CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background Of Study

ACROSS THE MONGOLO, people are often identified by their different nationalities and diverse cultures. The different cultures encompass different views and perceptions that individuals tend to have towards certain situations within an organisation.

Almeida (2002) defined culture as the behaviours, contents and the way people think. It focuses on individual’s beliefs, values, customs and language that are transmitted through the interaction with others. Culture is of vital importance since it assists or aids people in the way they live and articulate the manner information is administered. There are cultural dimensions that are used to address people’s cultural origin and how their culture is influenced by their nationality. This gives a clearer understanding of the different cultural dynamics that are around the world.

The diversity has often led to misunderstandings arising between communities over certain issues that would have occurred. Leading to conflicts. Miscommunication between communities is due to differences in cultures and cultural distances (Shadid, 2007). The conflict that arises between individuals from different cultural backgrounds often differ in terms of the differences in religion, languages, values and living standards. Conflict is limited between people of similar cultural backgrounds. The differences in cultural standards as well as certain factors such as traditions were stated as inappropriate in John Nkemngong in “ACROSS THE MONGOLO to compare or rather often seen as threatening to other cultures. Issues such as these tend to create a gap in cultures between individuals located in the same environment (De Dreu et al., 2007).

Cultural factors such as gender, religion, communication (language), social structure and values often influence conflict within an organization due to differences in views and interpretation of situations (Triandis, 2000). Individuals from certain cultures may deal with conflict easily while others tend to find it difficult in dealing with it amenably hence this leads to the system of sweeping it under the carpet. Conflict is defined as a way people or groups view differences between themselves and other individuals in terms of beliefs, norms, values and practices that are seen as being of vital importance to each of them (De Dreu et al., 2007). Conflict is triggered when there are cultural differences between individuals within an organization or through general interaction with one another.

This often leads to cross-cultural conflict which generally occurs in the context that individuals are not willing to understand each other’s diversity in cultures. Misunderstandings often arise due to miscommunication between parties  which are used by diverse cultures. The social culture of individuals has influenced profoundly on conflict within an environment. The individual’s cultural background has influenced greatly in the way conflict is handled within an organization (Kaushal and Kwantes, 2006). Every country has a way of doing things especially on the cultural context. Upon assessing it was noted that factors such as cultural differences, preferences, religious beliefs, social structures as well as ethnicity have led to intercultural conflicts within the organization (Hammer, 2005).

In the past decades, the issue of cultural differences that existed in societies has been an area of interest for many researchers. Cultural differences in societies arise from the mixing of people who came from different cultural backgrounds (Tereza and Fleury, 1999).

The way people behave towards other people that come from different cultural backgrounds is often different especially due to their upbringing, education, personality, past experience and social standing (Bucher and Bucher, 2010). Numerous researchers developed studies that highlighted and explained the different cultures that exist from one country to the other. There is intimate space between different cultures which bring out different messages. These cultural differences also show that each individual within a society has a different way of interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds. Everyone grows up with a certain cultural framework in terms of their religious belief, dressing, norms, values and communication styles (Gardensuwartz and Rowe, 2003).

We shall look at cultural diversity before, during and after colonization in Africa, as shown below.

(a)        Cultural Diversity Before Colonization In Africa

When Europeans arrived in Africa they found it upon themselves to bring us commerce and Civilization. However, Africans had their own forms of commerce, science, art and other measures of civilization long before the arrival of the colonizers. When Europeans arrived in Africa, like everyone who comes from elsewhere into new terrain they had something to say about the way we lived. To them coming from Icy climates which required them to wear clothes, our loinskins, (although we had cotton weavers) grass and thatch huts were a pitiful sight of primitiveness.

They found it upon themselves to bring us their three Cs: commerce, civilization and Christianity. The first two we had in different forms to the capitalist nations where ‘the men with no knees’ hailed. The last was the most harmful because in the words of PathisaNyathi, ‘Christianity is a proselytizing religion’, it asks you to denounce who you are, to assume a new identity and be baptized in the name of foreign gods and saints.

The global cultural impact is in serious debate amongst Animism, Christianity and Islam in Africa. Ambrose Moyo emphasized that combined efforts of early missionary and colonial powers to destroy African cultures and religion have led to a crisis of identity that, ironically, has promoted the continued practice of African traditional religions as a major aspect of African cultures. The cultural arena receiving the most attention at the beginning of the 21st century is the suddenly perceived confrontation between the western and the Islamic world. Some have chosen to regard this confrontation as a new (or perhaps renewed) clash of civilizations, but others perceived the old not so neatly divided. Choosing to see pluralities of identities rather than, a homogeneous Islam and an equal homogeneous west. We have all of us many as citizens, family members, workers, men, and women, appreciating a complex and interesting .diversity is indeed a challenge for the twenty-first-century societies.

ACROSS THE MONGOLO tells the story of Ngwe Nkemassah, an intelligent young man from the English speaking part of his fatherland, Kamangola, Ngwe’s dream spurred by his father Ndinkemassah, is to become another Babajoro, the ruler of the country. So after getting four papers at the Advance Level G.C.E, he crosses the river Mongolo, loaded with allegory to the lone university of Basaadi to pursue his dream, The peace ends with a welcome announcement that Ngwe’s ordeal was preparing him for a messianic role out for him by the gods (that liberating his people from suffering in a faraway land).

Statement Of Research Problem

Cultural diversities and cultural differences as observed in Ngengasong’s ACROSS THE MONGOLO have provoked the marginalization of minority cultures which has resulted to conflicts that have distorted peace and harmony.

Many studies on Across The Mongolo has focused on issues of power and journey and little has been done in regards to culture. A reading of Nkernngongs Across the Mongolo has shown that, cultural evolvements and diversity turn to create several conflicts that affect nation building and emancipation of subalterns. Since literature generally reflects a culture of a people. This research therefore is an attempt to demonstrate and analyze cultural diversity. This is done by creating awareness on the consequences of marginalizing and relegating a minority group in any society because of ethnic differences. It is therefore hoped that this work serve the purpose for which it is intended, that is, cultural diversity in Nkernngongs’ s Across the Mongolo.

Objectives Of The Study

This study to illustrate that cultural diversity and differences as highlighted ACROSS THE MONGOLO affect the citizens of Kamangola in diverse ways as underscore by the numerous conflicts that affect both the psychological and physical wellbeing of characters.

The overall aim of carrying out this research will be to demonstrate the various cultural differences found ACROSS MONGOLO. That is to identify them, illustrate and bring out its significance.

More so, to equally demonstrate cultural diversities in Africa, show the similarities of these diverse cultures in most African societies, to prove that African cultures should not be ignored but rather be maintained or valued based on some facts.

Lastly, to bring out the cultural differences found in African society relating these diversities to our text of study ACROSS THE MONGOLO.

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