Essential The Official African History Thread

[Sinnerman]

cont.

A 17th-century Dutch engraving from Olfert Dapper's Nauwkeurige Beschrijvinge der Afrikaansche Gewesten, published in Amsterdam in 1668 wrote:

The king's palace or court is a square, and is as large as the town of Haarlem and entirely surrounded by a special wall, like that which encircles the town. It is divided into many magnificent palaces, houses, and apartments of the courtiers, and comprises beautiful and long square galleries, about as large as the Exchange at Amsterdam, but one larger than another, resting on wooden pillars, from top to bottom covered with cast copper, on which are engraved the pictures of their war exploits and battles..."

—Olfert Dapper, Nauwkeurige Beschrijvinge der Afrikaansche Gewesten

 

[Blackking]

@Don Drogo
about benin..

so you have some knowledge about that ancient empire beyond these pictures? ?

The only thing I know about it today, is that I haven't really seen that many bad chicks come out of that area/

 

[Sinnerman]

@Don Drogo
about benin..

so you have some knowledge about that ancient empire beyond these pictures? ?

The only thing I know about it today, is that I haven't really seen that many bad chicks come out of that area/

anything specific?

also keep in mind that modern day benin isn't ancient benin. ancient benin being in Nigeria, and modern day Benin being ancient Dahomey

 

[Deadpool1986]

Nguni stick fighting

Nguni stick fighting (also known as donga, or dlala 'nduku, which literally translates as playing sticks) is a martial art traditionally practiced by teenage Nguni herdboys in South Africa. Each combatant is armed with two long sticks, one of which is used for defense and the other for offense. Little armor is used.

Although Nguni/ Xhosa styles of fighting may use only two sticks, variations of Bantu /Nguni stick fighting throughout Southern Africa incorporate shields as part of the stick fighting weaponry. Zulu stick fighting uses an "Isiquili" or attacking stick, an "Uboko" or defending stick and an "izoliHauw" or defending shield.

The object is for two opposing warriors to fight each other to establish which of them is the strongest or the "Bull" (Inkunzi). In modern times this usually occurs as part of the wedding ceremony where warriors from the bridegroom's household and area welcome warriors from the bride's household and area to meet to "get to know each other", other groups of warriors may also be welcome to join in. Warriors do this by engaging in combat with one another. An "induna" or War Captain / Referee from each group of warriors keeps his crew in check and keeps order between fighters.

This tradition is one which arguably developed in societies, cultures and civilisations that used herding as part of their systems of survival, where there are cows, there are stick fighters. The old regimental structures of the great uShaka KaSenzangakhona KaJama dominate current modern zulu stickfighting.

Film maker SiyaBonga Makhathini has directed the film "We Still are Warriors" which captures the essence of the Modern day Zulu Stick fighter, descendant of the kings of old.

Nelson Mandela practiced Nguni stick fighting as a child,[and it was featured on the Discovery and BBC reality TV show Last Man Standing. It has been featured in Season 1 of the television series Deadliest Warrior.

 

[KENNY DA COOKER]

Saw this on twitter....

omg....

 

[Sinnerman]

Kanem Bornu Empire

The Kanem-Bornu Empire existed in Africa, established around 1200 and lasting, in a changed form until the 1840s. At its height it encompassed an area covering modern southern Libya, Chad, northeasternNigeria, and eastern Niger.
The original empire was called Kanem and grew out of a coalition of chiefdoms near Lake Chad, located on the trade routes that linked sub-Saharan Africa with the Middle East. But a group called the Kanuri migrated into the Kanem area in the 1100s and in the 13th C the Kanuri began to conquer the surrounding areas. The main expansion occurred under Mai (King) Dunama Dibbalemi of the Sefuwa (Saifawa?) dynasty, who reigned from 1221 to 1259. He was the first of the Kanuri to convert to Islam and he declared jihad against the surrounding tribes and initiated an extended period of conquest. After consolidating their territory around Lake Chad they struck north at the Fezzan (Libya) and west at the Hausa lands (Nigeria).

This expansion was to protect the trade routes to the north. As the trade grew as did the power of the Kanuri Empire. In return for fabrics, salt, minerals and slaves, they received copper, guns, and horses. At the greatest extent, the Kanuri controlled a large strategic chunk of northern Africa. All the trade routes in north Africa had to pass through this territory. The culture of the Kanuri changed as their wealth increased, they gradually moved from a nomadic lifestyle into sedentary lifestyle build around urban centres, such as Njimi the first capital of the empire.

