Tanzanian-born British novelist and academic, Abdulrazak Gurnah, who was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature, emphasised on Tuesday that colonialism is not merely a historical phenomenon but continues to exert a profound influence on the world, particularly in regions such as West Asia and Africa.
Speaking at the 12th edition of the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet, Mr Gurnah explained that the conflicts in these regions have deep roots in decisions made during the era of colonialism. He pointed out that many borders established by colonial powers persist, often leading to contemporary tensions. Even in formerly French territories in West Africa, Mr Gurnah noted, the colonial legacy endures, with the French maintaining bases and currency control, perpetuating dependency. “To say it [colonialism] is over is not to understand the causes or so much of the conflict that is going on in the world now ~ in Africa, in the Middle East (West Asia). Many of these conflicts arose out of decisions made for the administrative convenience of the colonising powers,” he said.
Mr Gurnah, known for his novels addressing exile, displacement and migration, highlighted multiple forms of colonialism, including the Russian form, which he described as colonising adjacent cultures and societies.
He argued that the transformative impact of European colonialism, despite its geographical reach, cannot be easily undone, with current events reflecting its lasting consequences. “That particular form of European colonialism ~ the one that crossed the seas and went to strange areas ~ it transformed the world. We can’t say what is done can be undone… Borders cannot be changed. Nobody wants to give up a tiny inch of land. But, these borders do not make sense in many cases and are often the cause of conflict,” Mr Gurnah said.
Addressing England’s evolving attitude towards migrants, Mr Gurnah noted a shift from a historical gentleness towards strangers and migrants to a present-day hostility. He mentioned a contemporary “design” to keep migrants out, expressing concern about the drastic change in the atmosphere regarding the welcome extended to strangers.
Having experienced exile himself after leaving Tanzania in 1967, Mr Gurnah’s novels often explore the challenges faced by refugees and migrants. His Nobel Prize citation commended his “uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents.