Caravans of Gold

Gold, in Africa is not merely a precious metal usud for adornment or as a raw material used for trade purposes.It does not just denote wealth,but signifies pride in the wearer but also in the people .The king of Ghana displays his gold to symbolize wealth and power. Fish , a staple in the diet of the people,was prepared by women, who were paid for thier labour,sometimes in gold.

The gold in Africa was a catalyst for trade routes to be established (camels were highly utilized for this),and these in turn led to the nation being at the forefront of development  and financial gain.Gold led to the aquisition of wealth,and this did not merely involve trade for the sake of trade, but actually led to the formation of institutions that advanced the entire continent.

Timbukto was established as  a learning center by Kunkun Musa,and  it was also an Islamic state where education flourished,and it was given a central role in the lives of the citizens.

Gold was the reason that society in this part of Africa was so egalitarian and remarkably ahead of its time.

Dr.Person-Lynn contrasted with Basil Davidson African Series

I learned a lot about Africa that I did not know before watching these enlightening videos,the type of knowledge one cannot ascertain from reading historical textbooks on Africa,as those are written from a post-colonial standard which usually depicts the continent as bereft of any innovation or advanced human advances.

Both videos share some similairities such as the fact that both debunk myths about Africa that most people usually misconstrue as valid,when they are actually very far from the truth.For example both videos,provide examples where the African continent has been portrayed as a dark, wild place sans any culture or enlightenment.Both videos go on to carefully explain why and how these myths came to fruition, with the culprit mostly being ideologies held in esteem during and  post colonialism.

I felt that Dr. Person-Lynns lecture had a more socio-political undertone,than did Basil Davidsons.Dr. Person-Lynn spent a considerable amount of time educating the viewer about what happened to delay development in Africa,and we learn about the horrors of the trans atlantic slave trade.I was surprised to learn that only  a fraction of African slaves ended up in North America, and with the majority of them ending up in South America and the Carribean.Contrary to the belief in the West that Hippocratas is the father of modern medicine,it was proven in the video that medicine actually began in Africa with Im Ho-tep,and a long time before Hippocratas.I was astonished to learn that  Beethovan was of partial African ancestry,as he is usually depicted as a white man in paintings and historical books.This can only mean that the truth about African contribution to the world has been covered up,and not  just overlooked.

Dr.Person-Lynn  ignores historical as they tend to distort the truth about what really happened during the dark period when Africans were snatched from their lands and forced into slavery in far away places.I felt very uneasy to learn that many Africans lost thier lives even before they made it to the Americas, and more disturbingly some who were not sick were thrown from the ships when there was not enough rations to keep them alive.With this particuar video, I understood that Africa has been raped of its people and resourses, and this was done stysematically with orders eminating from the very top European estabishments, such as the Roman Catholic Church.

Basil Davidsons series, in contrast, seemed to concentrate on looking at Africa in a more postitive and well regarded light.He did provide some details as to the slave trade,and how European powers divided up the continent and its resourses,and how this stymied growth in that part of the world.

But Basil Davidson also portrays in an affirmative light rarley encountered in the literature that has been published on Africa and its people so far.Basil Davidsons documentary shows Africa in a realistic angle that has not been attempted before.Davidsons Arica is an advanced place, and righfully so,considering how much enlightenment has come from Africa.Basil Davidson proves that if Africa is lacking in development or perceived to be lacking somehow,it is because of the European involvement in that continent.

He asserts that Africa would be at the forefront of development if Europe had not stolen resourses and people from a continent that is blessed to be situated in part of the world with enviable trade routes .Davidson emphasizes that colonialism was the reason that parts of Africa are improvished.

Basil Davidsons video also showed areas of innovation , scientific advancement,and also gave a lot of imformation about how African people have successfully traded with eachother for hunderds of years,and would have continued down that route if colonialism had not interfered.

 

Take Home #2 :African Union

Africa is the birthplace of humanity, as the first human was born in Africa, and then the species spread out to the other land masses.This is widely accepted in the ‘Out of  Africa theory”.

As a continent,Arica is also the birthplace of many of the greatest civilization in the history of the human race,such as Kimit,better known to the West as the ancient Egyptians.