Following the death of Dunama Dibbalemi, internal rivalries began to seriously affect the empire. However in the early 1400s the Sefuwa dynasty reorientated from Kanem to Bornu, a kingdom to the west of Lake Chad. But it took until 1500 for the empire to regain its footing. The reign of Mai Ali Gaji (1497 - 1515) ended the internal division within the Empire, his forces recaptured the old capital Njima from the rebel Bulala dynasty, but he established a new capital at Ngazargamu. This revival coincided with the collapse of the Songhai Empire, creating an lucky opportunity into which the Kanem-Bornu stepped.

The Kanuri grew powerful enough during the reign of Mai Idris Alooma (1575-1610) to re-establish authority in the Fezzan area and the Hausa lands using a army equipped with muskets supplied by the Ottomans. Idris Alawma was another fervent Muslim, he saw his position as a mandate to spread Islam across Africa and internal jihads were launched to convert non-muslim subjects. He also set out the political and administrative foundations for the empire that was to last another 250 years.

The empire finally collapsed in the 1840s, it had been challenged by the growing anti-Muslim power of the Hausa states (see Usman dan Fodio) for many years (the Kanem capital had been destroyed in 1808) and the arrival of the colonial powers was the final blow. The empire was absorbed into the Wadai kingdom in 1846.

The history of the Kanuri from Mai Dunama Dibbalemi onwards is known from the Diwan (Royal Chronicles) discovered in 1850 by H Barth, a German archeologist.

The Kanem-Bornu Empire was a large African state which existed from the 9th century through the end of the 19th century and which spanned a region which today includes the modern-day countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The empire was founded by the Zaghawa nomadic people, who may have been the first in the central Sudan to acquire and make use of iron technology and horses.

The empire was first mentioned by Arab chroniclers in the 9th century, and by the 10th century the ruler of Kanem had control of the Kawar Oases, a vital economic asset. The political structure of the Kanem empire had most likely grown out of rival states coming under the control of the Zaghawa. In the 11th century the Zaghawa clans were driven out by Humai ibn Salamna, who founded the kingdom of Kanem with a capital at Njimi. The Saifwa dynasty was established, a dynasty which ruled for 771 years—the longest known reign in history. Saifwa rulers (known as mais) claimed they were descended from a heroic Arabic figure, and the dynasty greatly expanded the influence ofIslam, making it the religion of the court. Wealth came largely through trade, especially in slaves, which was facilitated by the empire’s position near important North-South trade routes.

The empire had a policy of imperial expansion and traded for firearms and horses, wielding huge numbers of cavalry. When a maidesecrated a sacred animist religious artifact, conflict occurred between the dynasty and groups like the Bulala. Conflicts from outside forces were also enhanced by the empire’s policy of collateral succession of brother succeeding brother which produced short reigns and unstable situations. In the late 14th century the Saifawa were forced to retreat west across Lake Chad and establish a new kingdom called Bornu. This is the origin of the name Kanem-Bornu.

Bornu expanded territorially and commercially, but increasing threats from other rival states, drought, trade problems, and rebellious Fulani groups eroded state control. Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi, a Muslim cleric, eventually defeated the rebellious Fulani and built a new capitol at Kukawa in 1814. His successors ended the Saifwa dynasty and the Kanem-Bornu Empire when they killed the last mai in 1846. Al-Kanemi’s Shehu dynasty was short-lived, and succeeded by slaver and warlord Rabih Zubayr, who was defeated by the French in 1900.

 

[Deadpool1986]

The Anthony Johnson Story
The following is from The Confederate Handbook by Curtis Patranella (page 14):
It was common practice in the early days of Colonization of the New World for the wealthy to sponsor the poor for passage to the New World. In exchange for passage, the poor would become an indentured servant for a limited amount of time (usually 2 to 7 years).

After their term of service, an indentured servant would receive their freedom and a modest plot of land to call their own.

Anthony Johnson came to Jamestown in 1619 as an indentured servant; and within 4 years, he worked off his debt and settled down with his wife as a land owner. By 1651, Anthony Johnson became wealthy enough to sponsor 5 individuals for passage to the New World. The sponsorship not only garnered Anthony workers, but also increased his land holdings by 250 acres in headrights.

Unlike his contemporaries, Anthony Johnson put a twist in the normal sponsorship, when he outright purchased one of his wards (an African) as a slave.

Within a year or two, John Casor (the slave) pleaded with a local farmer (Robert Parker) to save him. Casor stated that Anthony Johnson had sponsored him as an indentured servant and that he had worked off his debt, but Mr. Johnson refused to release him.

