If Disney and Hollywood can animate Polynesian islands and Day of the Dead fiestas with soul, why does Africa still get huts, spears, and glowing ancestors?
Let’s get this out the way: We are not mad that Moana was beautiful, or that Coco made us cry, or that Encanto had us singing about Bruno for six weeks straight. We’re not mad because when those movies came out, they did something stunning: they treated the cultures they represented with care. With nuance. With joy. They did the research, asked the right questions, included people from the actual communities, and translated cultural depth into visual magic.
But when it comes to Africa? Crickets. Worse than crickets — clichés.
Africa, According to Hollywood:
One giant jungle. One language. One culture. One elder with face paint and spiritual Bluetooth. One mysterious beat playing in the background. And absolutely zero WiFi.
We’re not kidding. When Africa is portrayed in mainstream Western media, we either get:
An unnamed country where everyone is either dancing, dying, or disappearing.
A man in a hut who somehow invents quantum technology because the ancestors whispered the code to him in a dream.
Or Wakanda. And listen, we get it — Wakanda was cool, futuristic, and clever design. But let’s be real: it was a fantasy. It wasn’t Kenya. It wasn’t Nigeria. It wasn’t South Africa. It wasn’t Congo. It wasn’t any real place that actually exists.
And yet that’s the closest we’ve gotten to a "celebration" of African culture in big-budget cinema.
Meanwhile, in Real Africa:
People speak over 2,000 languages. They wear vibrant traditional clothing that shifts by tribe, occasion, and history. They eat food that would knock your tastebuds into next week. They make music that TikTok can’t even keep up with. The dance styles? Let’s not even go there unless you’re ready to sweat.
From the spiritual dances of Ethiopia to the ngoma of Tanzania, from the gqom beats of Durban to Congolese rumba and Lingala swagger, from the intricate Zulu beadwork to the Sapeurs of Brazzaville serving luxury fashion in the middle of economic struggle — there’s so much to say.
And yet... we get hunting, huts, and hallucinations. Every. Time.
So, What’s Really Going On?
Is it laziness? Is it ignorance? Is it because Africa is still seen as one big symbolic prop, rather than a continent made up of 54 countries and more culture than some people have WiFi passwords?
Let’s be fair — not every film has to include Africa. But if you’re going to do it, do it right. Do your research. Pay African creators. Visit actual cities. Show the youth dancing to Amapiano in the street. Show aunties yelling over spice levels in the kitchen. Show elders telling stories that don’t involve saving the world with magic metal.
The World Is Ready. Are You?
We’ve seen Japanese, Mexican, Colombian, Scottish, Polynesian, and Chinese cultures get animated with heart and respect. We’ve cried, laughed, and sung along.
But Africa? Still treated like a spiritual side quest or a digital jungle gym.
It’s not about inclusion for the sake of ticking boxes. It’s about respect. If you’re not ready to show our diversity, our humor, our pain, our joy, our fashion, our food, our beats, our beauty — then maybe, don’t bother showing us at all.
Because honestly?
We’re not just tired. We’re offended.
Tell Africa’s stories. For real this time.
Disclaimer: Images used on this blog are for illustrative purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.
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