Thread: Black african civilization prior to european colonalization and racist stereotypes

i just recently started using this forum and was worried about the tales people chat of no black civilizations or nations prior to european contact. and i wanted to correct that. i also wanted to say something about the belief that savage blacks captured savage blacks and sold them to whites. i recently asked my great grand dad, who showed me some writings by an african ruler in the oyo empire in western nigeria. apparantly he was worried that the british where selling guns to another black nation the dahomey and that because the oyo empires attempts to replicate the rifles where unsuccessful they needed to trade more with the english. unfortunately gold was not what the english wanted but slaves. in most african society prior to european colonialism. slavery was only used on people who commited grievious criminal acts and prisoners of war. and the slaves could work their way out to freedom, they could also have children who where free and their relatives could buy their freedom. some black nations like the nri kingdom even outlawed slavery and any slave that set foot on their land wes free. u see slavery in west africa was seen as being more humane than executing someone for murder as spilling blood was often seen as taboo. and they where many laws concerning the treatment of slaves. but when white people arrived the game changed because of guns. u see guns gave a nation advantages and when whites sold it to a particular black kingdom other kingdoms where afraid they would be dis advantaged and also sought after guns. at first gold and spices and cloth was enough for europeans, but with the discovery of gold and spices in north and south america, slaves where needed to covert these resources. and the only thing blacks had to trade where slaves for guns. so as a result blacks started selling their criminals into slavery thinking the same rules of slavery applied to whites, but we all know now that was different. so the slave raids only started when the kingdoms ran out of criminals and then started raiding other kingdoms and sometimes going to all out war just for slaves to get more guns. why more guns u say what did they need them for. well many people have forgotten that for centuries black africans have been resisting arab muslim invaders who wanted to forcefully enslave and convert them and needed every edge they could get get guns was to sell slaves and thus a vicious circle began. of course they where blacks who sold their own people out simply fo profit, but in what culture or race has such people not existed. i apologise to west african descendants of the slavery diaspora. and now i will list west african civilizations, which black people in america can take pride in.



from what i can tell the nok civilization is west africas oldest as it started in 1000bc and from what i can tell it started up isolated as they where no advanced cultural influences nearby. i still dont understand why when ancient africa is potrayed on tv is always mud huts. i mean the where walled cites roads, written languages , science, universities like in ancient timbuktu. some had flags and constitutions. an some where even democratic. so why are they not mentioned. mind u these links are only from west africa they are many more in central east and southern africa





west african

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Mali_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Nri_kingdom

http://en.wikipedia..../Songhay_Empire

http://en.wikipedia..../Ashanti_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Ghana_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....em-Bornu_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....i/Fulani_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Benin_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Oyo_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....gdom_of_Dahomey

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Wolof_Empire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nok

http://en.wikipedia..../Hausa_Kingdoms

http://en.wikipedia....Mandinka_Empire





central africa



http://en.wikipedia....ki/Kongo_Empire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndongo

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Lunda_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....dom_of_Zimbabwe

http://en.wikipedia....m_of_Mapungubwe

http://en.wikipedia....i/Mutapa_Empire

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Rozwi_Empire



east africa



http://en.wikipedia....Axumite_Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia....ingdom_of_Kerma

http://en.wikipedia....Kingdom_of_Kush

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Mero%C3%AB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makuria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobadia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alodia

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Land_of_Punt



southern africa



http://en.wikipedia....ki/Zulu_Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakalava

http://en.wikipedia....Bantu_expansion





ps to add egypt was not a black civilization but nubia was. ancient egyptians where a mixture of nubians, and berbers, the only time it could have been described as a black kingdom was the time nubian kings conquered and ruled over it. present day egyptians are a result of arab, turkish, roman, and greek invaders.



my question is why does the media in general still insist on not showing ancient african cities, roads and politics except maybe some tiny villages whenever they want to represent ancient africa

Because, in the words of Paula Abdul, "What have you done for me lately"?





Instanbul was centre of world power and leadership for a thousand years. Now it's begging for Eurozone table scraps. The Chinese sailed a fleet to Florence and told whitey that the world was round and there were massive continets West of Europe. 400 years later the American navy was sailing into Shanghai dictating trade terms. I have never seen the Hapsburg empire shown in all its glory in a hollywood epic - and again we're talking about a thousand years of power.



Things change.





As far as representation goes, I think the Persians should be the ones who are pissed. They're lucky if they are even portrayed as human beings these days, rather than lord of the rings style ogres and trolls.

Africa had been flourishing for centuries alongside the rest of the world. European exploitation set them way back however, and only now are the gleams of recovery on the horizon.

[quote name='Dr.Knuckles' date='17 May 2010 - 10:35 AM' timestamp='1274117717' post='152068']

I have never seen the Hapsburg empire shown in all its glory in a hollywood epic - and again we're talking about a thousand years of power.



Things change.





As far as representation goes, I think the Persians should be the ones who are pissed. They're lucky if they are even portrayed as human beings these days, rather than lord of the rings style ogres and trolls.

[/quote]

Maybe the Persians will look a little better in this one.



http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/princeofpersia/



But it's Bruckheimer film so don't be suprised if the ancient Persians high five each other and it reminds you a little of Top Gun.



Anywho, my interruption is over. Back to Africa.

Tribal warfare is and was the problem in Africa.

Germs, Guns and Steel. Indisputable, and a must read.





prince of persia.... mmmm.. could that girl be any smoking hotter? I want to drink her bathwater.

[quote name='Morgan' date='23 May 2010 - 01:01 AM' timestamp='1274590906' post='154112']

Africa had been flourishing for centuries alongside the rest of the world. European exploitation set them way back however, and only now are the gleams of recovery on the horizon.

[/quote]

self exploitation set them back as it is doing today. It is not that different now than then as far as how things are done.

Whatever happened to Africa yesterday is nothing. China will exploit them like never before.

Persians are savages just like they are portrayed in that movie 300. Cool flick by the way. People try to be nice but let's face it. African civilization has never amounted to much. Have you ever seen the Ethiopians in Israel? They are not an asset to Israel. And come on what is Africa's greatest architectural achievement? If you've ever seen them they look pretty much like big mud castles. All of Africa hasn't produced a fraction of the scientists that the Jewish people have. I am sorry to be blunt but that's the way I am.

[quote name='Elder of Zion' date='11 June 2010 - 01:38 PM' timestamp='1276277904' post='160217']

Persians are savages just like they are portrayed in that movie [b]300. [/quote]





Do they still airbrush their 6-pack abs?