Post 9 – 5 Major Events in Africa from the Year 2010.

Post 9 – 5 Major Events in Africa from the Year 2010.

January 8, 2010- The Togo National Soccer team was attacked by gunmen as they made their way to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Three were killed and several others were severally injured. A separatist group known as the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda claimed responsibility. The team would return home and not participate in the cup. In response to the team not participating the Confederation of African Football banned Togo from participating in the games for the following two years, and gave them a fine of $50 000.  This punishment was seen to have been heartless, and the government stated that they believed it showed that the Confederation of African Football did not care about the individuals involved.

February 14, 2010 – In Kenya, Prime Minister Raila Odinga suspended Minister of Agriculture William Ruto and Minister of Education Sam Ongeri charging them on corruption and profiteering. Ongeri admitted to diverting school infrastructure money to his constituency while Ruto is linked to the maize scandal. President Mwai Kibaki reversed the suspensions instantly, leading to a political debate on the powers between the president and Prime Minister within Kenya.

June 2, 2010: The Algerian government gave 15 000 tons of rice as food aid to Mauretania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia. The assistance was given due to these countries suffering through periods of extreme dry weather. This showed some beginning stages of unity within Africa.

August 24-26, 2010– South African President Jacob Zuma lead a delegation of over 200 South African business leaders and entrepreneurs to the People’s Republic of China to promote trade and investment between the two countries. This would later turn into China’s continued role within Africa.

December 5, 2010 – Ghanaian President John Atta Mills, commissioned production of the country’s oil and gas for export. This is a major step in Ghana becoming a larger proprietor in the economic world. There is also a danger with this new resource of outside influence coming in and turning this positive into a negative.

The Pros and Cons of Pan-Africanism.

The Pros and Cons of Pan-Africanism.

The term Pan-Africanism refers to unity within Africa. Those who promote this seek to unify Africa into one united body. The term was created by Henry Sylvester-Williams and Edward Wilmot Blyden (the father of Pan-Africanism) as the unity of the entire continent of Africa. The notion promotes beneficial cooperation between all the states of Africa, to better Africa as whole, on an economic scale as well as a political one. The term also touches many African-American’s who seek to identify with the African peoples, which by creating a unified body, would also help create unity in the diaspora of African descendants in North America and other places in the world. Pan-Africanism aims to connect Africans on and off the continent. Throughout history it was used against apartheid in South Africa, in the United States to help gain equality for all peoples, and against those who colonized Africa. It also fights the external interference on the continent (i.e. slavery, discrimination).

There have been many movers and shakers within Pan-African movement. One popular individual under this heading is Bob Marley, who through his music and philosophy, promoted unity towards the diaspora of African descendants around the world. In class we spoke about the first president of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah. This influential Ghanaian leader promoted Pan-Africanism and unity for Africa. Non-continental Africans started the movement; however it was Ghana’s first president who brought it to Africa. Another influential proponent of Pan-Africanism was W.E.B. Du Bois. He was a sociologist who hosted the 5^th Pan-African Conference in Manchester, as a way of bringing many black leaders from around the world together. Marcus Garvey created a shipping line to bring the diaspora of Africans back to Africa. His goal was to have a fleet of ships which could bring those of African descent around the world back to Africa.

Pan-Africanism has had a lot of supporters, yet it still has not occurred within Africa as a whole. There have been important steps, to help lead Africa into a unified land. The split that currently stands within Africa was mostly created by the European colonizers who came in and designated certain areas as their own. For Africa to move on from this negative time period, it will be important to remove the lines and instead promote unity. The United States of Africa is a reality that may come sooner than later.

​Dr. Kwaku Person- Lynn: Slideshow Lecture contrasted with Basil Davidson’s Africa series.

Dr. Kwaku Person- Lynn: Slideshow Lecture contrasted with Basil Davidson’s Africa series.

