Term Paper on "Human Geography We May Consider"

Term Paper 6 pages (1641 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Human Geography

We may consider that geography, as a science, has two main branches: physical geography and human geography. While on one side, physical geography deals with all aspects related to the environment, human geography handles much more sensitive issues, such as how the human being, as an individual and in a group, blends into the environment he lives in and how certain processes develop within such a group. More specifically, human geography is concerned with such aspects as political, economical, social or demographic geography, anything related to human activity and evolvement in a geographic context.

In terms of social geography as part of human geography, perhaps no other book exemplifies the traditional human relations and traditions still existing in Gabon, part of Western Africa, nowadays. If we consider Africa and Gabon, as an integrant part of the African continent, we may point out towards three separate historical periods that determine local cultural geography. These are pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial.

One of the characteristics of African culture, including Gabonese traditions, is the fact that while historically and temporarily, the countries of Africa belong to the 21st century, in many cases, the tribal traditions have persisted in many regions and these clearly belong to pre-colonial times.

Perhaps this is one of the essential aspect that transposes from Daniel Mengara's book "Mema." In a country evolving recently on modern paths, where the natural resources (Gabon is represented as one of the richest countries in terms of mineral resources in Africa, with important oil reserves) have ensured a growing GDP in the last years and higher revenues, with a direct impact on the country's path towards modernization (the net GDP growth was approximately 1.9% in 2004 and the country's per capita revenue is four times that of average sub-Saharian African nations), many parts of the country are still anchored in millenary traditions, having nothing in common with anything modern society may suppose.

One of these situations is described in Daniel Mengara's book "Mema." Mema, the main character of the book, and the village and society she lives in is the classical example of pre-colonial (often archaic) society, out of time and living according to rules unknown to modern human organizations.

The village's medzos, meetings held in the centre of the village, remind the reader of the Ancient Greek meetings in the Agora, a place where the important decisions for the community are taken. Unlike modern societies, where the people delegates a smaller group of persons to make political decisions for them, Mengara's village is a classical, ancient democracy, where decisions are discussed between members of the social group.

The narrative story is relatively simple. Mema is accused by her in-laws of being responsible for the death of her husband and their intention is to dispose her of her two young sons. Mema has to argue her case in front of the highest instance in the village, the local meeting or medza.

The fact that Mema is a woman places her on an inferior step in terms of judicial and legal representation. This may be considered a similarity to ancient societies, where women also lacked political representation (though not political influence). This is why Mema, taking her case in front of the highest judicial authority, pleads virtually a lost cause.

If we look at the physical geographic conditions in Western Africa and Gabon in this case, the fact that such primitive society practice sexual discrimination in terms of legal rights and decisions is not something that should surprise the reader. For example, we should look at historically primitive societies, such as the early Cro-Magnon populations.

The fact that only male hunted and gathered food (during the period previous to sedentary conditions) made it natural for them to be on top of the hierarchic ladder: they provided food for the population.

Similarly, here we have a tribe that lives mostly out of hunting and where the male population contributes to the survival of the group. Although women are not necessarily a second rank citizen, their rights limitations are quite obvious in this case and remind of early populations.

There are critics that place Daniel Mengara's story in an evolutionist trend, as a "society in transition." This may be the case, if we look at the perceived future fate of Elang. For him, education is a way to enter a new time and civilization zone, to achieve a higher perception of the world he lives in.

If we look at human geographic numbers in Gabon, indicators such as the literacy indicator has constantly grown during the latest years, reaching a literacy level of 63.2% of the total population. The fact that 73.7% of all males are literate, compared to only 53.3% females may indicate reminisces of primitive discrimination, an obvious lesser access to education for women.

Characteristics of Gabonese populations, in terms of human geography factors, are obvious in the music of Bibayak Pygmies. The first correlation that can be made is with the African-American gospel and even into blues and jazz. The role of the African-American gospel, as a purely vocal instrument, was to sing one's despair at the thought of being enslaved. Leaving aside the dramatic component, the African-American gospel was a communication instrument.

Going back to the Bibayak Pygmies, their chants and vocalized notes also can be traced back to communication and communicative necessities. Primitively, these groups of individuals developed language and transmission signals that had resulted form a necessity to communicate. Later on, they easily transformed themselves into Yodels ('Yodel' Studies: One Voice/Two Voices/Three Voices/Five Voices/Eight Voices) and "Dialogues with the Spirits," only to refer to two of their tracks.

If we look at the several Yodel tracks, these can also be associated with intertribal communication. A Yodel, because of the high pitch sounds it contains, can be heard over longer distances, especially if echoing capacities, such as mountains or other higher forms, are available inland. Northern Gabon is characterized, from a physical geographic perspective, by hills of different sizes.

Going back to the temporal division I have previously established in terms of pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial Africa, perhaps one of the most interesting stories, albeit the grim, dark comedy characteristics we cannot deny, is the movie "Coup de Torchon." Set in an African village during French colonialism in Western Africa, the movie smoothly, but compellingly, underlies the relationships between colonialists White and the local Black population.

There are two attitudes of the White colonialists transposing from this story: ignorance and racial humiliation actions towards the local population. Let's have a look at both perspectives.

I have mentioned ignorance because, despite interactions, caused by geographic proximity (colonialists and locals living in the same area), the two populations often seem to be ignoring one another. Indeed, the white colonialists are too proud and ignorant to notice any other populations living alongside them.

The black population, on the other side, seems to have discovered and developed its ignorance of other populations as a form of response to white abuse. The racial discriminations and tensions are reflected in terms of the brutal mistreatment to which the local black population is subjected to, a general characteristic of many European colonies in Africa.

Somewhere in-between, as a sort of moderator, we find the sheriff, as the main character. A weak and unusual front figure for a viewer acquainted with action hero movies, the sheriff turns into a revenging menace towards the end of the movie, applying punishments left and right. This is not necessarily something that should concern our research and analysis.

The issues that transposes from the movie is the radical conflict, in terms of social geography, between colonial powers and the local, native populations. Often misunderstanding the native way of life, the white colonialists not only seem want to impose their own culture, but simply… READ MORE

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