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Bush Gardens perpetuates stereotypes. Dark,why not bright? Exotic, why not mundane? Rare, why not usual? 54 countries lumped together, why not the characteristics of each? . Tarzan in Africa??? Tarzan was filmed in Silver Springs, Florida, 35 miles south of UF.
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Dark,why not bright? • Exotic, why not mundane? • Rare, why not usual? • 54 countries lumped together, why not the characteristics of each?
Tarzan in Africa???Tarzan was filmed in Silver Springs, Florida, 35 miles south of UF
Exotic used in advertising--for what purpose? • United Colors of Benetton: An African Albino young woman in a puberty ritual • Pinnacle of exotica
People as background props • No interaction • Just exotic • Kim Basinger on a photo shoot from Vogue Magazine
Don’t you wonder what the Masai men thought about this? • What were they paid to be props? • Were they paid?
Stereotype: Jungle Activities • You promised to walk with me in the moonlight.... • You promised me a kiss... • Happiness in the jungle
Stereotypes: Tribes and Women • Excitement! • For the first time... • Women in the Jungle Olympics
Stereotypes: Outsider (white man) As decision-maker • Decide Phantom
Stereotypes: “Girls” and Wambos • ...The great jungle crowd roars... • …As usual. • …New jungle Olympics record...
Stereotype: Jungle Justice“Hard, Swift, Sure” • World please note
Images of Africa • Tarzan mentality (filmed in Silver Springs, Florida) • White man’s burden • Wild animals (go to zoo or game park) • Face paints, lack of clothing, snakes, safari • Place for an exotic vacation, but you wouldn’t want to live there • Similar to cowboys and Indians mentality in US
Jungle: Where is it? • Only about 10% is rain forest • Cannibals (exist in Fiji, not Africa) • Business mentality that is exploitative to Africans • Unclear about modern cities versus traditional activities
News media: myths of backwardness • Newspaper headline: “Nigeria transported from stone age to jet age” • (The iron age appeared in Africa and the Stone age disappeared in Nigeria before it did in Europe)
Many African Americans, in particular, may be looking to Africa for • Travel and tourism • Politics • Business • Spiritual life • Arts and culture (music, dance, food) • Ghana is welcoming back African Americans (Ghanaian ancestry not a requirement)
People may think that such symbols as kente cloth is everywhere** • But it is localized • Ghana (originally for Akan royals) and Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) • Now, printed cloth is everywhere
Where do we acquire our information about Africa? • Media (TV, newspapers, radio, movies) • Churches • Travel agencies • Games, puzzles, toys • Commercial recreation centers • Educational materials • Courses at secondary and tertiary levels
But how do we evaluate what we hear and see? • Prejudices against Africa • Prejudices against developing areas and countries • Prejudice concerning different customs • Prejudice concerning any differences
Website Trinity Broadcasting Network, largest Christian religious TV network • www.tbn.co.za • May show map of Africa with lions and starving children only.