In Dr. Kwaku Person-Lynn’s Slideshow lecture, a different view of Africa has been presented versus what is shown in historical texts. Dr. Person-Lynn looks at Africa and what has been stolen from Africa. Instead of simply looking at the historical text’s he looks at what could have bee, what was covered up, and what actually happened to cause the continent of Africa to be delayed in its development. In Basil Davidson’s video series on Africa, Davidson shows Africa in a positive light, instead of a negative one, which is often found in Western text books and literature. Davidson puts the spot light on the history and the ethnic diversity found on the continent of Africa. He shows Africa as an advanced place, which was only delayed due to outside interference. It is in this aspect that both Davidson and Dr. Person-Lynn both have absolute agreement. The colonization and outside influence on Africa was not a positive. To this extent, it still affects Africa in a negative way to this day. Both videos show Africa in a positive light, and they are attempting to debunk the notion that Africa is wild place full off negatives with few redeeming qualities. Both documenters present this as a fallacy and show Africa in a positive light.

In a past post a looked at Davidson’s Africa series, and therefore I will spend a majority of the time looking at Dr. Person-Lynn’s slideshow lecture on Africa. Looking at his presentation as a whole, I can confidently say that I learned about a plethora of facts in regards to Africa, which I did not know about before. The lecture was created to debunk stereotypes about Africa, which has been worse than any plague affecting the African peoples. Dr. Person-Lynn showed images of European’s who ship wrecked off the coasts of Africa, and instead of finding savages (which many Western images have presented in the past) one finds African’s who assist in bringing the European seamen back to health. This powerful image shows a graceful and helpful view of those in Africa, instead of the stereotypical savage which has been presented and promoted for many years.

Dr. Person-Lynn points to one point in history that had a very large negative affect on the peoples of Africa, the Papal doctrine created by Pope Nicholas V on January 8, 1455. This doctrine made it acceptable to take the African peoples as slaves, as it stated that the peoples of Africa were enemies of Christ. To use the Catholic Churches rhetoric, this was blasphemy. These facts were created to create a cheap labor force for the Spanish and the Portuguese. The peoples of Africa were taken on slave ships across the Atlantic, where they were delivered (if they survived) to South America, the Caribbean, and North America. Most of the African slaves were sent to South America, and the Caribbean. Only about five percent were sent to North America, despite popular belief. Those who were taken as slaves had to deal with the worst traveling conditions on these slave ships. Hundreds of people were pushed together, with no place to use the washroom. Many would throw up, or die, which only added to the filth and the smell. Dr. Person-Lynn said that the smell would have made a ‘cow pass out.’ Sharks would tail the ships knowing that they would receive an easy meal as the dead were thrown overboard. Those who survived were taken to places where they would be sold, much like cattle or horses. The slave traders treated these men, women, and children as if they were objects to be sold, instead of human beings. All this can be traced back to one Papal document, which shows the power that the Catholic Church had at this time.

While Dr. Person-Lynn made many claims that were based on truth, and have many documents to back them up, he also made quite a few claims that are harder to verify as being truth or fiction. This is not to say these facts are fictions, however they are harder to verify upon doing further research. In saying this, if these facts are truthful, they show the many fallacies and cover ups that have occurred over time to delay Africa’s development, specifically in the conscious mind. To present cultural advancements, for example, as Western or European advancements, instead of that which comes from Africa, is to prevent Africa’s growth within the conscious mind, as Africa will be viewed as less advanced and without merit. The first note that was very surprising was that of Beethoven, and his skin color. Dr. Person-Lynn presented Beethoven as an African (or at least that of mixed race). Upon researching this I found a great debate by many scholars on this subject. It seems that there is a closer consensus towards Beethoven being of African descent, instead of European as presented in the past.

It is also widely believed that Hippocrates was the father of medicine. It has come to light that Im-Ho-Tep  out dates Hippocrates when it comes to medical advancements. In fact a temple was dedicated to Im-Ho-Tep, within the Roman Empire to this decree. Im-Ho-Tep, much like many Egyptians, have often been shown to be white, or ‘Mediterranean,’ when the art from that time shows them to have much darker skin. Once again, they take on the features of those in Africa, instead of Western features.

