History Main / DarkestAfrica

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The "Darkest" in "Darkest Africa" has various undertones. In can refer to the parts of the continent most hidden from the outside world due to being obscured by geography, but it also carries subtle implications of the native inhabitants being backwards or uncivilized. Stories depict the land as being inhabited by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be romanticized as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than what this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

* ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'', in which the board game draws out dangerous elements of a distilled "Darkest Africa"-type jungle located within itself. The jungle is not seen in the film, or even seen by any of its characters save for the main protagonist who is trapped there for years. If said protagonist is to be believed, [[NightmareFuel this is for the best.]] More so in [[WesternAnimation/{{Jumanji}} the animated series]] though, since they did go into the game OnceAnEpisode. There was even a native tribe [[PlanetOfHats of tribal masks]].

* Franchise/MarvelUniverse: Wakanda, the kingdom ruled by T'Challa ("ComicBook/BlackPanther") has ''laws'' that maintain "tribal customs" despite being extraordinarily wealthy - a convienent way to maintain its LostWorld flavor. Note that Wakanda's history has been revised over time; when it was first shown, it effectively ''was'' DarkestAfrica, with its technological innovations being recent additions made by T'Challa himself.

* The early ''Franchise/{{Tintin}}'' adventure ''[[Recap/TintinTintinInTheCongo Tintin in the Congo]]'', infamous for its condescending depiction of African natives and senseless slaughter of wildlife. It's been intermittently available in English; current print runs are aimed largely at older fans and put out in an almost embarrassed fashion. Mind you, that's the ''revised'' colored version, where Hergé rounded the sharpest corners and excised the parts that caused the most criticism. The original black-and-white comic was ''much'' worse.

* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'': the Southlands, the stand-in for the African continent has the [[ArabianNightsDays kingdoms of Araby]] and the [[NephariousPharaoh Khemri]] to the far north, a few Lizardman cities and elven ports here and there, the Skaven capital of Clan Pestilens, with most of the danger being presented by the native savage orcs, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything who are primitive and stupid even by their northern cousins' standards.]]

* The Franchise/{{Tarzan}} film series is always about white people venturing in Darkest Africa; see also the Literature entry below. In ''Film/TarzanTheApeMan'' and ''Film/TarzanAndHisMate'', Harry Holt says specifically that the ElephantGraveyard the expedition is setting out to find is in a part of Africa where no white man has been before, except for Harry and Tarzan.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The "Darkest" in "Darkest Africa" has various undertones. In can refer to the parts of the continent most concealed to the outside world due to being obscured by geography, but it also carries subtle implications of the native inhabitants being backwards or uncivilized. Stories depict the land as being inhabited by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be romanticized as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than what this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern post-colonial incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[LaResistance militant rebels]], [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], terrorists, and dysfunctional or absent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation as was depicted in the past, bringing various standard elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[LaResistance militant rebels]], [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], terrorists, and dysfunctional or absent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation as was depicted in the past, bringing various standard elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The "Darkest" in "Darkest Africa" has various undertones. In can refer to the parts of the continent most concealed to the outside world due to being obscured by geography, but it also carries implications of the native inhabitants being backwards or uncivilized. Stories depict the land as being inhabited by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be romanticized as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than what this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The "Darkest" in "Darkest Africa" has various undertones. In can refer to the parts of the continent most concealed to the outside world due to being obscured by geography, but it also carries implications of the native inhabitants being backwards or uncivilized. Stories depict the land as being inhabited by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than what this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). Stories depict the land as being inhabited by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than what this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

Africa is often portrayed as a LostWorld, whose barely-charted depths are thick with lost kingdoms, isolated tribes, ruins of bygone structures, hidden mines holding fabulous wealth, and the occasional LivingDinosaurs -- the MokeleMbembe is a particularly common variant. And always, there is the wildlife, some of which may be {{misplaced|Wildlife}}, and an abundance of plants, both [[TemptingApple deadly]] [[FantasticFruitsAndVegetables and delicious]]. Even when this isn't the case, the continent is portrayed as the next best thing: mysterious and dangerous, but populated with outcroppings and ties to the modern world. This balance of civilization just within reach and ''terra incognita'' a mere wrong turn away gives the "Dark Continent" a unique position. "Adventure in your own backyard" takes on a new meaning if one's backyard hosts the occasional elephant stampede.

