Drawing the Line History of Political Cartooning in Kenya Essay Example For Students

Drawing the Line: History of Political Cartooning in Kenya Essay Though cartooning as a medium of communication and expression is a relatively new phenomenon in Kenya, many a newspaper reader has become so addicted to editorial and thematic cartoon strips that a newspaper without either is not considered a worthy buy. Messages that cannot be conveyed in overdo for sensitivity, political correctness or prejudice are effectively communicated through cartoons. In a nutshell, cartoons have become the sugar coating for the bitter but necessary message. We appreciate the now settled role Of cartoons and their creators as the latter day conscience of the nation. Kudos to the Association of East African Cartoonist (CATKIN) for amortizing the history Of cartoons in the Mitten word! Let this initiative be not a seasonal oasis in a desert of information butt modest beginning of what will be a vast ocean of Satanist message for present and future generations. 7 Background A Brief History of Political Cartoons Knife-edged and salient, there is no simpler or more effective form of journalism than the editorial or political cartoon. The message ? usually critical is instantaneous, and often funny. Political cartoons (from cartoon, the Italian word for pasteboard. ) are for the most part composed of two elements caricature, which parodies the individual, and allusion, which creates the situation or context into which the individual is placed. Caricature as a Western discipline goes back to Leonardo dad Vines artistic explorations of the ideal type of deformity? the grotesque? which he used to better understand the concept of ideal beauty. Over time, the principles of form established in part by Leonardo had become so ingrained into the method of portraiture that artists like Agitation and Enabled Accuracy rebelled against them. Intended to be lighthearted satires, their caricatures were, in essence, counter-art. K The Italian masters used pasteboard for rough drawings (cartoon), Which were especially useful in preparing frescoes and tapestries. The word did not come to mean an amusing sketch until the asses when Prince Albert, Who wanted to decorate the walls Of the Drawing the Line new Houses of Parliament in London with frescoes, opened a competition for their design. The cartoons for the frescoes, some of them absurd in their attempts to appear heroic, were exhibited in 1843 and parodied shortly thereafter in the English gazing Punch, thus earning the word its present meaning. The sketch of A Captain of Pope Urban VIII is representative tooth new genre in that it is a quick, impressionistic drawing that exaggerates prominent physical characteristics to humorous effect. At its best, it brings out the subjects inner self in a kind of physiological satire and seems to be a comment on some facet of the Captains masculinity. Caricatures became popular with collectors, but they perceived the fanciful exercises as curiosities rather than viable artistic productions. As a result, they were not displayed publicly and so one of he earliest modes of graphic satire remained in the parlous and drawing room. While caricature originated around the Mediterranean, cartoons of a more editorial nature developed in a chillier climate. The Protestant Reformation began in Germany, and made extensive use of visual propaganda; the success of both Martin Lathers socio-religious reforms and the discipline Of political cartooning depended on a level of civilization neither too primitive nor too advanced. A merchant class had emerged to occupy positions Of leadership Within the growing villages and towns, which meant that a core of people existed who loud respond 9 Drawing the Line to Lathers invectives and be economically capable of resisting the all-powerful Catholic Church. With regard to the physical requirements of graphic art, both woodcutting and metal engraving had become established trades, with many artists and draughtsman sympathetic to the cause. Finally, the factor which probably influenced the rise of cartoons more than any other cultural condition was a high illiteracy rate. Luther recognized that the support of an increasingly more powerful middle class was crucial to the success to his retorts, but in order to lead a truly popular movement he would need the sheer weight of the peasantry numbers. The distribution of simple broadsheet posters or illustrated pamphlets throughout population centers proved to be an effective strategy because the images would reach a large amount of people and enjoy the greatest possible amount of comprehension. As Barry Burden, assistant professor of government at Harvard university, puts it, Satire was once the way for illiterate people to make sense of what was going on in politics? An excellent example of Luther use of visual protest is found in two woodcuts from the pamphlet Passion Christi undo 10 Drawing the Line Antichrists, originally drawn by Lucas Crane the Elder. These images contrast the actions of Jesus with those of the Church hierarchy. The hegemony Of religion at the time ensured that when someone drew a Biblical episode like that of Jesus driving the moneychangers out of the Temple, everyone would recognize it. The artist juxtaposed the first scene With a contemporary tableau that many people would also understand: the Pope writes indulgences while common folk pay their hard earned money in tribute. The two pictures clearly intend to raise public consciousness by illustrating the premise that changes must be made within