Colonialism existed in Africa for over 60 years represented by the French in Ivory Coast Portuguese in Angola Mozambique, British in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe, Italian in Ethiopia 1935-41. Their presence succeeded in transforming African culture to a larger extent and eroding it greatly.

 

Colonialism introduced Christianity basing their teaching on the Bible God the father. In so doing Christianity undermined the importance of African "Gods" such as the "Lubale" for the Baganda "Ruhanga" for the Ankole the Kok for the Luo "Ngai" for the Kikuyu- in times of drought Africans used to dance and consult their religions and rain would come, Today they ask God for rain and sometimes it doesn't come when they add on prayer to doubts-

Christianity has also undermined traditional marriage systems in which a man would be expected to pay some wealth to the parents and relatives of the lady to be married. Today Christianity condemns payment of bride price as in human.

Christianity condemns bride price especially where it involves raiding of cattle for that purpose. Instead Christianity preaches for " holy" marriage initiated and Africans practiced traditional before the coming of colonialism. However today the Christian faith advocates for one-man one wife.

Besides polygamy Africans practiced no divorce women stayed with husbands for life. Where divorce existed it was minimal. However today divorce is being sanctioned by the Neo-colonial institutions like the women liberation movement and Gender Activities.

The idea of extended family was used to sustain and teach African culture to the young generations. Relatives who could bring them up with approved cultural values could adopt orphans. This is loosing ground, extended family rituals of initiation are no longer appreciated by many. Africans. Nuclear families are infused with many westernized values.

Traditional African dances are being replaced with European dance. Instead of going for cultural dances today the young generations of Africans go to dance halls, discos and nightclubs Africans dances are termed as satanic and local.

Africans music in not highly favoured by Africans. People prefer to cherish western type of music the colonialist described African music of drums and Imbalu dances, Dingi Dingi as satanic. So the Africans who converted to Christianity where and still are against African music as being satanic. The youth call it "local and traditional" they prefer to listen to "modem music" from the west.

Informal education i.e. first place education which was imparted to the young ones either through story telling, traditional music, poems all these lost value after colonialism fragmented African chiefdoms. The major sources of African culture ie informal education was has been replaced with formal education. In the boarding schools cultural values can't, be appreciated since many students with different cultures come together.

As a result of neglecting traditional cultural shows obvious education the behaviors of the young ones are not good for example they begin secular acts like pre-marital sex which leads to Aids and death of young generation which could have sustained African Values.

The Dressing and hair makeup is not African
Formal Education emphasizes liberty and blind equality. So disrespect for cultural emergencies. Women begin dressing in mini skirts; Trousers without minding the link with their culture currently some schools are accepting girls to have trousers as their uniforms so that they appear equal to boys e.g. Kabojja Secondary School in Uganda.

Formal education exposes students to modern technology like the Internet. On the internet they access secular literature. They get exposed to pornographic magazines on streets like Mirror, Trends, Red Pepper, chic Magazine, Ssenga in Bukedde in Uganda pornographic films stimulate sexual feelings. In Kenya students rape and defile fellow students. Not to forget their teachers (court Ruling in Nairobi 21/01/2001 and Media report). This soils the minds of the Africans even further.

Colonial languages like English; French, Latin and -Portuguese degenerated the rich African values that were passed on to the new generation of Africans. These languages were introduced to replace the wide use of African languages. To make matters worse children in most schools in Uganda are harassed for using local languages. At home parents prefer to have their children using foreign languages other than encouraging native languages like Yao, Yoruba, Akamba, Luganda, Lugisu Hausa, Fulani and Karamoja.

Colonialism led to increased urbanization colonial centers of administration emerged Into Lagos, Kampala, Accra and Lagos among others.
More people left rural areas for urban centers this led to breakage in family ties. Many of the migrants to towns don't want to go back to their respective villas. In the process African Cultural unity has been eroded squarely.

Traditional cooking habits and diets being neglected in preference to western diets. These dishes are prepared basing on western styles of preparing food. They are served in local, national- and international hotels.

The ways Africans used to spend their leisure have completely changed.

Colonialism and later Neo-colonialism have succeeded in imparting into the minds of Africans that every thing about Europe is superior and of high class and everything Africa-is inferior. Due to this intimidation Africans have developed inferiority complex among them selves In turn Africans-have begun hating every thing related to Africa be it traditions, names of African are termed second names after the first Christian names. Worship of Africans values and custom is increasingly becoming unpopular especially amongst the elite. It is considered satanic.

Africans values such as respect for elders, truth and honesty, respect for cultural and tribal laws have been dropped. This has caused great moral decline and regeneration amongst Africans. Especially among youth generation of Africans.