These facts among the many other facts that are shown within this video show Africa in a much brighter light compared too many scholars in the past. Where many have tried to show Africa as a place of savagery, scholars such as Dr. Person-Lynn and Basil Davidson have tried to show Africa for what it is; a place with a rich history that has no less value compared to anywhere else in the world. Instead of placing the negative on Africa, they place the positive on it. Unfortunately this is an uphill battle, as the past generation has made a point of placing a negative light on Africa, and her peoples, instead of one that promotes equality. Social scientists such as Dr. Person-Lynn and Basil Davidson are needed if this is going to change.

Exploring Africa Journal (EAJ)- Take home 3

Exploring Africa Journal (EAJ)- Take home 3

• What is Africa’s highest point?

-          The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro, at 19, 341 feet above sea level.  

 

• The longest river?

-          The longest river in Africa is the Nile at 6650 km.

 

• The largest river

-          The largest river in Africa in relation to volume is the Congo River. It is the deepest river in the world with depths in excess of 230 meters.

 

• The largest country in terms of size(territory?)

-          If this question was asked prior to June of 2011, the answer would have been the Republic of Sudan, (2,505,813 square kilometers), however the South Sudan has declared independence from the North (June 2011). Two countries now hold title to being the largest country in Africa; Algeria (2,381,740 square kilometers) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2,344,858 square kilometers).

 

• The only country still under semi-colonial rule?

-          The Western Sahara is still under semi-colonial rule to the country of Morocco. The African Union has recognized the Western Sahara’s independence, however Morocco does not. Morocco is also the only African country not part of the African Union.

 

 

Exploring Africa Journal (EAJ)-take-home 2

Exploring Africa Journal (EAJ)-take-home 2

What are other characteristics of the continent?

-          It is widely believed that the birth of man occurred within Africa, and humankind entered the rest of the world from Africa. The famed fossil find of Lucy was located in the Awash Valley in Ethiopia.

-          Looking at Africa from a political and a fiscal point of view, Africa has one of the world’s largest amounts of untapped natural resources, yet due to the continents underdeveloped status, and poor fiscal standing it has remained underdeveloped to this day. Africa has sought continental unity through organizations such as the Organization of African Unity, and currently the African Union. Currently Morocco is the only state not in the African Union. The mission of the African Union is not only to bring unity to the continent but also fight health problems, as well as improve the standard of living. They have also been involved in dissolving disputes within Africa.

How many countries form the AU?

-          54 countries belong to the African Union.

When was the OAU formed?

-          The Organization of African Unity was formed on May 25, 1963.

Which countries was the last to be admitted to the OAU?

-          The last country admitted to the OAU was South Africa on June 6, 1994.

When was the AU formed?

-          The African Union was formed July 9, 2002.

 

 

Blog Questions: Take Home

Blog Questions: Take Home (Exploring African Journal/Blog entries)

Answer the following question in your Exploring Africa Journal before the next class.

 

Looking at the map, rank the continents according to size.

-          According to size the largest continent would be Asia, followed by Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.

Africa is bordered by two oceans and a sea.

-          Africa is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the East, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. Three seas also border Africa; the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and the Arabian Sea.

 

Which ocean borders Africa to the west?

-          The Atlantic Ocean borders Africa to the West.

 

Which ocean borders Africa to the east?

-          The Indian Ocean borders Africa to the East.

 

Which sea borders Africa to the north?

-          The Mediterranean Sea borders Africa to the North, separating Europe from Africa.

 

Which continent is connected to Africa by a land-bridge?

-          In 1869 the Suez Canal was constructed creating a land bridge between Africa and Asia. It allowed for transportation by water between Europe and Asia, without having to navigate around the continent of Africa.

 

What is the virtual line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres called?

-          At zero degrees longitude and zero degrees latitude, the equator separates the Northern Hemisphere from the Southern Hemisphere.

 

What is the virtual line that connects the North and South Pole and divides the World into Eastern and Western Hemispheres called?

