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Satya has
ceased publication. This website is maintained for informational
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To learn more about the upcoming Special Edition of Satya and Call for Submissions, click here. |
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Africa has for far too long been the stamping ground for grandiose ideas: of the beginning of civilization and the discovery of the first human to the supposed extension of civilization and humanity to "savages"; of the economies and idelogies of West versus East to our best hopes for a sustainable future and the worst degradations of the human character. This issue of Satya begins a year-long series of issues devoted to the continents of the world. Each issue will try and present, fairly and without fatuously rehearsing the big ideas, the variety and richness of the continents concerned. We have tried to present different voices on different issues, and from a perspective you may not see elsewhere. As always, our concern is to show people who are directly affected by the operations of faceless organizations--whether governments or industries--and to relate what they are doing to change them and what they believe needs to be done. We also hope to provide you with resources on Africa available in New York City. In this issue, the death two years ago of environmental activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa is covered extensively, as activists Hafsat Abiola, Goodluck Diigbo, and Edwin Madunagu call for the liberation of Nigeria--the most populous country in Africa--from a leadership under the control of Shell Oil. Alex Bisangwa writes on the anthropology of meat that divided his country, Rwanda; ambassador Jack Wilmot offers sanguine news of how his country, Ghana, is striving to balance the needs of people with the protection of wildlife and animals; and Meitamei Olol-Dapash calls for the respect for the Maasai way of life and the Maasai way of protecting the environment. Mia MacDonald and Shirley McGreal write on primate sanctuaries in Nigeria and Cameroun, while Daria Caliguire and Carolize Jansen both explore the challenges facing animals, environmental protection and tribal rights in newly democratic South Africa. Jessie Graham reports on her time in Senegal and two Senegalese restaurants in Brooklyn. While Satya may not solve the big ideas, we hope to provide a glimpse into the complexities of life in Africa, and empower us to make a difference in our own. Let us know what you think. Martin Rowe
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