Beyond Colonialism: History, Healing, and Hope
Colonialism: A Personal Reflection
Colonialism, the act of settling and taking control of land and its people, has significantly shaped world history. Since the time of Noah’s descendants spreading across the earth, humans have conquered and settled new lands. Colonialism has profoundly affected both positive and negative global politics, economies, and cultures. Entire groups have lost their land, heritage, and lives, leaving deep wounds, segregation, and conflict in its wake.
My understanding of colonialism is largely shaped by my twelve years in Mauritania. Mauritania will mark sixty-five years of independence from France this November, yet the country still bears the scars of colonial rule. The French exploited tribal divisions to maintain control, exacerbating ethnic tensions that persist today. Colonialism brought disease, patriarchy, and war, but it also introduced literacy, Western medicine, and Christianity. The legacy of colonization is complex—while Sub-Saharan Africa now has strong Christian communities, North Africa, shaped by Arab conquest in the 7th century, remains deeply tied to Islam. Mauritania’s post-colonial identity is an intricate mix of its pre-colonial traditions and colonial influences, particularly in its nomadic culture and governance structures.
What should we do with colonialism’s legacy? I believe we must acknowledge past injustices while empowering affected communities to become creators and leaders rather than victims. Learning from history enables us to build a future based on interdependence and reconciliation. Despite its destruction, colonialism has also fostered cultural exchange, which, while costly, has shaped the modern world.
The War on the Past: Reflections on Frank Furedi’s Perspective
Frank Furedi’s The War on the Past: Why the West Must Fight for Its History is a heavy read. The author critiques the Western trend of viewing colonial history through a lens of guilt and shame. Living in Africa, I have been somewhat removed from the Western perspective of colonialism. However, Furedi’s argument resonates with my belief that we must acknowledge the past for cultural identity and future growth. He defines decolonization “[eliminating] the influence of colonialism and racism on contemporary society.”[1] He warns that this ideology threatens the culture and “collective identity” of society. Decolonization attempts to eliminate the complex process through which values and morals have transferred through generations. [2] Removing this “cultural continuity” deeply disrupts the inherited practices and ways of living that influence the internal and inter-relational interactions of the society.[3]
Mauritania is undergoing its own form of decolonization, different from the West but rooted in the same desire to erase colonial influence. Though French lost its official language status decades ago, it remains dominant in government and education. Recent debates and protests seek to remove French entirely from Mauritanian administration and education, fueling ethnic and socioeconomic divisions. The social polarization that accompanies decolonization is unsettling.
Wrestling with Hope: Reflections for Leaders
As I read The War on the Past, I struggled to find an element of hope in this difficult topic. I fought feelings of sadness and hopelessness. This topic is heavy. The outcome of the struggle causes deep division and contention. This discord and contention are where my beliefs are challenged. Furedi gives excellent arguments about the importance of fighting to keep the past, and I sensed his tone of frustration and perhaps desperation. In a review of the book, it was noted that Furedi is “too angry to understand the mentality of those whom he is criticising.”[4] As I read through the book, there seems to be a lot of emotion around this issue on all sides, leading to reactive responses. These align with Edwin Friedman’s characteristics of an anxious society: reactivity, a herd mentality of joining forces against an ideal, victimization of blame displacement, and a quick fix response focusing on appeasing emotions rather than the root issues, leading to undifferentiated leadership.[5]
How should leaders navigate these complex, global issues without losing hope?
- Self-Reflection: As Rethinking Leadership discusses, leaders must look at their shadow side and address the deep fears that are hidden there.[6] Those fears and biases contribute to reactive responses.
- Taking Responsibility: Rather than dwelling on victimhood, we must use our agency to effect positive change. In his essay addressing post-colonial Africa, Dr. Julius Gattune calls fellow Africans to stop focusing on their history of colonialization. He argues that Africans shift focus from colonial grievances to celebrating and building upon the continent’s global contributions.[7]
- Pursuing Peace: Jesus taught, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.”[8] As leaders, we must foster reconciliation rather than division.
Despite colonialism’s wounds, globalization has allowed cultures, languages, and religions to intermingle, enriching our world’s complexity. Rather than waging war on the past, may we, as Godly leaders, bring the peace of Christ to those still wrestling with its legacy.
[1] Frank Furedi, The War Against the Past: Why the West Must Fight for Its History (Medord, MA: Polity Press, 2024), 119.
[2] Furedi, 61.
[3] Furedi, 88.
[4] Jonathan Sumption, “The War Against the Past,” History Reclaimed (blog), September 8, 2024, https://historyreclaimed.co.uk/the-war-against-the-past/.
[5] Edwin H. Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix, ed. Margaret M. Treadwell and Edward W. Beal, 10th Anniversary Revised Kindle ed (New York: Church Publishing, 2017), 87.
[6] Annabel C. Beerel, Rethinking Leadership: A Critique of Contemporary Theories (New York, NY: Routledge, 2021), 307.