-          The Prime Meridian is the virtual line that North and South Pole, as well as dividing the World into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

 

Which continent(s) occupy space in all four Hemispheres?

-          Africa occupies all four Hemispheres.

 

Based on Africa’s global location (as projected on the map), (a) do you think that Africa has a long history of active contact (trade, migration, exchange of ideas) with other regions of the world? OR (b) do you think that until recently (the past 300 years) Africa has been isolated from other regions of the world? Give as many reasons as you can for your answer.

-          In the past few hundred years Africa has been hampered by the European conquest of her lands. Where Africa was flourishing, a halt was put on this when Europe colonized Africa and began taking her resources. One of these resources was human. The slave trade took many of the able bodied men, women, and children out of Africa and they were used to better other areas of the world (Europe, North America etc.) instead of Africa. If this had not occurred Africa would be farther ahead in regards to trade, migration, and the exchange of ideas, however this negative influence on the continent prevented growth. I do not believe Africa has been completely isolated, due to the obvious outside influences present in Africa today, however much of these influences were brought over with the colonizers, and led to many negative reactions within Africa (war, apartheid, genocide etc.). By looking at Africa on a global map it is easy to see the many advantages which Africa has over other continents. It is connected to both Europe and Asia, while also acting as a land bridge for European and Asian trade. The connection to the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean also allows for much trade to occur. It is also the second biggest continent, and the land is the densest out of all other continents, which means it could be homes billions of people. The location is also made more prosperous based on the fact that all four hemispheres pass through Africa.     

 

Based on the information provided on the map, with which two continents do you think people and societies in Africa had the longest contact? Why? Which regions of Africa do you think had the earliest contact with other regions of the world? Why?

-          People in Africa would have had the longest amount of contact with Europe and Asia. Going back in time and looking at the state of the world during these early periods of contact, North and South America would not have been discovered by European settlers yet, and the same goes for Australia. The proximity of Africa to Europe and Asia, also promoted the notion that Africa would have had contact with Europe and Asia over any other place. In regards to what portion of Africa would have had the earliest contact with these continents, one can safely say Northern Africa, due, once again, to its proximity with Europe and Asia. Specifically, one could deduce that Egypt, as well as areas such as Mali would have had a lot of contact, due to the prominent notion of trade in these nations, as well as what historical texts have said in regards to this.

Video Review: Africa: Part 3. Caravans of Gold. By Basil Davidson.

Video Review: Africa: Part 3. Caravans of Gold. By Basil Davidson.

 

In Basil Davidson’s third episode of his ‘Africa’ series, Davidson looks at gold and its role in Africa. Gold was not only a raw material, but that which represented wealth in Africa. Those who had gold were ranked based on the amount of it they had. It served as a status symbol for many of the leaders, in the past and in the present. Gold was used as jewelry and many wore it with great pride. The kings garnered much of the gold, and displayed it with great pride.

The trading of gold was what Africa’s economy was based on. Mali became a center for this type of trade. This was due to the gold pockets found around West Africa.  The video showed many metal workers turning the gold into jewellery and other such items, to help display individual wealth as mentioned before.  In West Africa, the King of Ghana was thought to be the richest King in the world, according to ancient scholars who traveled the lands of Africa. It also should be noted that fish was substantial in the diet of the peoples of that time. The video explained that the Women would often prepare the fish, and they were paid for this work.

Timbukto was transformed by Kunkun Musa into a city of learning as well as an Islamic state, instead of trade. This led the nation to be highly literate, as literature was important, as was the Islamic religion, as promoted by Kunkun Musa. The camel was highly utilized as a transportation tool for shipping gold across the desert, which was often a sixty day journey. Over time the economy began to grow even further, where coins were minted in Cairo. Gold was also used in this venture. Over time, European settlers came in and took over much of the trade in Africa. As can be seen here, Africa as a whole was doing fine, and advancing at a proper rate until the Europeans came in and took control. This led to Africa losing out on years of growth they could have had.