An Exploration of Different Afrocentric and Eurocentric Cultural Identities: (De)coloniality in John Kani’s Nothing But the Truth

Abstract

John Kani’s Nothing But the Truth (2002) is a play that was inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. This article aims to explore the conflicting Afrocentric and Eurocentric cultural identities portrayed by the characters Sipho, Thando, and Mandisa. The play was prescribed for Grade 12 learners in 2008 and currently forms part of the literature and drama curriculum in tertiary institutions. This qualitative article adopts a literature review approach to explore the influence of European cultural practices on African customs. It is undergirded by the decoloniality framework to demonstrate how the conflicting African and Eurocentric cultural influences impinge on the characters’ customary practices and identities. Purposive sampling was employed to select Nothing But the Truth (2002) from Kani’s other works because the play evokes the confusion arising from the direct conflict between different cultures, thereby forcing the characters to seek a possible middle ground between cultures. Thematic textual analysis is used to unravel the nuanced influences of Western European cultures and values on African bereavement rituals. The article contributes to literature studies by recommending an approach that allows for a rethinking of literary criticism to integrate alternative methods such as decoloniality theory. This is necessary to promote and support alternative knowledges to foster an appreciation of cultural diversity.