the Church for life to ever become more Christie. Passion Christi undo Antichrists also demonstrates the artists use of the second element of political cartoons the context of a widely-recognized story or setting? to get his point across. As time went on, Germanic art assimilated the Italian caricature and established the conventions practiced on a wide basis by cartoonists of the 18th Century, The cartoon became a subst antial medium of commentary which took serious issues and presented them in a manner which as not only amusing, II Drawing the Line and therefore more socially acceptable, but also designed to affect the viewers opinion. As Western culture diversified from its original religious foundation, new subjects became available for discussion and subsequent ridicule; as such the appeal and influence of cartoons on public life grew in proportion. The American political cartoon avgas born in Philadelphia. This is sometimes credited to Benjamin Franklin for his famed Join or Die of 1974, showing a severed snake, its separate parts labeled as colonies. But four copperplate images, a 1764- 5 series, are considered the true beginning of the tradition in their comic-but- cutting depiction Of a political event, and particularly, Of Franklin himself. The series inflamed tempers during the 1764 elections and ultimately cost Franklin his seat in the Pennsylvania Assembly, the only election he was ever to lose. In the 18th Century the cartoonists of England, Russia, Germany, Spain, and the Limited States generally declared satirical war on Napoleon, and so effective were they that Napoleon sent notes to the government of England requesting their suppression, equating them with murderers. By the mid-19th century, editorial cartoons had become regular 12 Drawing the Line features in American newspapers, and were soon followed by sports cartoons and humorous cartoons. The effect to political cartoons on public opinion was amply demonstrated with the demise of William Tweed, a New York politician in the asses, largely caused by the attention paid to him by cartoonist Thomas NASA. Tweeds exasperated response speaks to the power of Annas cartoons, He demanded to his henchmen,Stop them damned pictures. I dont care what the papers write about me. My constituents cant read But, damn it, they can see pictures! In the 20th Century, the influence of cartoons was such that Hitler and Stalin surrounded themselves with large groups of pocket cartoonists who praised them extravagantly. They also destroyed or exiled scratch)NIST critical of them. During the Battle for Britain Englishman David Low, considered the centuries greatest cartoonist, was put on Hitless death list. In recent years, 29 countries have jailed or otherwise punished newspaper cartoonists, according to the Cartoonist Relief Network which is dedicated to the protection of the rights editorial cartoonists. The role of cartoonists As we have seen, for half a millennium cartoonists have exposed abuses of power, the corruption of government and the hypocrisy of society. Drawing the Color Line - Background Information EssayUnlike Juju Caulk Which never cared for social issues or politics, Joe did not shy away from the political. The realism foes was infectious; he almost had a life of his own. Unlike characters in Other cartoons, Who are Obviously fictional, Joe gave the impression that he was a next-door neighbor. If something affected ordinary people, Joe could be depended upon to speak on your behalf, and chances were that his views would pretty much represent what you would have said. Though the magazine ran for only about three years, Joe provided the inspiration for many of the cartoonists who followed. Besides serving as a role model, Hirsh unlocked the potential of cartoons to discuss any issue. When the magazine ceased publication, it was as if the country had lost a national celebrity. Nearly a quarter to a century later, Joe is still remembered fondly on Nairobi streets. 21 Drawing Owning later founded the weekly Nairobi Times newspaper (later to be sold to KANE and re-christened Kenya Times), issued every Sunday, and The Weekly Review, a weekly news magazine issued every Friday. Nairobi Times became a launch pad for budding cartoonists. After the collapse of Joe, Hirsh was seldom heard of in the cartoon world. Resident goring Cartoonists The cartoonists Who immediately followed Joe were from outside Kenya. Three were particularly influential: Tanzania Philip Underground, Uganda James Turpentine and Ghanaian Prank Dodo. Underground joined Kenya Times in 1983, where he introduced Kibitzer, which became a hit With readers as a social comic strip. Kibitzer literally means Of no use and the main character spent time essentially living up to the title. The strip connected to the social issues that had been Hirers forte. Sadly, Underground died in March 1986 at only 24. James Tummies, an agricultural economist, joined the Daily Nation where, besides drawing political cartoons, he wrote humor. When Hilary Owens founded Nairobi Times 22 Drawing the Line Tummies became an economics correspondent and later business editor; he continued with the paper even after KANE acquired it in 1982 and changed the name to Kenya Times. At the Times Tummies drew cartoons as well. One of his most popular characters was Bogie Bends who is probably best described as an African Andy Cap. Tummies published two comic hooks while still in Kenya. In 1986, he moved back to Uganda where he has been involved in many pursuits including serving in the Uganda cabinet, Kibitzer and Bogie Bends, while providing