Reclaiming darkness: Postcolonial identity in Salih’s ‘Season of Migration to the North’
By Umar Osabo
AL-TAYYID Salih’s Season of Migration to the North (Heinneman, London; 1966) is considered one of the most important novels in modern Arabic literature, shedding light on the profound effects of colonialism in Sudan, and more broadly, Africa. Written in the wake of Sudan’s independence in 1956, the novel explores the complexities of postcolonial identity, cultural conflict, and the scars left by colonial rule. The novel’s protagonist, Mustafa Sa’eed, is a mysterious and deeply troubled man who returns to his native Sudan after living in England for many years. His experiences abroad have shaped him in ways that make him both a product and a victim of colonialism. The novel is structured pparound the unnamed narrator’s encounters with Sa’eed and the disjointed narratives of both men’s lives. Through these stories, Salih critiques colonial exploitation, cultural misunderstandings, and the tensions between African and European identities.
The setting of Season of Migration to the North is crucial to understanding its postcolonial themes. Sudan, once a British-Egyptian colony, gained independence in 1956. However, the colonial legacy remained deeply entrenched in the social and cultural fabric of the country. In Season of Migration to the North, Salih examines the lingering impact of colonialism in both the personal lives of his characters and the broader societal structures of Sudan. Mustafa Sa’eed, the novel’s enigmatic protagonist, embodies the complex relationship between Africa and Europe, and his life story is steeped in the repercussions of colonial history. Sa’eed’s intellectualism and personal struggles reflect the internalized self-loathing that many colonized individuals experience, alongside a powerful desire to reclaim agency and redefine their identity.
Salih’s novel* is often seen as a response to Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, which depicted Africa as a dark, savage land, devoid of civilization and full of primal instincts. Conrad’s portrayal of Africa has been criticized for its racist and Eurocentric perspective, portraying African people as little more than mere backdrops to the psychological journey of his European protagonist, Marlow. In contrast, Salih critiques the colonial mindset by reversing the gaze, positioning Africa not as a mere object of European desire and exploration, but as a space of rich, multifaceted identities.
In Heart of Darkness, Marlow, the European narrator, ventures into the Congo and attempts to understand the elusive figure of Kurtz, a European who has gone mad due to his unchecked power over the indigenous people. The novel has often been read as a critique of European imperialism, but it simultaneously reinforces the power dynamics between colonizers and the colonized, presenting Africa as a mysterious, uncivilized place where the Western alprotagonists face their own darkness.
Salih’s response to Conrad’s depiction of Africa is multi-layered. While Season of Migration to the North shares a similar exploration of the psychological impacts of colonialism, it challenges the framework of Conrad’s work. The character of Mustafa Sa’eed, who is both an African and a former colonial subject, is far more complex than the static, one-dimensional African figures in Heart of Darkness. Sa’eed’s life story, which includes his romantic and intellectual encounters with European women, challenges the colonial notion that Africa is a land of primitive chaos. Sa’eed himself, a highly educated and charismatic man, embodies a sophisticated counter-narrative to the stereotype of the ‘savage’ African man depicted in European literature.
While Heart of Darkness conveys a European perspective of Africa as a dark, uncivilized place, Salih’s Season of Migration to the North shifts the narrative to give agency to the African voice. Sa’eed’s success in the European world, particularly in London, where he becomes both a lover and an intellectual adversary to the women he encounters, serves as a direct rebuttal to the portrayal of Africa as an ’empty space’ awaiting the civilizing mission of European powers. Through Sa’eed, Salih paints Africa not as a ‘heart of darkness,’ but as a complex, intellectual, and deeply conflicted place.
Salih’s novel delves into a number of interconnected themes, all of which challenge the colonial narratives perpetuated by Western writers like Conrad. One of the central themes in Season of Migration to the North is the alienation and identity crisis experienced by postcolonial subjects. Mustafa Sa’eed’s complex relationship with his colonial past demonstrates the painful contradictions inherent in the African experience of Western modernity. As a man who has lived in England and been educated in the West, Sa’eed is caught between two worlds: the world of European intellect and sophistication, and the world of his Sudanese roots, which he ultimately finds himself rejecting. The novel exposes the psychological trauma of this split identity, where Sa’eed’s attempt to reconcile the two parts of himself leads to violence and self-destruction.
