Review of Video: Red Hat Where Are You Going?

Abstract

The documentary, Red Hat Where Are You Going?, examines the dynamics of colonial legacy in a modern African nation. European imperialist powers justified colonialism as a mission to save the backward, uncultured, primitive people. Hence, they referred to it as “mission civilisatrice” or civilizing mission. But students of nineteenth century colonialism know that this explanation is false. The rationale behind that European foray into Africa and Asia was largely economic. Africa was colonized to both provide raw materials for the rapidly expanding industries of Europe and markets in which to sell the manufactured products. Definitely, the goal was not to civilize since complex cultures with complex histories and a relatively high level of development were already in existence.