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Technology and neocolonial Imperialism: the arrival of the Spanish TV to Equatorial Guinea, Fernando Poo (1968)
In 1968, just after Equatorial Guinea gained independence from Spain, the introduction of Spanish television marked a significant moment in the nation's media landscape. Despite the newfound political autonomy, Spain's cultural and ideological influence persisted, manifesting through various institutions and visual media. This continued presence highlighted Spain's neocolonial intentions, thinly veiled under the rhetoric of collaboration and progress.
The arrival of Spanish television services in Equatorial Guinea was framed by Spain as a gesture of goodwill, aimed at fostering development and modernization. The Spanish Minister of Communications, in his inaugural speech, likely emphasized this collaboration, presenting the new television services as a symbol of shared progress. This narrative, however, subtly reinforced Spain's cultural and technological dominance, suggesting that Equatorial Guinea's advancement depended on Spanish contributions.
Local elites in Equatorial Guinea played a crucial role in sustaining this neocolonial enterprise. Their cooperation with Spanish authorities helped legitimize Spain's ongoing influence, portraying it as beneficial for the country's growth. This collaboration underscored the complex power dynamics between the former colonizer and the newly independent state.
The Head of State of Equatorial Guinea, in his address during the inauguration, probably expressed gratitude for the new television services, framing them as a positive contribution from Spain. This expression of appreciation, while diplomatically necessary, also reflected the lingering influence of Spain in the post-independence era. The speech likely echoed the modernization narrative, suggesting that Spanish technology and media would propel the country into a new era of progress. This perspective often marginalized indigenous forms of knowledge and communication, privileging Western media and content.
The integration of Spanish television services into Equatorial Guinea's media landscape symbolized the country's incorporation into the global (Western-dominated) media sphere. While presented as a step towards development, this move reinforced Spain's cultural hegemony, maintaining control over the narratives and identities within Equatorial Guinea.
The original clip announcing the arrival of the Spanish TV is available of Youtube through the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jt-3Df2gTE&t=10s
You can find attached the written versions of the speeches by both the Minister of Communications of Spain and the Head of State of Equatorial Guinea, as part of the diplomatic, media, and political activities related to the arrival of Spanish TV. -
Documentary Series "Spanish Guinea"
The "Spanish Guinea" documentary series, created by Hermic Films and directed by Manuel Hernández Sanjuán between 1944 and 1946, explores the history and impact of Spanish colonial rule in Equatorial Guinea. The series, comprising ten films, aims to provide a comprehensive view of the region's culture, geography, and daily life under Spanish rule. Each film focuses on different aspects of life in Equatorial Guinea, from traditional ceremonies to hunting practices, offering a detailed visual and narrative account of various facets of the local culture and environment. The titles include "El Lago de los Reyes," "La Boda de Eucatrifé," "Entre bubi y fang," "Ebéyaba," "Aventuras de Fang y los bubis," "El pescador pescao," "Cazadores de elefantes," "Crónicas del país de los bubis," "La misión de Efulan," and "Los poblados lejanos."
However, these films must be critically analyzed within the context of colonialism, imperialism, and orientalism. Produced during the colonial period, the series inherently reflects the biases and objectives of Spanish colonial rule. The narratives and visuals are filtered through the colonial gaze, emphasizing Spanish influence and control and often portraying the colonized as passive subjects. The films likely serve to justify and legitimize colonial rule by depicting it as a civilizing mission, portraying local cultures as exotic and backward, thereby rationalizing the need for Spanish governance and intervention. This element of propaganda aims to present a positive image of Spanish colonial efforts to both domestic and international audiences.
The "Spanish Guinea" series also exemplifies orientalism by exoticizing and simplifying local cultures. By focusing on rituals, traditional dress, and "primitive" lifestyles, the films reduce complex societies to mere curiosities for the Western viewer, reinforcing the idea of the non-Western "Other." The portrayal of indigenous people often lacks depth and agency, depicting them as static and timeless, dependent on Western intervention. The series is narrated from a Western perspective, with little input from the indigenous people themselves, perpetuating the orientalist practice of speaking for and about the "Other" without granting them their own narrative agency. This approach implicitly conveys a sense of Western cultural superiority.
While the series provides valuable historical records of life in Equatorial Guinea during the colonial period, it must be critically evaluated for its cultural sensitivity and accuracy. Modern viewers and scholars need to recognize the context in which these films were made and approach them with an understanding of the power dynamics and prejudices inherent in colonial documentation. The portrayal of the colonized people and their cultures should be scrutinized for biases and misrepresentations to gain a more balanced and accurate understanding of the history and culture of Equatorial Guinea. -
Colonial Documentary during Francoism: the case of Hermic Films
Hermic Films, founded in 1940 by Manuel Hernández Sanjuán, played a crucial role as an ideological tool of imperial propaganda during Franco's regime, similar to the colonial science promoted by the Instituto de Estudios Africanos. Known for its extensive production of over 200 short films, predominantly documentaries, Hermic Films contributed significantly to the regime's narrative of empire and colonialism. In 1944, under the direction of General José Díaz de Villegas, the company embarked on a major project to document Spanish Guinea. This mission, carried out between 1944 and 1946, resulted in over 5,000 photographs and thirty-one documentary films.
According to Alba Valenciano Mañé and Francesca Bayre, these films were more than mere recordings; they were designed to present an idealized vision of Spanish colonial efforts, showcasing the supposed benefits of Spanish rule and the exoticism of African territories. Exhibited in 1946 at Madrid's Palacio de la Música, the documentaries aimed to foster domestic support for colonial policies and to portray a stable, prosperous empire.
