprisoned or
constantly active in the struggle now have more responsibilities, Mbulawa
said.
Although these women must discipline and provide for their familie:
now, they do not see themselves as equal substitutes for the men, sh<
said.
Before marriage, many Africans are free to date the person of thei
choice, just as in America. However, some American rules of the dating
game aon t apply m Airica, Mbulawa said.
"At home, when you like each other, it's not a very complicated issue
It's not as complex as it is here," she said.
South Africans don't waste much time being subtle about their feel
ings, she said, and a dating relationship can begin within a month. Also
there is no mystery about possible skeletons in a person's closet.
"All I have to do is contact the family. The family's background i<
easy to find out," she said.
Unlike Americans, Cameroonians in their early teens don't hit the dating
scene, Forlemu said. "In fa^t, at that age, they know almost nothing
About half (of the Cameroonians) date for the first time when they get tc
the university," he said.
Coming to America to study can also require a social life adjustment
Forlemu said some of his American friends tease him about being sc
serious about school.
He said the education most African students get in America is fundet
solely by their families. To fail and return home empty-handed would b<
a disgrace.
Kabba, who is from Sierra Leone, is waiting to begin his graduate
program. He said most African students don't have the privilege of fo
cusmg on ineir own neeas wnen tney graduate.
"We have big families, and not everybody has the privilege to be edu
cated. So when you're starting out, the family tends to depend on ycu i
lot. You have to probably end up helping others get educated," he said.
African society is not the only thing that some non-Africans are clueless
about Many African students said they are surprised by the numbei
of times they have given informal geography lessons to American students.
By some dbcounts, the continent was thought to be smaller thar
California, Florida and even New York.
^ Despite the negative perceptions she has heard, Mbulawa said she has
seen positive changes. "It's getting better. There's more interest in Africa.
With Mandela coming here, people are more aware; they can see
that we have good leaders. It's getting there; slowly but surely," she said.
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DONATIOt
COMITTE
rs
Professor
) NBC taped in Columbia from
Feb. 27 to Sunday. According to
Love, the new crew interviewed
fellow professors, students, friends
and family while shooting film at
the university, her home and
church.
rney wanted to see what I do
s full-time rather than part-time and
; capture the work that I've been involved
in all those years," Love
r said.
> "They've shot all kinds of film,"
Rhett Jackson, owner of the Happy
Bookseller, said. Jackson was also
a Methodist delegate to the
Seventh Assembly. "I think it will
be great for the United Methodist
Church and for the World Coun;
cil," he said.
NBC began taping Love in Canberra,
Australia in late January as
she prepared for the Seventh As?
romKl., W?1J
jviuuij UI lilt VVU11U V^UUIIUII Oil
Churches. She has been an active
member of the council since 1975.
, NBC has also been taping various
aspects of the council since 1975.
Yet NBC only recently chose
1 Love as a featured person in the
5 documentary. "NBC has archives
of tape since 1975, and they kept
? noticing me cropping up in their
tape," Love said. "They asked me
if I would be willing to be their
'human face.'"
1 As an affiliate member of the
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Love was invited to the Fifth As'
sembly in Nairobi as a youth delegate
in 1975. She has been a memi
ber of the council's executive and
central committees and chairperson
? of the council's Unit of Justice and
Service program since 1983, Un'
ited Methodist Communications
Coordinator Victoria Shearin said.
This was her third assembly.
j Spring Showers.
| SPRING HOUS
I Three events you won't \
I iSff::. J? ,
Note: Three halls have had r
publications and will be assess
$749; UT $657/$717
; ps- -;. : ' ' :
ERALIST SOCIETY
clitics of Race
on Campus"
iVednesday, March 6,1991 7:00 i
U.S.C. Law School Auditorium
Public Invited
Learn the A
*What is behi:
/ i I *Why are some <
Mf i hom<
*What is the New S
What are the co
V ! Culture courses i
A question an
ouza
i Enterprise Institute,
nior Policy Analyst,
uth Review
iored in Association with Young America's Fc
^ AH y
'^2 Ei h
f- m
\S V /
5A Skate-a-t
tommorrow, March 7
in Greene Street in fn
of the Russell House
sis will go to the
:e for the prevei
child abuse.
Continued from page 4
The Work Council on Churches
involves more than just members
of the United Methodist Church.
According to the United Methodist
publication the Interpreter, the
council brings together the historic
Eastern and Oriental Orthodox
churches and Protestant groups
such as the Baptists, Lutherans and
Methodists as well as younger
Pentecostal bodies and independent
churches around the world.
"The council has been in existence
since 1948 and has been
working to bring about Christian
unity since then," Love said. The
council is the most representative
body of Christians that exists, she
said.
The council has a large assembly
every six to eight years
with delegates from more than 300
member churches, Love said. The
Duroose of the assembly is to set
priorities for the council while
celebrating Chistian unity.
This year the justice and service
unit "worked to make statements
on current issues of the day" during
the assembly, Love said. In
Australia, the unit passed eight
statements for educational
purposes.
"A statement is a representation
of all these member churches
speaking concert voices," Love
said. Though the Persian Gulf War
and the plight of the Australian
Aboriginal people were predominant
issues, the unit also discussed
such topics as racism, the theology
of creation and women's rights.
"The fact that there was a war
of global proportions made a big
difference at our meeting. The war
helped illustrate in very graphic
terms the importance for Christians
to place an emphasis on peace
with justice," Love said.
V' : '
v.vX;:v':::: ivx-"
c d u
. Dprmy Dfeavv.
INC SIGN-UP.
vant to miss this spring!
rtisprinted rates in previous
>d as follows: Wade Hampton
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PRESENTS
: and Sex
).m.
Answers to the Following:
nd the so-called "Resurgence
of Racism"?
college students forced to accept
osexual roommates?
iegrcgation on American Campuses?
nsequences of dropping Western
n favor of "Diversity" courses?
id answer period will follow.
mndation
\
/ our
Skate-a-thon.
hon
7
1
ont
*
/
! NATIONAL
MTION OF
kd-106