Colonized Colons

I don't feel sorry that this post mentions feces and vomit.

Colonialization is, bluntly (and with bias to give gusto to the argument), the process of taking over land and integrating the natives into the poticial-social systems of the dominant colonizer, to make the natives the colonized lower class within their own land, in order to extract their labor and resources with no over all regard to the physical/spiritual well being of the peoples colonized.

In a previous class I took on postcolonial literature, a book we didn't read was mentioned in--The Colonizer and the Colonized by Albert Memmi, who btw is an Arab-Berber Jew from French Colonial Algeria- because the colonizer eventually submits completely to a system of colonization.

You are what you eat, as the saying goes. We're all biological machines who chomp on things--be it raw, killed, cooked or factory packaged foods--to gain nourishment by properly digesting the food and excreting the waste. Poop is part of the forces that be in living. We definitely know that from this book. As a metaphor, it could represent health or completeness.

Although its gross, its the natural process. When returning home, Tambu began to boycott their dirty toilet which was so dirty "that it was impossible to find a place to put your feet and you were tempted not to bother to weave your way to the holes" however, Tambu cleans it. Although its a gross scene, its been clear where that food is coming from--the labor of the women of the family, and that's what cleans it away.

At first the food at Babamukurus makes Tambu healthier, and the toilets are much, much better. However, there is something off in the eating and the relationship to food, that is a metaphor for colonialization. Babamukuru would bring home special food for holidays. On 202, there is heavy tension until Nyasha "shovelled" in her food and when her "plate was empty [she and Babmukuru] relaxed and the atmosphere returned almost to normal" She's only eating to placate her father, and Tambu soon discovers that she's not off in her bedroom.

The eating disorder, Nyasha's vomiting, is anatural, its counterproductive, even worse than for a human body than the poor nutrition and stinky poopholes on the homestead.

Remember the definition for Colonialization? Making the natives the colonized in order to extract resources and labor. Isn't that what's happening to Nyasha's body? Before Tambu was just deprived of nutrients, now Nyasha is actively stripping herself of what she's already eaten.

And everyone's reaction is a kind of cognative dissonance. Babamukuru and Maiguru are aware of their daughter's behavior and poor well being, Tambu is well aware. Although she goes to a clinic and gets somewhat better, the real situation isn't addressed because its confusing as to what's the source. The source is a colonization of herself. The mindset has taken over.