Post by anansi on Oct 28, 2016 0:28:49 GMT -5
Dividing the continent into cultural spheres really need to stop, we are so use to it we accept it without thought but it's simply a fake construct, but some may counter..Anansi aren't you ignoring natural borders like the Sahara??.
My answer would be no! because natural borders have never been a barrier to the flow of information and people, as a matter of fact all west Africans and North Africans were formally East Africans and the same is largely true for southern Africans, the above map shows a continent without national borders which is subject to change at any time.
Perception is half the story if I lay an earlier map flat then one get a sense of ease if one was to travel across vast distances we have rivers that connects, even the desert have wadis and oasis
An example of the shared technologies that spans Africa from the pre-historic touching the rivers Senegal,Niger north to the Sahara, the Nile and to the Great lakes in this case pottery and harpoon. this was off the wet phase when there were no deserts and the Sahara looked like or was a continuation of the Serengeti,as the flora and fauna were the same.
The wet Sahara north Africa.
The Serengeti Eastern Africa.
These trade routes have been in place for x thousands of years perhaps even before the establishment of formal civilizations. we know this because of the spread of shared technologies, and religious concepts.
Then another question might arise..Anansi Isn't North Africa more closely linked to the middle east and so not really..BLACK?? or AFRICAN??
To which I have to reply, only sometimes and context matters, when is important as to migration, how and why is also to be considered, and even then when folks are blended they still retained much of their African culture.
Consider Carthage for instance, they started out of the Levant as Phoenicians, but who were the Phoenicians?? a people who were a blended African type with folks from cold adapted areas moving in from the north east, much of their culture is deeply rooted in the Nile Valley specifically, readers can reference the case for Black Mesopotamian or Natufians, here on ESR.
These folks went to coastal North W. Africa to blend with the locals there who were Saharan, trade in Eurasian female slaves were heavy and from a very early date, this only increased during the Moorish advance into Europe proper.
The Almoravid Empire for instance started on the Banks of the Senegal and reached into Europe, these people were previously a vassal state under Ghana or the Wagadu empire.
Concerning another kingdom that had relations with the Almoravids and sounds like they would have in terms of military support:
The author here believes that the Zafun were Soninke too but the king of Zafun is also mentioned as being on the pilgrimage himself, the king himself was probably a Muslim during this time period (mid 12th century) while he was visiting with the Almoravid commander. However Zafun was again ruled by a “pagan” king at a later time. Another source said that the reason for the respect for the king of Zafun was because he was more knowledgeable about "royal authority" and the Almoravids relied on him for different matters of government.
"A history of African societies to 1870" by Elizabeth Allo Isichei
[A mysterious passage tells of the visit of a black king from the desert edge state of Zafun to the Almoravid capital of Marrakesh. He rode his horse into the palace. 'The Commander of the Muslims met him on foot, whereas the [king of] Zafun did not dismount for him... he was tall, of deep black complexion and veiled]
Read more: egyptsearchreloaded.proboards.com/thread/88/conquest-never-ghana-almorav#ixzz4OM2EYxyo.
The author here believes that the Zafun were Soninke too but the king of Zafun is also mentioned as being on the pilgrimage himself, the king himself was probably a Muslim during this time period (mid 12th century) while he was visiting with the Almoravid commander. However Zafun was again ruled by a “pagan” king at a later time. Another source said that the reason for the respect for the king of Zafun was because he was more knowledgeable about "royal authority" and the Almoravids relied on him for different matters of government.
"A history of African societies to 1870" by Elizabeth Allo Isichei
[A mysterious passage tells of the visit of a black king from the desert edge state of Zafun to the Almoravid capital of Marrakesh. He rode his horse into the palace. 'The Commander of the Muslims met him on foot, whereas the [king of] Zafun did not dismount for him... he was tall, of deep black complexion and veiled]
Read more: egyptsearchreloaded.proboards.com/thread/88/conquest-never-ghana-almorav#ixzz4OM2EYxyo.
I may add more later but feel free to add info or critique.