Salih’s critique of colonial writers, particularly those like Conrad, lies in the portrayal of Africa not as a space of “darkness” but as a space of rich, lived experience. Colonial writers, by representing Africa as a ‘blank canvas’ waiting for European civilization, denied the continent’s own history, culture, and complexities. In Heart of Darkness, Africa is portrayed as a place where time stands still and people live in a perpetual state of barbarism. Salih pushes back against this by representing the intricate psychological and emotional landscapes of his African characters, who are neither victims nor savages, but rather deeply human individuals shaped by their experiences and histories.
Salih also explores the theme of the ‘orientalist gaze’ — the way in which the West has historically viewed the East and Africa through a lens of exoticism and otherness. The novel critiques the European tendency to reduce the African continent and its people to simple stereotypes. Through the character of Sa’eed, Salih demonstrates how these stereotypes can be internalized by those who have been subjected to colonialism. Sa’eed, despite his intellectualism and charisma, cannot escape the psychological trauma of being both a colonizer and a colonized individual. He is caught in a liminal space between two identities, one European and one African, and his eventual descent into madness highlights the destructive consequences of colonialism.
Salih’s novel plays a crucial role in reshaping how Africa understands itself in relation to European colonization. By providing a nuanced portrayal of Sudanese identity and the complexities of postcolonial experience, Salih challenges the Western construction of Africa as a dark’ and uncivilized place. Sa’eed’s story illustrates how the psychological scars of colonialism can affect not only the colonized but also the colonizer, who, in his desire to dominate and subjugate, becomes trapped in his own fantasies of superiority.
The novel also critiques the way that the European colonial project constructed Africa as a space of violence, savagery, and chaos. Salih’s characters, especially the narrator, reject the reductive images of Africa created by colonial literature and reclaim their identities. By doing so, Salih offers a profound reimagining of what it means to be African in the postcolonial world. Africa, as depicted in Season of Migration to the North, is not merely the victim of European exploitation, but a place of vibrant, complex identities that resist being defined by European colonial frameworks.
Season of Migration to the North offers several lessons that remain relevant for the future of Sudan and Africa as a whole. First and foremost, Salih’s novel demonstrates the destructive consequences of colonialism on both the individual and the collective psyche. The character of Mustafa Sa’eed embodies the intense conflict that arises when one is caught between two worlds — a world of colonizer and a world of colonized. This tension continues to shape postcolonial societies today, as African nations struggle to reconcile their colonial past with their modern identities.
Secondly, the novel teaches the importance of self-definition and agency in the postcolonial world. Sa’eed’s eventual destruction is symbolic of the dangers of allowing one’s identity to be shaped entirely by the colonial experience. For Sudan and Africa at large, the lesson is clear: in order to build a prosperous future, African nations must reclaim their histories and redefine themselves on their own terms, free from the distortions imposed by colonial powers.
Finally, Salih’s work underscores the importance of understanding and addressing the psychological effects of colonialism. The novel provides a powerful reminder that the colonial legacy is not merely a political or economic issue, but a deeply personal one that continues to affect generations long after formal independence. By confronting the legacies of colonialism, African nations can begin the process of healing and rebuilding their identities in a way that is both authentic and forward.
Salih’s Season of Migration to the North serves as a powerful response to colonial literature, particularly Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Through the character of Mustafa Sa’eed, Salih challenges the Western portrayal of Africa as a land of darkness and savagery, instead offering a nuanced exploration of the complexities of African identity in the postcolonial world. The novel critiques the lies of colonial writers, revealing how their depictions of Africa have shaped both European and African perceptions of the continent. In doing so, Salih offers a profound reflection on the psychological, emotional, and cultural scars of colonialism, and presents lessons for the future of Sudan and Africa as a whole.
