Video: Djimon Hounsou Tells Us How To Write About Africa

Video: Djimon Hounsou Tells Us How To Write About Africa

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In the well-known essay "How To Write About Africa," Binyavanga Wainaina facetiously sets the guidelines for successful "Africa talk." There is no comedy without tragedy and both are apparent in Wainaina's painfully true words. The humor and tragedy are also present in this video of Djimon Hounsou reciting the essay to a nameless young white girl (in a hotel room?). Hounsou has amnesia, he musta forgotten about his role as the noble savage Solomon Vandy in that Hollywood film that adheres to 95% of Wainaina's 'advice', Blood Diamond. As mentioned before, sometimes funny is sad.

​Photo illustration by Kaushik Kalidindi, Okayplayer.
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