In the fight for Black consciousness, one of the most insidious tactics used by Europeans during colonization was the stripping away of African languages. While the loss of land and resources is often the most discussed impact of colonization, the assault on language was equally destructive. Language is the key to understanding ourselves, our history, and our world. It connects us to our ancestors and preserves our knowledge. By removing African languages and replacing them with European tongues, colonizers didn’t just silence our voices—they shut us out of our own story.

This deliberate erasure of African languages wasn’t just about making communication easier for European colonizers. It was a strategic tool of oppression meant to keep us in the dark—about our identity, our culture, and the systems of control being used against us. The European language imposition was designed to alienate Africans from their heritage and to implant the false idea that progress and enlightenment could only come through the European lens.

For centuries, Africans and their descendants across the diaspora have been kept from fully accessing their power through a combination of tactics that go beyond physical violence. This post is about waking up—becoming conscious of the deeper, more subtle tools of oppression that continue to shape our lives today. Understanding the role of language suppression is critical, but so is recognizing the full arsenal of methods used to keep us where we’re at.

Language as the Gateway to Knowledge and Power

Colonizers understood a fundamental truth: whoever controls the language controls the narrative. Language isn’t just a tool for everyday communication—it’s the vessel for transmitting knowledge, culture, and power. African societies, long before European colonization, had rich oral traditions, complex languages, and deep-rooted knowledge systems. These languages were tied to everything from governance to spirituality to community-building.

But the imposition of European languages during colonization was a way to cut Africans off from this knowledge. The colonizers’ agenda was clear: if we could no longer speak the language of our ancestors, we would lose access to the wisdom and strength embedded in those languages. By severing that connection, they could weaken our sense of identity and make us dependent on their language, their education, and their worldview.

When African children were forced into colonial schools where speaking their native languages was forbidden, they were not just learning new words—they were being reprogrammed to view the world through European eyes. In these schools, our history was erased, and European history was glorified. Our ancestors were demonized as primitive, while European colonizers were celebrated as saviors. The removal of African languages was key to ensuring that future generations of Africans would grow up disconnected from the truths that could empower them to resist.

The Role of Language in Keeping Us in the Dark

One of the most damaging effects of this linguistic erasure is that it kept, and continues to keep, Africans and their descendants in the dark about their own power, history, and potential. By forcing Africans to adopt European languages, colonizers created a reality where only those who could master these languages were granted access to education, political participation, and economic opportunity.

But more importantly, the switch to European languages meant that we lost access to our own histories, spiritual knowledge, and ancestral wisdom. The teachings and philosophies passed down through African languages were sidelined, dismissed as irrelevant or inferior. This alienated us from our past and left us dependent on the colonizers’ version of the world—a version that cast us as inferior, incapable, and in need of saving.

• Education as Indoctrination: In colonial schools, African children were punished for speaking their native languages. This wasn’t just about enforcing the use of European languages; it was about stripping them of pride in their identity. By denying them the right to speak in their mother tongues, colonizers sent a message: your language, and by extension, your culture and history, is not worthy of respect. European languages, on the other hand, were framed as the gateway to “civilization” and “success.”

• Loss of Cultural Knowledge: Many African societies relied on oral traditions to pass down histories, spiritual teachings, and communal values. These stories, proverbs, and teachings were encoded in the languages that carried the soul of the people. When these languages were suppressed, this vast reservoir of knowledge was marginalized or lost. Colonizers knew that by cutting us off from our languages, they could control the flow of information and strip away the tools we needed to challenge their dominance.

• Disconnection from Spirituality: Language was not just about everyday life—it was deeply tied to African spiritual systems. The suppression of African languages meant that many Africans were also disconnected from their spiritual practices, which were often tied to sacred words, chants, and oral traditions. In forcing African communities to adopt Christianity and European religious practices, colonizers deliberately weakened our spiritual foundations, making it easier to control us mentally, spiritually, and culturally.

The Consequences of Linguistic Erasure

The consequences of this deliberate assault on African languages were, and continue to be, profound. Even today, across the African continent and the diaspora, many of us are still grappling with the loss of our linguistic and cultural heritage. European languages, such as English, French, and Portuguese, remain dominant in education, business, and governance. But what does this mean for us as a people?

1. Cultural Alienation: Many Africans and descendants of Africans across the diaspora struggle with a sense of cultural alienation. Growing up speaking European languages often means we are distanced from the histories and cultural practices that once sustained our communities. This alienation breeds a sense of inferiority—of feeling that we must adopt European norms to be successful, leaving behind the rich heritage that is ours by birthright.

2. Perpetuation of Colonial Mentalities: The continued dominance of European languages has allowed colonial mentalities to persist long after the physical end of colonization. Speaking English, French, or Portuguese often signals power, education, and status, while African languages are still seen as backward or irrelevant in many places. This reinforces a cycle where we continue to look to Europe as the center of knowledge and progress, rather than turning inward to reclaim our own sources of power.

3. Barriers to Education and Opportunity: Many African nations continue to conduct their educational systems in European languages, which creates barriers for millions of children whose native languages are not French or English. This language barrier keeps many Africans from accessing opportunities and limits their ability to participate fully in their own societies. The cycle of exclusion that started during colonization continues to keep Africans in the dark about their potential and possibilities.

Reclaiming Our Language, Reclaiming Our Power

Reclaiming African languages is not just about reviving lost words—it’s about reconnecting with the knowledge, power, and identity that was taken from us. When we speak our languages, we are reclaiming our birthright, reaffirming our connection to our ancestors, and rejecting the notion that our worth is determined by European standards.

• Restoring Our Histories: By learning and teaching African languages, we gain access to the histories and knowledge that were erased by colonization. This allows us to challenge the false narratives that were imposed on us and to rebuild our identity based on our own truths.

• Breaking the Chains of Linguistic Dependence: We must work toward breaking the dependency on European languages as the only means of access to education, governance, and opportunity. The more we prioritize African languages in our schools, governments, and institutions, the more we shift power back into the hands of African people.

• Connecting Across Generations: Reclaiming African languages also strengthens the bond between generations. The language of our ancestors carries not just knowledge but a sense of belonging and continuity. By teaching our children to speak their native languages, we ensure that they grow up with a deep connection to their roots and a sense of pride in their heritage.

Becoming Conscious of the Power of Language

The removal of African languages during colonization was no accident—it was a calculated move to keep us in the dark, disconnected from our past and dependent on European frameworks. But as we become more conscious of this tactic, we also become more equipped to undo its effects.

Our journey to consciousness is not just about knowing the past—it’s about using that knowledge to build a future where we control our own narratives, our own systems, and our own destinies.

With our blog “Are You Conscious,” we understand that language is key to our liberation. We must recognize the role that linguistic suppression has played in keeping us oppressed, and we must commit to reclaiming our languages, our histories, and our power. The journey to true consciousness begins with the words we speak—and the truths we reclaim through them.