Karen Blixen's memoir "Out of Africa" (1937) and the 1985 film adaptation shaped international perceptions of colonial Kenya profoundly. The book and film romanticized European settlement and presented Africa through a European lens, creating influential (but distorted) narratives about colonialism, environment, and African people. The cultural impact persists, influencing how millions of people understand Kenya and colonialism.
The Memoir and Film
"Out of Africa" was published in 1937, six years after Blixen left Kenya. The memoir presented settler life as beautiful, adventurous, and ultimately tragic (in Blixen's view). The book became an international bestseller.
In 1985, 48 years after the memoir's publication, a major Hollywood film adaptation was released, directed by Sydney Pollack. The film starred Meryl Streep (as Karen) and Robert Redford (as Denys Finch Hatton). The film was visually stunning, shot in Kenya with actual landscapes. It won seven Academy Awards and achieved widespread international success.
Together, the book and film introduced millions of people to colonial Kenya through Blixen's romantic, European-centered narrative.
Romantic Narrative
Both the memoir and film presented settler Kenya as romantic:
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Beautiful Landscape: The Ngong Hills, Kenyan countryside, and environment were presented as gorgeous and sublime.
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Authentic Experience: Settlement was framed as providing authentic, meaningful human experience contrasted with modern industrial life.
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Adventure and Freedom: Settler life was portrayed as adventurous, free, and liberated from European social constraints.
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Tragic Beauty: The inevitable end of settler Kenya (with independence) was presented as tragic beauty, the necessary end of something beautiful.
This romantic narrative was appealing to international audiences and shaped how many people imagined Kenya and colonialism.
Eurocentric Perspective
A key criticism of "Out of Africa" is its Eurocentric perspective:
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African People as Background: African people appear in the narrative largely as background figures or servants, not as historical agents with their own motivations and perspectives.
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European Emotions Central: The narrative centers on European emotions and experiences, with African experiences peripheral.
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Civilizational Hierarchy: The narrative implies that European settlement brought civilization and meaning to Kenya, downplaying pre-colonial African societies.
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Colonial Justification: The romantic presentation provided cultural justification for colonialism as ultimately good and beautiful despite its contradictions.
Distortion of Reality
Scholars have noted that "Out of Africa" distorts historical reality:
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Omission of Conflict: The narrative largely omits conflict with African communities, land alienation, and labor exploitation.
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Selective Memory: The memoir presents experiences selectively, emphasizing romance while downplaying economic failure and exploitation.
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Ahistorical Romanticism: The framing of settler Kenya as romantic and beautiful obscures the systematic colonial extraction and control that characterized the period.
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Individual Focus: By focusing on Blixen's personal experiences and emotions, the narrative obscures broader historical and political patterns.
International Impact
The memoir and film's international success meant that many people's first encounter with Kenya and colonialism was through Blixen's narrative. The cultural influence was enormous:
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Tourism: The film and book inspired tourism to Kenya, with many visitors seeking the "Out of Africa" experience.
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Literary Canon: "Out of Africa" became a canonical work in discussions of colonial literature and African history.
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Perception Formation: International audiences formed impressions of Kenya, colonialism, and Africa significantly shaped by Blixen's narrative.
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Continuing Influence: Contemporary media, tourism marketing, and cultural products continue to reference and be influenced by "Out of Africa."
Kenyan and African Critique
Kenyan and African scholars and writers have critiqued "Out of Africa" extensively:
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Ngugi wa Thiong'o: The major Kenyan writer has criticized the cultural imperialism embedded in "Out of Africa" and similar works that represent Africa through European eyes.
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Silencing of African Voices: Critics argue that Blixen's success and international fame silenced African voices and narratives about the same period and places.
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Romanticization of Colonialism: Critics contend that the romantic presentation obscures colonialism's violence and exploitation.
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Ongoing Imperialism: Some argue that "Out of Africa" and similar cultural products represent ongoing cultural imperialism, with European narratives remaining dominant globally.
Legacy in Contemporary Kenya
Contemporary Kenya still experiences "Out of Africa" legacy:
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Tourism Marketing: Tourism marketing often invokes "Out of Africa" imagery and narrative.
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Karen Blixen Museum: The museum at Blixen's former farm is a major tourist attraction, perpetuating the narrative.
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Film Tourism: The 1985 film continues to inspire tourism and international visitors.
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Cultural Perceptions: International perceptions of Kenya are still shaped by "Out of Africa" romantic narratives.
This means that Blixen's colonial-era narrative continues to influence how Kenya is understood globally and how Kenya presents itself to the world.
Reframing Efforts
Contemporary Kenyan scholars, writers, and cultural producers are working to reframe Kenya's history and offer alternative narratives:
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African Authored Histories: Kenyan historians are producing detailed scholarly histories that center African experiences and agency.
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African Literature: Kenyan writers, particularly Ngugi wa Thiong'o, have produced powerful literary works presenting Kenya from African perspectives.
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Counter-Narratives: Some cultural works explicitly counter "Out of Africa" narratives, presenting colonial Kenya from anti-colonial perspectives.
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Museum Reinterpretation: Some efforts are underway to reinterpret colonial sites and museums from more critical perspectives.
These efforts attempt to create space for African voices and perspectives alongside (and potentially displacing) European colonial narratives.
See Also
- Ngugi wa Thiong'o on the Settler
- Settler Nostalgia
- Denys Finch Hatton
- Cultural Imperialism in Kenya
- Tourism and Colonial Narratives
- Karen Blixen