(d)urban(a): Representations of the United States in South Africa

February 07, 2008

Representations of the United States in South Africa

I have had a lot of friends ask me how South Africans and the South African media here conceive of the United States. I can only speak of what I have picked up so far from observing popular culture sources (through television, newspaper, and a couple of shopping malls) and a few scattered conversations. One of the first icons that greeted me when I arrived in Durban was a Native American Chief. Coming most recently from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where the school has only just (after years of activism) "retired" Chief Illiniwek as the school's mascot, seeing a giant chief plastered on trash bins throughout the city was pretty absurd. Spur is a large chain of restaurants in South Africa - visiting their website is certainly an experience one does not soon forget. Their theme song greets you with, "take me to the canyon, where the secret tribe plays, I'm hungry for adventure, I've got a taste for life today," as images of a multicultural "tribe" of "Indians" flashes before you. I've photographed the exteriors of two so far - "Mustang Spur" and "Kansas Spur." Although I have yet to dine at a Spurs and may never have the pleasure to "saddle up" at one of these "steak ranches", even from standing outside, you can tell the booths are upholstered with cow print. Granted, this is one of the more outrageous popular representations of the US, but while on the bus today I spoke to G, a man about my age who was telling me about a friend who moved to Ohio to teach rugby and be with his American girlfriend. G told me that his friend was concerned with meeting his girlfriend's father, as he was "coloured" (a specific racial category here in South Africa since Apartheid) and his girlfriend was white. G said he imagined the woman's father looming large on a "Texas-sized" ranch and brandishing a shotgun at his friend. Although he was joking somewhat in telling the story, it still speaks to how globally pervasive the American "wild west" trope seems to be. But this is just one of the many representations of the US here. So far coverage on the news has been limited to two subjects - the presidential primaries and entertainment news (apparently Britney Spears' latest dramas even rate here). The television programming relies heavily on American productions, in particular US "soapies" (Days of Our Lives, Passions, All My Children), several sitcoms and talk shows (Oprah is very popular here), and a lot of [bad] American movies (Barbed Wire, The Animal, should I go on?). What I have appreciated in conversation, especially the many I have had with M at the Create South Africa office, is that mostly people have questions about the US - they ask questions about the issues that are pressing here: particularly employment opportunity, race relations, HIV/AIDS, and drug use. I know I have asked so many questions about the culture here too. I have valued the open conversations I have been able to have so far, whether it's with M, a taxi driver, or the family who lives in the CAS offices to watch the building at night whose three-year-old son wants to go to America.

Posted at 12:25 PM in Culture | Permalink

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I dunno... Don't you think my dad kind of embodies that all-American ideal? He's huge, rugged, shotgun in tow, not to mention the fact that he's always ripping into a semi-raw steaks, chugging down whiskey, and brawling at the local saloon. Yep, that's Rodney alright! All I'm trying to suggest is that it's not just a myth.

Posted by: Terra Walston | February 07, 2008 at 02:00 PM

despite your wishful imagining, your father wears tie-dye Terra

Posted by: mar | February 07, 2008 at 02:20 PM

lol my dad fits the american stereotype. he's a white christian republican, he has lots of guns, he goes hunting, he wears camouflage all the time, he's loud, he farts and belches in public, he used to sell drugs, etc. :P just no brawling or whiskey chugging like Terra's dad ;)

Posted by: Mark | February 08, 2008 at 12:28 AM

Thanks for posting this. Stereotypes of American Indians is one of America's exports. The classic LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE is in over 40 different languages. It's got some derogatory imagery in it... Wilder's text presents American Indians as wild men, roaming the empty prairie, not properly using the land.

Posted by: Debbie Reese | February 08, 2008 at 09:29 AM