African time
Encyclopedia
African time is a colloquial term used to describe a perceived cultural tendency, in most parts of Africa
, toward a more relaxed attitude to time
. This is sometimes used in a pejorative sense, about tardiness in appointments, meetings and events. The term is also sometimes used to describe the more leisurely, relaxed and less rigorously scheduled lifestyle found in African countries, especially as opposed to the more clock-bound pace of daily life in Western countries. As such it is similar to time orientations in some other non-Western culture regions.
Therefore, what appears to be a simple lack of punctuality
or a lax attitude about time in Africa, may actually reflect (at least in large part) a different approach and set of priorities in managing tasks, events, and interactions.
Being kept waiting, which may be perceived by an outsider as another example of African time, may, depending on the context, actually be a statement of relative status by the person keeping others waiting (which is not uncommon in various cultures).
ian writer,
In October 2007, an Ivorian campaign against African time, backed by President Laurent Gbagbo
, received international media attention when an event called "Punctuality Night" was held in Abidjan
to recognize business people and government workers for regularly being on time. The slogan of the campaign is "'African time' is killing Africa - let's fight it." Reuters reported that "organizers hope to heighten awareness of how missed appointments, meetings or even late buses cut productivity in a region where languid tardiness is the norm." It was remarked that this year's winner, legal adviser Narcisse Aka—who received a $60,000 villa in recognition of his punctuality—"is so unusually good at being punctual that his colleagues call him 'Mr White Man's Time'".
. The protagonist of the film, a fisherman in a small village in Senegal, can't understand the new ideas brought back from Europe by his friend; these are symbolized by a Swiss wristwatch, which rings at various times to the delight of the friend, but for no apparent reason. The fisherman is shown making his way through the various ranks of officials with his idea, which in the end is a sharp criticism of Western culture's obsession with efficiency and progress.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, toward a more relaxed attitude to time
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
. This is sometimes used in a pejorative sense, about tardiness in appointments, meetings and events. The term is also sometimes used to describe the more leisurely, relaxed and less rigorously scheduled lifestyle found in African countries, especially as opposed to the more clock-bound pace of daily life in Western countries. As such it is similar to time orientations in some other non-Western culture regions.
Aspects of African time
African cultures are often described as "polychronic," which means basically that people tend to manage more than one thing at a time rather than in a strict sequence. Personal interactions and relationships are also managed in this way (such that it is not uncommon, for instance, to have more than one simultaneous conversation). Perhaps for this reason, an African "emotional time consciousness" has been suggested in contrast with Western "mechanical time consciousness" as a way of understanding African time.Therefore, what appears to be a simple lack of punctuality
Punctuality
Punctuality is the characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously designated time. "Punctual" is often used synonymously with "on time."...
or a lax attitude about time in Africa, may actually reflect (at least in large part) a different approach and set of priorities in managing tasks, events, and interactions.
Being kept waiting, which may be perceived by an outsider as another example of African time, may, depending on the context, actually be a statement of relative status by the person keeping others waiting (which is not uncommon in various cultures).
Self-criticism
The concept of African time has become a key topic of self-criticism in modern Africa. According to one GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian writer,
In October 2007, an Ivorian campaign against African time, backed by President Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Gbagbo
Laurent Koudou Gbagbo served as the fourth President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian by profession, he is also an amateur chemist and physicist....
, received international media attention when an event called "Punctuality Night" was held in Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
to recognize business people and government workers for regularly being on time. The slogan of the campaign is "'African time' is killing Africa - let's fight it." Reuters reported that "organizers hope to heighten awareness of how missed appointments, meetings or even late buses cut productivity in a region where languid tardiness is the norm." It was remarked that this year's winner, legal adviser Narcisse Aka—who received a $60,000 villa in recognition of his punctuality—"is so unusually good at being punctual that his colleagues call him 'Mr White Man's Time'".
Popular culture
The contrast between African time and Western time is illustrated in the award-winning short film Binta and the Great IdeaBinta and the Great Idea
Binta and the Great Idea is a 2004 Spanish-Senegalese co-production short film by writer-director Javier Fesser. The film stars Zeynabou Diallo as Binta, Agnile Sambou as Binta's Father, and Aminata Sane as Soda. The film duration is approximately 31 minutes, with dialogue in Diola and French...
. The protagonist of the film, a fisherman in a small village in Senegal, can't understand the new ideas brought back from Europe by his friend; these are symbolized by a Swiss wristwatch, which rings at various times to the delight of the friend, but for no apparent reason. The fisherman is shown making his way through the various ranks of officials with his idea, which in the end is a sharp criticism of Western culture's obsession with efficiency and progress.
See also
- ProcrastinationProcrastinationIn psychology, procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of low-priority, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time...
- PunctualityPunctualityPunctuality is the characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously designated time. "Punctual" is often used synonymously with "on time."...
- Slow MovementSlow MovementThe Slow Movement advocates a cultural shift toward slowing down life's pace. It began with Carlo Petrini's protest against the opening of a McDonald's restaurant in Piazza di Spagna, Rome in 1986 that sparked the creation of the Slow Food organization...
- Time managementTime managementTime management is the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity. Time management may be aided by a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific...
- Colored People's TimeColored People's TimeColored People's Time, or CPT, is an American expression referring to a stereotype of Afrian Americans as frequently being late.-In media:...
- ChronemicsChronemicsChronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. The way we perceive time, structure our time and react to time is a powerful communication tool, and helps set the stage for the communication process. Across cultures, time perception plays a large role in the nonverbal...
- PolychronicityPolychronicityPolychronicity is a term that describes people who prefer to work on multiple activities at the same time. Examples of polychronic behaviors include browsing the internet while driving a car and talking on the phone while sitting in meetings. Polychronicity is in contrast to those who prefer...