Dividing cultural groups as colonial boundaries were created this stagnated African culture. In East Africa the Masai in Kenya were separated from the Masai of Tanzania like wise the Bagishu of Uganda and" the Baluya of Kenya are brothers or close cousins speaking one language and sharing similar custom values related to marriage ceremonies and initiation; Colonialism separated them and apparently the originally nationalists and citizenship -Abaluya are regarded as Nationals and citizens of Kenya.

Colonialism incorporated African societies into the monetary system. This introduction of capitalism has corrupted African values. Money has increasingly corrupted traditional ethnical values like extended family practices they are viewed as being expensive, honesty has been eaten up by corruption. Today people not only respect those who have money but they have gone in prostitution 30 as to get the money.

Colonialism undermined the values of traditional medicines and herbs. African herbs with modern foreign drugs which the colonialist described as good for human health and disregarded African herbs like "muluruza", mumbwa among the Baganda as being dangerous and ineffective in saving Sifo

The building patterns of the Africans in form of Huts were described as satanic and apparently people are establishing houses basing on the Neo-colonial setting say "French cut" houses boys quarters instead of the Manyattas among Karamoja. These are later fenced off from the public a clear sign of individualism which lacked in African society. We lived o life of communalism.

Colonialism undermined the best African mode of dressing to the extent that people dress carelessly as a way of copying what white do. The following pictures give the best illustration

Good impact of Colonialism on African Culture
However colonialism also cemented African culture in away or so. By introducing formal education new languages have emerged languages such as English, French, Portuguese and German African states. They also act as channels of learning facts about different cultures amongst Africans and world over. This in turn helps in cultural enrichment when we borrow traits (good aspects) of a given culture and add them to the African ones. But not replacing it with alien values and cultures.

Through colonialism African architecture was improved. Traditional grass thatched houses have gradually been replaced with modem ways of building, Henceforth an improvement on the beauty of the present day African homestead.

Colonialism helped also to preserve African values by creating African Museums like the one at Bukoto in Uganda, heritage parks, Art facts and Archeological sites were also preserved by Neo-colonial governments backed up by former colonial masters
Colonialism improved on the medicines Africans had to better consumable grades.

Colonialism taught Africans about the relevance of balanced diet, immunization of mothers and children. This has improved our cultures since people are healthy they can participate in different cultural gatherings including concerts, sing songs, recite poems.

Colonialism introduced modern dressing replacing or supplementing the animals skins and bark cloth or nudeness. Th-s shows how colonialism enriched our culture here in.

Colonialism preached monogamy this has reduced the burden of raising up many children. At the same time it also helped to reduce tension on our homes and the increasing scarce resources.

Vaccination and immunization have been introduced to reduce the chances of Africans accusing one another of witchcraft. And many dying of even the curate diseases like tetanus.

Killing of twins in Nigeria and Kenya were condemned by colonialism as bad in human practices colonialism later explained how twins were a biological creation other than bad omen or a curse as Africans believed.
Colonialism condemned Africans sacrifice of innocent human beings to their "gods" so as to get wealth or be cleansed with this system in practice innocent people were scarified. This had cheaply ended the value of Africans and undermining their culture.

The system of inheritance has also been improved by colonial legal system. Instead of struggling and shading blood of the kins to inherit the property of the dead we can rely on a well documented will.
African traditional ways of healing using magic have gradually been replaced by scientific means of healing. In Kenya colonialism established Nairobi hospital for that purpose and Mulago hospital, Mbale hospital in Uganda for the purpose.

Modern researches have been undertaken by Africans and other researchers to find a solution to the tropical diseases like Malaria. In Africa traditional medicine attempts are underway to prescriptions plus reducing their side effects on the patient.

Introducing of Christianity in Africa has systematically saved the Africans the burden of believing in gods to whom they have to sacrifice fellow human beings cattle and children;

To a great degree Christianity has brought unity amongst believers despite the internal conflicts amongst the figureheads they are agreed upon certain basics of their faith.

At the same time western music, dance and drama that has tended to suppress African traditional values is not necessarily bad especially When it preaches love, respect equality, honesty; truth which are part and partial of African, cultural values. The same westernized machines, can be used to improve on the quality and quantity of Africa culture through recording African poems, plays and songs that are widely used in Africa.

Photographic introduced by colonialism can be flowed in African values, Photographic cameras are used to take scenes of Africa dances, marriages, and historical sites like Kasubi tombs, these can be taken and recorded for future use. They can also be exposed to other regions in the process. We help to extend African culture beyond Africa.

European ways of spending leisure such as watching football, watching films, reading Newspapers are educative and good for entertainment. So longer as they don't carry obscene messages. The problems are Africans don't follow 'the age, limits placed on the films or the increasing permissiveness and laxity in family responsibilities.