Hispanophone culture. Meeting point between Latin America and Africa

Abstract

Gabon since its independence in 1960, adopted the teaching of Spanish as second foreign language. Since then, three major objectives were pursued: the linguistic, communicative and cultural, being the later the most prominent one. The (IPN) National Pedagogical Institute recommends in its 1996 Guidance Letter, the cultural grounding of the Gabonese student, in order to contribute to their balanced development and their social and cultural integration, making them thoughtful citizens. For this aim, the teacher has the role of transmitting and developing students intercultural values. However, in Gabon, teaching of Spanish as second foreign language is done through manuals conceived in Spain or France. The contents are based on the European cultural view of the world, hiding other realities like Latin American or African ones. Even, when these are shown they are in a  very stereotypical way: drugs, misery, poverty, illegal immigration to the United States or Europe. Very few media offer further background on Afromerican or latinamerican indigenous contexts, even if there are quite noticeable similarities between Africa and America, as regards their cultures and beliefs. Students must know both the history and daily present of Latin America and Africa. Therefore, the latest gabonese educational reforms advocate towards introducing the intercultural perspective in teaching. Nevertheless, without promoting real contact and knowledge between the peoples of these areas, it will be totally unrealistic. Therefore, we favor a pedagogy in which the teaching of Spanish could be a meeting point between America and Africa.