Africa is often used as a LostWorld, whose barely-charted depths are thick with lost kingdoms, ruins of bygone structures, hidden mines holding fabulous wealth, and the occasional LivingDinosaurs -- the MokeleMbembe is a particularly common variant. And always, there is the wildlife, some of which may be {{misplaced|Wildlife}}, and an abundance of plants, both [[TemptingApple deadly]] [[FantasticFruitsAndVegetables and delicious]]. Even when this isn't the case, the continent is portrayed as the next best thing: mysterious and dangerous, but populated with outcroppings and ties to the modern world. This balance of civilization just within reach and ''terra incognita'' a mere wrong turn away gives the "Dark Continent" a unique position. "Adventure in your own backyard" takes on a new meaning if one's backyard hosts the occasional elephant stampede.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies generally worship animism. They may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than what this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[LaResistance militant rebels]], [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], terrorists, and dysfunctional or absent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various standard elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[LaResistance militant rebels]], [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], terrorists, and dysfunctional or absent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies generally worship animism. They may perform HumanSacrifice rituals, and there may be [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]] who practice HollywoodVoodoo. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various Islamic states and empires.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[LaResistance militant rebels]], [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], terrorists, and dysfunctional or non-existent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], [[LaResistance militant rebels]], terrorists, and dysfunctional or non-existent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], militant rebels, terrorists, and dysfunctional or non-existent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], militant rebels or terrorists, and dysfunctional or non-existent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies generally worship animism. They may perform HumanSacrifice rituals and consult the WitchDoctor for magical herbs or charms believed to have healing properties. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than this trope portrays. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various different Islamic states and empires.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], militant rebels/terrorists, and dysfunctional or non-existent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies generally worship animism. They may perform HumanSacrifice rituals and consult the WitchDoctor for magical herbs or charms believed to have healing properties. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than this trope makes it seem. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various different Islamic states and empires.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies worship animism, and magic rituals and healing are performed by [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]]. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than this trope makes it seem. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various different Islamic states and empires.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], militant rebels/terrorists, and failing or non-existent governments. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], and militant rebels/terrorists. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical 19th-early 20th century elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

[[{{Bulungi}} Modern incarnations of this trope]] portray Africa as a land of poverty, famine, wars, [[TheDictatorship dictators]], genocides, [[RuthlessModernPirates pirates]], and militant rebels/terrorists. It may be noted that in many modern stories, quite a bit of finagling or {{handwav|e}}ing is required to get the "traditional" level of isolation, bringing various typical elements into DiscreditedTrope territory. On the other hand, the old stories resonate strongly, and traditional ways of life still hold sway, enough that subversions are frequently effective; the hero can still be surprised when they ask where the nearest telephone is and the village chief pulls out his iPhone. While most African countries became free of European colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s (with a few stragglers in the 1970s), [[TwoDecadesBehind it took many outsiders a long time to start thinking of them as modern societies roughly on par with those in the Americas and Eurasia]], with only UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica (with its sizeable minority of white settlers who [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra used to run things]]) being considered equal to them for the longest time. In older stories, the MightyWhitey and HollywoodNatives abound, along with MisplacedWildlife.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. The tribal societies are abound with beliefs in animism, and magic rituals and healing are performed by [[WitchDoctor Witch Doctors]]. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than this trope makes it seem. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various different Islamic states and empires.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. In actuality, Africans have been much more diverse in culture and social organization than this trope makes it seem. For example, West Africa and the coasts of East Africa have a history of various different Islamic states and empires.

A great favourite of stories involving the Colonial period of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Africa has lent itself well to many narratives. Its breadth of landscape includes the [[CrossingTheDesert immense desert wasteland]], the wildlife-filled veldts and savannahs, and ''especially'' the [[HungryJungle thick, treacherous jungle]] (which is, in reality, nowhere near as widespread as non-Africans often picture it, being mostly located within Middle Africa, some parts of East Africa, Madagascar and the mascarene islands). The land is populated by [[HollywoodNatives mysterious primitive tribal groups]] who are often [[TheNativesAreRestless trying to kill the protagonist]] and may also [[CannibalTribe practice cannibalism]], but they may also be depicted as [[NobleSavage Noble Savages]]. And always, there is the wildlife, some of which may be {{misplaced|Wildlife}}, and an abundance of plants, both [[TemptingApple deadly]] [[FantasticFruitsAndVegetables and delicious]].

Africa is often used as a LostWorld, whose barely-charted depths are thick with lost kingdoms, ruins of bygone empires, hidden mines holding fabulous wealth, and the occasional LivingDinosaurs -- the MokeleMbembe is a particularly common variant. Even when this isn't the case, the continent is portrayed as the next best thing: mysterious and dangerous, but populated with outcroppings and ties to the modern world. This balance of civilization just within reach and ''terra incognita'' a mere wrong turn away gives the "Dark Continent" a unique position. "Adventure in your own backyard" takes on a new meaning if one's backyard hosts the occasional elephant stampede.