Article: France Takes a Step Back in Its History
Author: Alan Cowell
Date Published: February 11th, 2013.
Link: Click here to read the article.
Author: Alan Cowell
Date Published: February 11th, 2013.
Link: Click here to read the article.
This article, from the New York Times, acknowledges the high amount of French influence in countries in Africa, including Cote d'Ivoire. It explains of how at one time, French troops were settled in these lands in order to protect their claims of land from invasion from other countries. It also describes how the rebel forces within the countries fought French power, and resulted in the creation of the nations that exist there today.
It amazes me how things from far into the past can still greatly influence life that hasn't had direct influence from it for a great deal of time. In this case, French influence still exists in the African countries, because of the fact that they had been French colonies previously. It strikes the question, how could life in those countries be different if they were under a different control prior to independence? Imagine, if those countries were controlled by Russia or England, it would completely change the influence, and thus, the everyday lifestyle of those countries that we know of currently.
This article portrays a greater understanding of the culture of Cote d'Ivoire, and why said culture exists there. Not many people realize that because of the previous French control of the country, many aspects of French life still flourish and some are even dominant. Quite a few aspects of everyday life in Cote d'Ivoire portray the sense of a French background, for example, the name of the country, which is French for what is more commonly known as "Ivory Coast" around the world by other nations.