“Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter” is a quote by Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe from his 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart
Stories have a significant impact. They can inform or misinform, create opportunities or impose limitations. Ultimately, stories shape our understanding of the world. Those who tell these stories play a crucial role in what we recognize as history or facts. However, it’s important to remember that there are often multiple sides to a story. The individuals who initially have the platform to tell their narratives often present a version that aligns with their perspective.
What if we allowed all parties to share their experiences and viewpoints? For example, what one person perceives as a six might look like a 9 to another, depending on their perspective. A historical example is the Aba women’s riots in Nigeria in 1920; to the colonizers, it was simply viewed as a riot, while for the Nigerian women, it represented a call for freedom and rebellion. The same goes for the American Boston Tea Party of 1773. Until those marginalized learn to tell their own stories, those in power will always shape the narrative—just an early morning thought.
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