continuity and acting as an important bridge, still pale in comparison tit the robust environment that Hirsh set in Joe. Ghanaian born Prank Dodo started drawing political cartoons for the Nation in 1973. Dodo, who now produces a series of weekly comic strips, is one of the most socially and politically conscious, and longest active cartoonists on the Kenya scene. His characters tend to be much more mature and his themes more complex, reflective and intended for adult readership, particularly in the comic strips, The Mermaid of Motorboat and Galoot. His Other columns include Khan, Radii, 23 Drawing Living World, Checkmate, and Apex. Dodos work has been published broadly in the Nordic countries and throughout Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Like Hirsh, Dodo, Tummies and Underground have served as role models for later Kenya cartoonists. Local Cartoonists About the same time Dodo was working at the Daily Nation, local cartoonists begun to make their presence felt. One of the first was Kiosks Karri whose work was published in the East African Standard. However, Kiosks was to remain largely a commentator on social subjects. Paul Maid Killable was the first indigenous political cartoonist to reach national prominence. Maid owned the Nation in 1986 as the countrys first full time staff editorial cartoonist. Prior to that, he had been caricaturing for in-house magazines and publications in Mambas on the Kenya Coast. At the Nation, Maid was primarily an pop-De cartoonist focusing on political and social issues. According to Sunday Nation editor John Agenda, Maddox 24 Drawing the Line naughty as ever. He provides the clearest connection to Hirsh, as his cartoons and themes have a remarkable semblance to those in Joe. During the Vass when the first local editorial Cartoons were printed in the local dailies, the revealing political climate discouraged cartoonists from exploring sensitive subjects. For example, While one could caricature ministers and provincial commissioners, cartooning the President was out of the question, at least in the formal media. There were such drawings in the informal publications but these were largely underground papers with limited circulation, such as the clandestine press of the University of Nairobi. With the agitation for political change in the late asses and early asses, cartoonists became bolder and Maid is credited with being the first to caricature the then President Daniel Rap Mom. Though the presidential caricature has since become commonplace in Kenya cartoons, back then it was revolutionary. As newspapers recognized the important contribution cartoonists could make, more opportunities opened up. James Sham Kumara was hired as the main editorial cartoonist 25 Drawing for Kenya Times, after which, he worked briefly, still as a cartoonist, for the East African Chronicles, before settling in at the Standard. When Maid moved to the Standard, Tanzania Goodbye Goad Mamboed replaced him at the Nation and was to become one of Africans most internationally celebrated cartoonists. Goads works have appeared in a number of publications such as New African in the (J; Courier International and El Monde both in France; the Financial Mail and New Nation both in South Africa; Washington Times, Des Standard of Belgium, and Japan Times. Today, most local dailies have more than one staff cartoonist on their payrolls. Error example, the Nation has a pool of six cartoonists. The editorial cartoon is a permanent feature of editorial pages and the popularity of the composite cartoon commentary pioneered by Mads Its a Maid Maid World is testimony to local cartoonists talents as social and political commentators. The Challenges of Cartooning One of the challenges that Kenya cartoonists face is finding sufficient media through which to expose their work and exploit their talent. With only four newspapers, of which only two, the Nation and the East African Standard are truly mass newspapers, the challenge for any budding cartoonist is formidable. Although the other two dailies, Kenya Times and People, are also mass oriented, their combined circulation is still less than that of the Standard. The two main dailies can use only a limited number of cartoonists. At the moment, the Nation Group has about six cartoonists but only a few of them publish regularly. Hardly any of the countrys numerous magazines use cartoons. The efforts by Communication Artists Limited (CAL), a company founded by four of the leading scratch)NIST, have led to the launching of several cartoon-based publications including The African Illustrated, and Penknife, all of which have ceased publication after a limited number of issues. Penknife though has been resurrected as an insert in the Sunday Standard). Kenya cartoonists hue an identity crisis ? whether they are 27 Drawing the Line an independent profession or part of journalism. Though they definitely insider themselves journalists and, according to its Secretary-General Ezekiel Mutual, are recognized as such by the Kenya Union of Journalists, they feel that the specific title of Cartoonist is not well regarded. The problem that figures topmost in cartoonists minds. Is that of editorial censorship. Paul Maid Killable is concerned that editors will Water down cartoon commentary development and push it back to where it was at the outset thirty years ago. Though Kenya cartoonists nowadays enjoy a relatively large degree of freedom and the fact that no cartoonist has been charged or sued in court is testimony o this, they are alert to any developments that may endanger this treated.