Africa is rich in natural resourses,although colonialism has prevented those from being fully developed.It has been deemed vital that the African continent unify ,in order to fully realize the vast potential of its people and the innovations it can bring to the world at large.African unity has been worked on for some time now.

The Organization of African Unity was active from 1963 till 2001.Although it did a lot of seminal work in unifying Africans, it was not able to achieve the eminent goal of uniting the continent potlitically,and also economically.

This important task is now being undertaken by the African Union,which seeks a mandate similiar to the European Union.
The AU has existed since July of 2002,and it seeks greater union among the various African nations, especially in trade integration and continental decision making.Closer integration will foster a unified front, as well as lead to furthering trade by Arican companies and individuals.

Take home # 1: Geography of Africa,and How It Relates to Trade.

The continents from largest to smallest are:Asia, Africa,South America ,Antartica, Europe and Australia.

Africa is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Indian Ocean to the east.

The Mediterreean Sea borders the north of Africa.

The Suez canal was developed as a land bridge between Africa and Asia,and it was monumental as it

permitted trade between  Asia and Europe without having to travel around the African continent.

The equator seperates the Northern and Southern Hemispheres,and the Prime Meridian is the line that connects the north and south poles , as well as dividing the eastern and western hemispheres.

Africa is the only continent that is situated among all four hemispheres ,and so is in a very priveleged position in terms of trade positioning.However, it has not been able to reap the rewards that would come from this geographic positioning ,due to reasons associated with European colonialism , the slave trade ,and post colonialist financial maneuvering in the continent.

The good geographical of Africa, has made it rich in resourses ,and provides for efficient and effective travel by land and water,but does not mitigate the fact that the continent has been strippped of its resourses.This has had a very  detrimental impact on Africa ,and has led to the isolation of the African continent in terms of trade.

 

Pros and Cons of Pan-Africanism

Pros and Cons of Pan-Africanism.

Pan Africanism has been able to unite the African diaspora, especially keeping in affinity with African Americans ,and has celebratied many milestones which came about because of Africans uniting in celebration of thier culture, history, and origins from the  continent.

W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey were very influential leaders in this movement, and it should be noted that the movement did not beging in the African  continent, but was brought there by Kwame Nkrumah,the first president of Ghana.

The movenent fought against aparthied, discrimination against Africans everywhere,but also was instrumental in making Africans who were not in the African continent realize how important it was to be a united people in the face of oppression.After the Emancipation Declaration  had officially been realized, Africans of American descent had focused thier attention to achieving full rights for thier citizens , and this included battling Segregation in the US south.

Pan Africanism has been impeded in the African continent due to colonialism and the aftermath of colonialism.In order to fully realize the positive outcomes of Pan Africanism in the continent, people of African descent in the diaspora must continue to look towards Africa,as helping the continent reach its full potential will ultimatley help stem racism and discrimination, everywhere and against all people who have been victims of the colonial past.

Take Home # 3:Geography of Africa

The highest point in Africa is the mountain of Killamanjaro,at  19,341 ft above the sea.

The longest river is the Nile at 6650 kilometers.

The largest river ,in terms of volume is the Congo, at 230 meters where it is the deepest.

The Largest country in terms of land size is Algeria,which is 2,381,740 kilometers.

Personal Bio

When I was a child,I was always interested in where people came from and what life experiences shaped the way they looked at the world.This has stayed with me as an adult,as I continue to be interested in people and their beliefs,thoughts and behaviours.I am genuinly curious about the circumstances in life that shape peoples lives,and like to study how  background intersects with life choices.

I especially like to observe how the differences in people(,or most often than not,percieved diffferences )sometimes greatly influence the way someone feels about themselves, a social issue, or the world at large. I feel that Sociology is the best dicipline by which to truly understand the dynamics behind human interaction and experience.

I am 25, and in the  third year of a Sociology/Political Science degree,and look forward to a career in law or social work after I complete my BA.I was born and raised in Vancouver,and have lived in that city my whole life,but would really love to travel all over the world.I did not start my post secondary education until after my 22nd birthday, and I feel that the years I spent working have bettered my understanding of the sociological imagination.

I feel that Africa is a very important part of the world to study and research,and that knowledge about that continent can help us understand the world at large.I hope to provide you with some insight regarding Africa within Global Studies.