Homi K.

Bhabha: Of Mimicry and Man

Homi K. Bhabha's essay "Of Mimicry and Man" is a profound analysis of the relationship between colonizer

and

colonized within the framework of colonial power structures. The essay, often considered a cornerstone of

postcolonial theory, intricately dissects the dynamics of mimicry and the inherent contradictions within

colonial discourse.

Detailed Analysis with Examples

1. Mimicry: The Double-Edged Sword

Concept:

Mimicry refers to the colonized adopting the language, culture, and practices of the colonizer. However, the

imitation is never perfect; it is marked by subtle difference. This partial imitation challenges the colonizer's

authority and creates a sense of anxiety.

Example from History:

British Colonialism in India: The British colonial administration educated a class of Indians who were taught

English literature, laws, and governance. These individuals were expected to act as intermediaries between

the

British rulers and the Indian populace.

Ambivalence: While this educated elite mimicked British manners and values, they often used their

knowledge

to resist colonial rule. Figures like Mahatma Gandhi studied in England, but Gandhi used his education and

understanding of British systems to lead a movement against the Empire.

Literary Example:

Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart": In this novel, the introduction of Western education and Christianity

creates mimicry among the Igbo people. For example, characters like Nwoye, who convert to Christianity,

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mimic

the colonizer's religion. However, this partial acceptance disrupts traditional Igbo society.

2. Ambivalence: Desire and Fear

Concept:

Colonial discourse is ambivalent because the colonizers desire to civilize the colonized (to make them "like

us")

but fear losing their superiority if the colonized become too similar.

Example from History:

French Colonial Policy of Assimilation: In French colonies like Senegal, the policy aimed to assimilate

colonized people into French culture. Some Senegalese individuals, known as evolues, adopted French

language,

dress, and education.

Ambivalence: While the French encouraged assimilation, they retained legal and social systems that kept the

evolues subordinate, revealing their fear of losing dominance.

Popular Culture Example:

"Black Panther" (2018): The character Erik Killmonger, raised in the Western world, embodies mimicry and

ambivalence. He uses the knowledge and tactics he gained in America to challenge Wakandan tradition and

colonial narratives of power. Killmonger's actions reveal the colonizer's fear of being outdone by the

colonized

who have mastered their tools.

3. Mockery and Resistance

Concept:

Mimicry often leads to subtle forms of resistance. The colonized subject imitates the colonizer in a way that

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exaggerates or mocks their authority, exposing its artificiality.

Example from History:

Indian Babus under British Rule: Indian clerks working in British administration, often called "babus,"

mimicked

British speech, clothing, and etiquette. However, their mimicry was often exaggerated, leading to a caricature

that subtly mocked British pretensions of cultural superiority.

Impact: This mimicry exposed the hypocrisy and artificiality of British authority, undermining the colonizers'

claim to moral and cultural superiority.

Literary Example:

Jean Rhys's "Wide Sargasso Sea": In this postcolonial retelling of Jane Eyre, Antoinette, a Creole woman,

mimics

British manners but does so in a way that highlights the alienation and cruelty of colonial power.

4. Hybridity: The Third Space

Concept:

Mimicry leads to the creation of a hybrid identity-a fusion of the colonizer and colonized cultures that

challenges

binary distinctions. Hybridity creates a "third space," where new cultural identities emerge.

Example from History:

Caribbean Creole Cultures: In the Caribbean, the blending of African, European, and indigenous influences

created

a unique creole culture. For example, languages like Haitian Creole and practices like carnival are hybrids

that

reflect colonial histories while asserting independence and cultural identity.

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Popular Culture Example:

Hip-Hop as a Hybrid Form: In colonized or formerly colonized societies like South Africa, hip-hop integrates

local

languages, traditions, and struggles with the global format of rap music, creating a hybrid art form that

challenges

colonial narratives and reclaims cultural agency.

5. Colonial Anxiety: "Almost the Same, But Not Quite"

Concept:

Mimicry is unsettling for colonizers because it highlights their own constructed identity. The colonized become

"almost the same" as the colonizers but retain a difference that threatens colonial authority.

Example from History:

The Sepoy Mutiny (1857): Indian soldiers, trained in European military tactics and armed with European

weapons,

used these tools to rebel against British rule. Their mimicry of British military power turned into a form of

resistance that revealed the limits of colonial control.

Film Example:

"The Battle of Algiers" (1966): Algerian fighters mimic the military strategies and organizational structures of

the

French colonizers during their fight for independence. This mimicry, while initially intended to control the

population, ultimately exposes the French inability to maintain dominance.

Conclusion:

Mimicry is not merely about imitation but becomes a site of resistance and negotiation. The colonized subject

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uses

mimicry to subvert colonial power, create hybrid identities, and expose the ambivalence of colonial authority.

Homi K. Bhabha's essay remains a cornerstone for understanding these dynamics in postcolonial theory.

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