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The Bible affects everybody’s life who is a Christian, from the middle class in Europe to the peasant in Africa and Asia.

Ngugi wa Thiong'o

I was wondering why I was put in prison for working in an African language when I had not been put in prison for working in English. So really, in prison I started thinking more seriously about the relation between language and power.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country English Language Periostin Power Serious Wonder Work
We think of politics in terms of power and who has the power. Politics is the end to which that power is put.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

End Politic Power Put Term Think
The Pan-Africanism that envisaged the ideal of wholeness was gradually cut down to the size of a continent, then a nation, a region, an ethnos, a clan, and even a village in some instances But Pan-Africanism has not outlived its mission.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Continent Country Down Envisaged Gradually Ideal Nation Pan Problem Region Similar Size Wholeness
Then they begin to see through their language that the problems described there are the same as the problems they are having. They can identify with characters from another language group.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Began Character Describe Group Language Problem
So what I thought was just an African problem or issue is actually a global phenomenon about relationships of power between languages and cultures.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Global Language Power Problem
You get another person who operates only in an African language and there are many persons who operate only in African languages; he or she is excluded from all the goodies that come with English.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Another Country Language Many Only Operate Person
Seen as an economic, political, cultural, and psychological re-membering vision, it should continue to guide remembering practices
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Continue Cultural Economic Member Political Practice Psychological Seen
Writing in African languages became a topic of discussion in conferences, in schools, in classrooms; the issue is always being raised – so it’s no longer “in the closet,” as it were. It’s part of the discussion going on about the future of African literature.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Become Classroom Conference Country Discussion Issue Language Longer No School Topic Write
There is no way we can survive as a nation in the world without finding unity.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Find Nation Nom Way Survive Unity World
It was a revelation for me, in a practical sense, that you could write in an African language and still reach an audience beyond that language through the art of translation.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Art Audience Beyond Could Country Language Practical Reach Revelation Sense Still Write
Why did Africa let Europe cart away millions of Africa’s souls from the continent to the four corners of the wind?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Away Continent Corner Country Million Soul Wind
The same questions are there in Native American languages, they’re there in native Canadian languages, they’re there is some marginalized European languages, like say, Irish.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Country Culture Language Phenomenon Power Problem Relationship
A person who acquires English has access to all the things that that language makes possible.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Access Acquire English Language Make Person Possible Thing
Of course it’s very, very important for me to feel Kenya, to feel, every day, this is where images come from. So to be taken away from that by political pressure or other means – one is taken away from the area, which is the basis of inspiration – is difficult.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Come Country Course Feel From Image Important
How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Arrive Away Best Broken Future Known Leader Price
We can appreciate each other’s languages. And the question of being uncomfortable about our languages would go away.
NGUGI WA THIONG'O

Appreciate Being Language Other Question Uncomfortable Way

The Bible affects everybody’s life who is a Christian, from the middle class in Europe to the peasant in Africa and Asia.

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The Bible affects everybody’s life who is a Christian, from the middle class in Europe to the peasant in Africa and Asia.

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