[7] Julius Gatune, “Africa’s Development Beyond Aid: Getting Out of the Box,” The Annals of the American Academy of Political Social Science, Perspectives on Africa and the World, 632 (November 2010): 103–20.
[8] Matthew 5:9 ESV.
About the Author
Kari
Kari is a passionate follower of Jesus. Her journey with Him currently has her living in the Sahara in North Africa. With over a decade of experience as a family nurse practitioner and living cross-culturally, she enjoys being a champion for others. She combines her cross-cultural experience, her health care profession, and her skills in coaching to encourage holistic health and growth. She desires to see each person she encounters walk in fullness of joy, fulfilling their God-designed purpose. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12 ESV14 responses to “Beyond Colonialism: History, Healing, and Hope”
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Hi Kari, Wow! Your experience sounds so similar to mine. It’s like we live in the same country or something. I always appreciate how you desire to move forward in healing and hope, even in a country weighed down by perceived hopelessness. I am always saddened when our friends can’t see a way out of victimhood. I wonder what healing response we can give to our friends who have experienced trauma in the past (likely a result of colonialism)?
Thank you, Elysse. That is a great question. I think it starts with loving them by listening to them and showing them worth. I think about the conversation we had with our friend who was deported during the ethnic cleansing in 1990. In the future I would like to offer to pray for her. I would also ask her a bit more about the mental and emotional hold this has on her and try to gently encourage her towards forgiveness and healing.
Wow what a phenomenal post Kari! Thanks for your 3 things readers can do in response to this complex world. How do those play out for you in your context? What are you observing in your environment where you serve that gives you hope?
Ryan, Thank you for your kind words. For myself personally, as I have done some self-reflection on his topic, fear I have is responding as a “colonist.” The Lord has showed me that as I seek His guidance and discernment, the Holy Spirit will guide me to respond with the Fruits of the Spirit. In my country, there is a deep cultural “victim” mindset. During my design workshop last semester, it was fun to watch the young Mauritanians come alive as they envisioned an “ideal future.” This gave me a lot of hope to see that I can walk along side them and help them dream and then move towards a better future. As far as pursuing peace, I find myself often in the middle of the Arab/West African ethnic divisions and also concerning the Isreal/Palestine issue. A way I have learned to pursue peace is to acknowledge the hurts and point to what the Prince of Peace wants to offer to the world.
Hi Kari,
Your essay does a great job of highlighting the complex and emotional nature of the decolonization debate, while also bringing in relevant examples such as Mauritania. You effectively connect Furedi’s perspective with your personal experiences and reflections, creating a compelling and thoughtful piece.
How do you think the process of decolonization can be approached in a way that acknowledges the past without erasing valuable cultural continuity and identity? My grandma did not take the victim approach. She said it was part of life.
Hi Shela, Thank you for your kind words. As I mentioned in my comment to Chad below, I don’t like the word “decolonization” as it feels a bit “victim-ish.” I like the idea of weaving the past traditions from pre-colonialism with the benefits that came with colonialism and globalisation (like your grandmother said, that part of life that happened). From this we can create a future that does not fully erase the past but also empowers those living now.
Hi, Kari, thank you for your sharing. You have looked at colonialism with the lens of colonized. Do you think that Dr. Furedi is looking at colonialism through the perspective of the colonists?
Hi Noel, Your question is very thought provoking. Upon reflection and investigation, I will go with my initial instinct: no, Furedi is not responding through the lens of the colonists. I looked into his background and he is a Hungarian refugee who left his native home when the Soviet Union took over his country. His tone seems rather neutral considering he is writing with the background of one who actively experienced trauma from colonialism.
Hey Kari! This is a deep post that brings several things to light. Given Furedi’s concerns about the erasure of cultural continuity in decolonization efforts, how do you think Mauritania can balance acknowledging colonial harms while preserving governance structures, without deepening ethnic and socioeconomic divisions?
Thank you, Daren. This is directly related to my NPO and I wish I had THE solution. I think the first step is to find unity, reconciliation, and healing between Mauritianians. The disunity is keeping the country stuck in an endless cycle.
H Kari, thanks for your honesty and I appreciate you leaning into the heaviness of this week’s reading.
You said you struggled with feelings of hopelessness this week. Have you processed enough to feel empowered to affect positive change?
Thank you, Christy! Yes, I have found a lot of inspiration in reading the other blogs. Reconciliation, healing, and movement forward can only fully take place with the hope Christ offers. This is why I am here, and I have felt empowered to keep being obedient to my call so that my dear friends and neighbors can one day walk in freedom.
Kari, given your reflections on decolonization efforts in Mauritania and Furedi’s concerns about erasing the past, how do you believe societies can engage in decolonization without deepening social divisions?
Great question, Chad. I do not like the word “decolonization” because it feels like a victim response to something that happened rather than a hopeful, empowering response forward. I would love to see a unified and empowering movement such as “Mauritania: Bringing Traditions to Modern Times.”