Outraged, Robert Parker took John Casor under his wing. Anthony took Parker to court. After a year and a half court battle, the English Court had to make a ruling on something they never had before… whether a man could possess another man as chattel.

In 1654, the decision was rendered, and the court ruled that “seriously consideringe and maturely weighing the premisses, doe fynde that the saide Mr. Robert Parker most unjustly keepeth the said Negro from Anthony Johnson his master….It is therefore the Judgement of the Court and ordered That the said John Casor Negro forthwith returne unto the service of the said master Anthony Johnson, And that mr. Robert Parker make payment of all charges in the suit.”.

John Casor had become the first ever slave of the New World Colonies.

The People of Jamestown, and elsewhere, began to see the benefit and cost savings of purchasing Africans outright for a life of servitude, as opposed to sponsoring freemen for a limited duration, and slavery was underway in force.

The above story is not spectacular, nor does it give rise to gasps of shock or surprise; what should surprise and shock you however is this…

Anthony Johnson, the man responsible for slavery in the New World was not named Anthony Johnson; that was the name he adopted upon arriving in the New World. Anthony Johnson signed on as an indentured servant under the name “Antonio, a Negro”. You see, slavery was birthed in the New World by a black man from Africa.

 

[Sinnerman]

Has anyone else been reading the history link I posted up?

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/dialogue/general-history-of-africa/volumes/

so much detail

 

[cole phelps]

 

[iBrowse]

@bdizzle is like the sons from Me, Myself & Irene

smart as fukk but always on some shyt



top flight thread breh...only on page 2 of 5 (@50 posts per page) but i can see why it was stickied ​

 

[↓R↑LYB]

@bdizzle is like the sons from Me, Myself & Irene

smart as fukk but always on some shyt



top flight thread breh...only on page 2 of 5 (@50 posts per page) but i can see why it was stickied ​

Preciate you preciating the fukkery breh

Like I always tell cats

Don't mind me, I'm just another lost nikka

 

[↓R↑LYB]

Just realized I haven't done an entry on anyone from the US yet. Gonna put up a new entry this week on.

 

[Sinnerman]

Candace of Meroe burning Roman garrison

The Roman conquest of Egypt put it on a collision course with the Sudanic powers of the southern regions. Kushyte forces undertook a preemptive strike into Egypt, penetrating as far south as the Aswan area, conquering Syene, Elephantine and Philae, and overthrowing recently erected bronze statutes of Augustus erected there. The head of one of these Augustian bronzes was carried off to Meroe as a trophy.Rome dispatched new forces under Publius Petronius to confront the Kushytes, and the European and African armies commenced a period of back and forth hostilities. The legions launched numerous attacks into Kushyte territory, which were matched by Kushyte counterattacks. Rome built forts at Qasr Ibrim and the Kushytes retaliated by raiding other Roman garrisons. A massive Roman invasion circa 24BC caused severe losses for the Kushytes at Dakka, but the overall campaign was inconclusive. Some Roman sources claim to have penetrated to Napta, the Kushyte capital, but a number of modern historians dispute this, since archaeological evidence is thin beyond the point of Sara. Whatever the actual limit of Roman advance however, a legion pullback saw a Kushyte resurgence just three years later, with strong reinforcements of African troops from further south. Kushyte pressure now once more advanced. The Roman commander Petronius again mobilized reinforcements and the African and European armies maneuvered in battle array for a showdown at Premnis, the largest major Roman garrison in the region.


Historical sources are vague on whether an actual battle took place. The fact that a powerful Roman force paused to parley, suggests a political decision, or military necessity brought on by a stalemate- with final outcomes that saw major concessions being granted to an enemy of Rome. Actual fighting was avoided and/or stopped by negotiations, and the Meroitic diplomats were invited to confer with the Roman emperor himself on the Greek island of Samos where he was headquartered temporarily. Roman interests appeared focused on maintaining a quiet southern border in Egypt, and during negotiations they eventually ceded Qasr Ibrim [and areas north of Qasr Ibrim in the southern portion of the "Thirty-Mile Strip"] to the Kushytes ca. 22–21 BC, signing a peace treaty with the latter on Samos. The treaty absolved the Kushytes of paying any tribute to Rome, and made the buffer zone off-limits to Roman troops. Roman emperor Augustus marked the agreement by directing his administrators ot collaborate with local priests in the erection of a temple at Dendur.

 

[Poitier]

Bantu people are partially responsible for the shrinking Khoisan population?

 

[BruhMayne]

Just realized I haven't done an entry on anyone from the US yet. Gonna put up a new entry this week on.

Drop it. Dont forget about the stickied threads breh