--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or…" description: "\"Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated\" — Binyavanga Wainaina" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png" --- # Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated ![“Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated” quote by Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png) > “Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated” [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote frames Africa as an object of pity, reverence, or control, highlighting how outsiders often reduce a continent to simplistic roles. **In simple terms:** Africa is seen only as a victim, a deity, or a conquest. Key Takeaway Recognize Africa’s agency beyond stereotypes. Themes stereotypes power dynamics colonialism Mood critical reflective Type analytical political When to use this quote - journalism - education - policy - travel writing Key Concepts postcolonial theory representation Questions to Reflect On - How can we portray Africa with nuance? - What responsibilities do storytellers have? A Different Perspective Simplifies a complex continent to three roles, ignoring diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [If we believe that a person seeking refuge is to be pitied, feared, despised, and looked down upon, we are doing ourselves a disservice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemantine-wamariya/if-we-believe-that-a-person-seeking-refuge-is-to-be-pitied-feared/) [Clemantine Wamariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemantine-wamariya/) > [He's more to be pitied than scorned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unnown/he-s-more-to-be-pitied-than-scorned/) Unnown > [Seeing too much to deny and too little to be sure, I am in a state to be pitied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/seeing-too-much-to-deny-and-too-little-to-be-sure-i-am-in-a-state-to/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I seem to be the only person in the world who doesn't mind being pitied. If you love me, pity me. The human state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/i-seem-to-be-the-only-person-in-the-world-who-doesn-t-mind-being/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [The coward is an object to be pitied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-coward-is-an-object-to-be-pitied/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“She did not want to be a consolation prize. Be pitied or a distraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-did-not-want-to-be-a-consolation-prize-be-pitied-or-a-distraction/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Girls, like men, want to be petted, pitied, and made much of, when they are diffident, in low spirits, or in unrequited love. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/girls-like-men-want-to-be-petted-pitied-and-made-much-of-when-they/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [No one likes to be pitied for his faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/no-one-likes-to-be-pitied-for-his-faults/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [When men take pleasure in feeling their minds elevated with strong drink, and so indulge their appetite as to disorder their understandings, neglect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-woolman/when-men-take-pleasure-in-feeling-their-minds-elevated-with-strong/) [John Woolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-woolman/) > [ “\[T\]hey are much to be pitied who have not ... been given a taste for Nature in early life. They lose a great deal.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/t-hey-are-much-to-be-pitied-who-have-not-been-given-a-taste-for/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“So he dreams himself the life he cannot have?” “Exactly. But we, who can do anything, we refuse to live our dreams on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-simonson/so-he-dreams-himself-the-life-he-cannot-have-exactly-but-we-who-can/) [Helen Simonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-simonson/) > [“People pitied only what they could easily slaughter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-hill/people-pitied-only-what-they-could-easily-slaughter/) [C.J. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-hill/) > [This thought strengthened in me my belief that all men, without exception, deserve to be pitied, if only because they are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-moravia/this-thought-strengthened-in-me-my-belief-that-all-men-without/) [Alberto Moravia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-moravia/) > [If our inward griefs were written on our brows, how many who are envied now would be pitied. It would seem that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/if-our-inward-griefs-were-written-on-our-brows-how-many-who-are/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [I lived with the terrible knowledge that one day I would be an old man still waiting for my real life to start. Already,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/i-lived-with-the-terrible-knowledge-that-one-day-i-would-be-an-old/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) ## More by Binyavanga Wainaina > [“Cloud travel is well and good when you have mastered the landings. I never have. I must live, not dream about living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/cloud-travel-is-well-and-good-when-you-have-mastered-the-landings-i/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I'm not even sure I want to use the term 'coming out.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-not-even-sure-i-want-to-use-the-term-coming-out/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I, Binyavanga Wainaina, quite honestly swear I have known I am a homosexual since I was five.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-binyavanga-wainaina-quite-honestly-swear-i-have-known-i-am-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I’m extremely optimistic about rapid transformation and change of things in Africa in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-extremely-optimistic-about-rapid-transformation-and-change-of/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I want to be fighting for a society accountable towards its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-want-to-be-fighting-for-a-society-accountable-towards-its-citizens/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I'm an African. I was brought up here; my home is here. Being an Afropolitan, I am here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-m-an-african-i-was-brought-up-here-my-home-is-here-being-an/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Always end your book with Nelson Mandela saying something about rainbows or renaissances. Because you care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/always-end-your-book-with-nelson-mandela-saying-something-about/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I knew I didn't want to come out in the 'New Yorker'; it just felt wrong. It needed an African conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-knew-i-didn-t-want-to-come-out-in-the-new-yorker-it-just-felt-wrong/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [“Science is smaller than music, than the patterns of the body; the large confident world of sound and body gathers. If my mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/science-is-smaller-than-music-than-the-patterns-of-the-body-the-large/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I have learned that I, we, are a dollar-a-day people (which is terrible, they say, because a cow in Japan is worth $9 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-have-learned-that-i-we-are-a-dollar-a-day-people-which-is-terrible/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [People reach an age... where somebody else's platform is no longer yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/people-reach-an-age-where-somebody-else-s-platform-is-no-longer-yours/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I love playing with words and texture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-love-playing-with-words-and-texture/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [“He has money. She will wear the mask he needs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/he-has-money-she-will-wear-the-mask-he-needs/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [I am quite excited that Moi is leaving. Kenyans have changed. We have a free press, and it is no longer a situation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/i-am-quite-excited-that-moi-is-leaving-kenyans-have-changed-we-have-a/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) > [Living in South Africa and periodically coming back to Kenya, my relationship with officialdom in Kenya was just insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/living-in-south-africa-and-periodically-coming-back-to-kenya-my/) [Binyavanga Wainaina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) [Explore all 39 Binyavanga Wainaina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/) [Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/) [Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) [Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Binyavanga Wainaina" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dominated/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Africa" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dominated/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7e/binyavanga-wainaina-16679_africa_africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dom_933895.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated” — Binyavanga Wainaina", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Binyavanga Wainaina", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyavanga-wainaina/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Africa is to be pitied, worshipped...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dominated/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyavanga-wainaina/africa-is-to-be-pitied-worshipped-or-dominated/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```