Post-Colonialism in India and Africa

603 Words3 Pages
Post-colonialism deals with the aftermath of colonialism on nations and the struggle of being independent. After being controlled by the large power for such a long time, countries need to establish their own government and way of running themselves. Their societies are no longer being oppressed; they are independent and free to be themselves again. However, their culture has changed now, and countries are now challenged to figure out who they really are. In the films, Slumdog Millionaire and Hotel Rwanda, Indian and African post-colonial themes are present. As portrayed in these films, in the process of establishing themselves, the previously colonized nations of both India and Africa encounter issues with social inequalities. These countries also struggle with economic problems; many are left living in poverty after colonization. Although India and Africa face similar post-colonial complications, they are expressed in different ways in the films. After their colonizers leave, the search for identity creates major problems and social inequalities for countries, such as Africa and India. Conflicts between different groups arise when countries become independent and suddenly are faced with the challenge of developing a new nationwide identity (Young 6). Some people have developed the cultures of the higher power or become somewhat “hybrid,” while others who are further away have kept the traditional ways of the nation. These differences can create confrontation and disagreements when trying to form an identity and live as one. Many scenes of graphic violence in Hotel Rwanda show the level of brutality that emerges from the tensions between the Hutu and the Tutsis. Hotel Rwanda tells the story of the devastation left behind by Belgian colonizers. In the past, the Tutsi minority was considered the aristocracy of Rwanda and dominated the Hutu for decades while Rwanda
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