What initially sparked my interest in educating myself on pre-colonial western African civilizations stems from a heated debate I once had with one of my Hispanic school mates (let’s call him ‘Hector’) back in High School. What started the dispute was Hector’s bold (and rather racist) assumption of Black Africa (I refrain from the term ‘sub-Saharan’) not producing any kind of civilization, thus leading to his reasoning as to why the European conquest of the continent was so ‘successful’. He stated: "Sub-Saharan Africa didn't really produce any strong or formidable nations. I remember feeling a vein pulsate atop my forehead, causing me to grip my desk instinctively. Needless to say, I was taken aback by this statement, and immediately started to protest his ‘theory’. “That’s a highly inaccurate assumption!” I charged.
“Really?” he rebutted, “then name a civilization in Black Africa that rivaled the Europeans.” I was stumped to say the least. I almost refuted with Egypt, however I (as well as Hector) was aware of the seemingly endless debate that currently exists in the scholarly world over the ethnic origins of the ancient Egyptians. I stood there rocking my bottom jaw, contemplating hard to come up with a name, I was stumped to say the least. “There you have it,” Hector continued, “there is not one civilization you can name.”
He then killed off the conversation abruptly in a cold and sneering fashion, leaving me to sit in a state of anger, shame, and embarrassment. I sat there, brewing in a toxic concoction of negative thoughts laced with fury. The very fact that I could not name one single Black civilization had burned me, causing me to question many things about myself. Thoughts ranged from my personal identity, to my own sense of ‘Blackness’. I eventually felt the need to prove Hector wrong, and made it my mission to do so. Little did I know, my research would end up enlightening me on numerous levels. My knowledge of these civilizations would soon turn to realizations, causing me to have a more clear understanding of the global dynamics that surround the pre-colonial history of western Africa. However, it must be made clear. One cannot explore the history of the region as a collective account for all the states/civilizations that existed prior to European colonialism, for that would homogenize not just the history, but the different cultures and societies that flourished traditionally within the area.
On the evening of the deliberation, I made haste in collecting data to help substantiate my argument. Admittedly I feared that there would be no historical accounts of pre-colonial civilizations, or at least none without a tone of Euro-centrism. As I rushed to my computer, I immediately started looking for online resources for West African civilizations. The first one that happened to have stumbled upon was the Igbo kingdom of Nri. I learned how the Igbo people were skilled in iron smelting, creating a vast array of artifacts ranging from pottery to accessories such as majestically spherical anklets used by maidens. Perhaps what shocked me most was the fact the Igbo people have their own indigenous writing system known as Nsibidi (In-si-bi-dee). This writing system has existed with them since the 5th century AD. Not to mention that the Igbo people had their own banking system known as Isusu (Ee-soo-soo), in which there existed an extensive system of loans and savings. The people of Nri also had their own complex religion known as Odinani, in which the principles are similar to that of Japan’s Shintoism. Odinani promotes the peace and harmony of man (mainly interpersonal peace), nature, and the cosmos (central to the supreme god, Chukwu), in which the balance is sacred and is to be upheld through the proper veneration of the ancestors, who will act as the protectors of such a bond. The kingdom of Nri was also reputable for their legacy of using non-violence to extend its imperial powers, for it would send mburuchi (roughly translated = converts) as messengers and would convince communities to give their allegiance to their ruler, the Eze Nri (literally, the Divine King).
I was extremely pleased to have learned about the Igbo people, and while I was impressed at how complex their society was, I was frustrated at how limited the information was. So I continued to look for other complex societies that existed in Western Africa. It didn’t take me long before I stumbled up the Asante (also spelled Ashanti) empire, known as Asanteman in the Akan language. While studying up on the Asante, I was pleased to learn that one of the reasons why the Asante are acknowledged is due to their intricate architecture. Materials such as mud, wattle and daub, were used to construct courtyard based homes and their extensive shrines that were decorated with intricate and vibrant reliefs. This resulted in sophisticated structures that caused even European colonists to marvel. In Dr. R. A. Freeman’s “Travels In Ashanti and Jaman”, he spoke of the complexity of the architecture of his residence in Asanteman. In one instance he stated: “…[it was]…very highly ornamented…[and by far]…the largest in the compound and much more handsome than any of the…[other buildings]…” (R.A. Freeman p. 113). The Asante are also credited for their arts, which in this case would tie in to communication. Similar to the smoke signals that Native American tribes used, the Asante used a system of long distance communication in the form of a drum, the "talking drum" to be exact. Messages would be rapidly drummed well over a hundred mile radius, a concept similar to the telegraph (or in more modern terms, a text message).
After educating myself about these cultures, I came to a point in which I felt highly empowered, and proud. I wasn’t just proud at the fact that the Asante and Igbo existed at all, but rather, they pay testament to the fact that West Africa (as indeed, the rest of ‘Black Africa’) comprised of many vast and complex societies and polities; sovereignties that had long histories and extensive power. However, I was agitated at the fact that there wasn’t enough resources on the history of this region, which caused me to come to a realization of another fact that exists. History is always told by the victor which equates to there being a slant in the story, causing the lines of truth and fallacy to be blurred. That said, I had to accept the fact that the information that colonists chose to ignore (about west African societies) could never be recovered, which is why pre-colonial African History is virtually non-existent in American History books. I was both humbled and angered by this fact.
The following day, as I passed by Hector, I opened my mouth about to resume the intense discussion. Yet, I asked myself, “What have you to gain from arguing with him?” I realized that arguing with Hector would probably not make a difference in how he perceived the African continent, or the African people in general. Knowing him, he wouldn't have cared to listen in the first place. However, I was content in knowing that he had encouraged me to do extensive research on traditional societies that I, as a product of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, could possibly descend from. So I allowed him to live in his ignorance, gaining full pleasure at the fact that I was enlightened about the history of a region that is often deemed as “plighted”. Despite the fact that information on pre-colonial African History isn't mainstream, I have become empowered on many levels. Its come to a point in which I flaunt my skin with pride unapologetically, just as how Americans of other races speak passionately and proudly about their cultural heritages. I too deserve the right to exhibit heritage, and I pray that one day that I can pay homage to my ancestors. And I can only hope, that the academic world take African history serious enough to tell the story right, without dwindling their significance as centralized states and advanced civilizations.
WORK CITED:
-McGregor, J.K. "Some Notes On Nsibidi". The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. June 1909. Web 3 May 2011.
-Afigbo, A.E. "Traditions of Igbo Origins: A Comment". History In Africa: A Journal of Method. 1983. Web 3 May 2011.
-Freeman, R.A. "Travels and life in Ashanti and Jaman". Library of African Study.1898. Web. 3 May 2011.
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