Hermic Films, like the Instituto de Estudios Africanos, played a vital role in justifying and maintaining Spain's colonial presence through controlled representations of colonial life. By shaping public perception and reinforcing the narrative of a civilizing mission, Hermic Films helped fortify the cultural and ideological underpinnings of the regime. Their work was instrumental in crafting a sanitized image of colonialism that aligned with the imperialist and nationalist ethos of the time, making Hermic Films a key player in the cultural perpetuation of colonial ideology. -
África: revista de tropas coloniales
The journal "África", published by the Instituto de Estudios Africanos (IDEA), was a pivotal platform for disseminating research and knowledge about Spanish colonial territories in Africa, particularly during Franco's dictatorship. Launched in 1946, the journal aimed to legitimize and support Spain's colonial endeavors through scientific and scholarly articles. "África" featured contributions from various disciplines such as anthropology, ethnology, geography, history, and medicine, reflecting the institute’s objective to create a comprehensive understanding of the colonies from multiple angles. By including works from prominent scholars, colonial officials, missionaries, and generals, the journal sought to produce a 'total knowledge' framework that presented Spanish colonialism as a benevolent and civilizing mission.
The visual elements in "África" were crucial for engaging both intellectual and emotional responses from its readers. Photographs, maps, and illustrations were used extensively to depict the natural landscapes, cultural practices, and economic activities in the colonies, thereby reinforcing the narrative of Spanish progress and benevolence. The journal also served as a tool for the metropolitan audience, persuading them of the importance and benefits of the colonial project, and fostering a sense of national pride and support for Spain's imperial ambitions.
Through its scholarly rigor and strategic use of visual aids, "África" played an essential role in shaping public perceptions and sustaining ideological support for Spanish colonial policies. It exemplified how scientific and academic publications were harnessed to serve the broader imperial objectives of the Francoist regime, contributing to the systematic governance and exploitation of colonial populations and resources in Equatorial Guinea and other African territories under Spanish control.
The Digital Archive with full access to the numbers of the journal Africa published by Instituto de Estudios Africanos (IDEA) is available through the repository of the Biblioteca Tomás Navarro: http://simurg.csic.es/view/990001022570204201/africa-revista-de-tropas-coloniales -
The Instituto de Estudios Africanos (IDEA) in the Spanish Guinea
The Instituto de Estudios Africanos (IDEA), founded in 1945, was a Spanish institution dedicated to the study and promotion of African cultures, histories, and geographies, primarily to support and legitimize Spain's colonial ambitions in Africa, particularly in Equatorial Guinea. Active until the end of the colonial regime, IDEA conducted and published extensive research portraying Spanish colonialism as a civilizing mission. The IDEA brought together scientists from different disciplines and fields—such as geology, ethnology, archaeology, medicine, history, and law—and other colonial ‘experts’ such as missionaries or generals, seasonally commissioned for specific scientific expeditions.
The institute was run by a combination of academics, colonial administrators, and policymakers who were aligned with Francoist ideologies. Notable figures included scholars such as historian and Africanist Julio Caro Baroja, who contributed to the ethnographic and cultural studies promoted by IDEA. The institution played a significant role in creating and disseminating knowledge that supported the colonial narrative, influencing both colonial policy and public perception in Spain regarding its African territories.
In summary, the institute’s aim was to create ‘total knowledge’ about the colonies from a ‘plurality of angles.’ Visual elements were crucial for audiences’ intellectual and emotional activation regarding their 'expository science'. This institute served as a hub for scholars and officials who produced extensive studies on African societies, resources, and environments, framing them within a narrative of Spanish benevolence and developmentalism. The institute's publications and activities were crucial in maintaining the ideological support for colonial rule within Spain, portraying the colonial project as a scientific and civilizing endeavor. -
The Production of Colonial Science during Francoism
Modern science played a central role in the consolidation and maintenance of Spanish colonial rule, particularly under Francisco Franco's dictatorship. According to Cécile Stephanie Stehrenberger, In the early twentieth century, scientific and technological advancements, such as geographical and biomedical knowledge, became crucial tools for establishing Spanish authority in Equatorial Guinea (239). This trend intensified during Franco's regime, which systematically mobilized scientific knowledge to govern and exploit colonial populations and resources. Knowledge production and dissemination were closely intertwined, involving a dynamic interaction between scientists and various 'publics,' including colonial officials, business owners, and settlers in Equatorial Guinea. This engagement was not limited to the colonies; metropolitan audiences in Spain were also targeted to garner support for the colonial project.
Institutions such as the Instituto de Estudios Africanos (Institute of African Studies) played a pivotal role in this endeavor. Founded in 1945, the institute was instrumental in generating and disseminating knowledge about Africa, thereby legitimizing and promoting Spain's colonial ambitions. It conducted extensive research in anthropology, geography, and history, producing studies that reinforced the narrative of Spanish benevolence and civilizing mission in Africa. Similarly, Hermic Films, a production company, created documentaries that showcased the supposed progress and benefits of Spanish colonialism.
These efforts were aimed at both informing and persuading various audiences of the legitimacy and necessity of the colonial enterprise. By presenting a scientifically grounded and visually appealing narrative, these institutions helped to sustain metropolitan support for colonial policies and justify the exploitation of African populations and resources. Stehrenberger's work highlights how science and technology were not merely tools of colonial rule but integral to the ideological apparatus that sustained Franco's dictatorship and its imperial ambitions.
Consequently, the following items included in the second half of the first collection explore in depth the scientific and technological sources adopted by this later stage of the imperial enterprise in Equatorial Guinea, whose institutions operated until the very ending of the colonial regime in the country.