The History, Colonization, and Culture of Africa - Essay Example

First Last Number The history of Africa History can be considered to be the study and interpretation of the past social events and activities. History helps to understand and interpret how the world has been evolving as far as man activities are involved (Achebe 12). It helps us understand our place locally, regional and even globally. Each region in the earth’s surface at least has some histories, recorded or not recorded. Africa is considered the second most populated and also the second largest continent. Africa has interacted a lot with other continents and hence has played a role in shaping of its histories or these other continents (Kasongo 7). This is favored by its geographic position on the earth’s surface which promoted several trading activities between African and its neighboring continents. History has their distractors who do not believe the history they read or hear, but dismiss them as just mere myths and stories created out of fictions. Some have even went further to declare that some places antihuman race have no history. The German philosopher Hegel and Hugh Trevor-Roper a professor at the University of Oxford were very categorical to point such claims to the continent Africa. Hegel made a comment that Africa “is no historic part of the world; it has no movement or development to exhibit.” Hegel commented that they were the history makers in Africa and that when they leave Africa nothing is heard from that continent. A century later, Hugh Trevor-Roper made an almost similar claim in support of Hegel, stating “…there is only the history of Europeans in Africa. The rest is darkness…” (Carnoy and Samoff 3) Such claims were only made in the view of undermining the overall achievement of the residence of Africa over the time they have spent in Africa. However, such claims can only be made from the fact that no history was written at the time of occurrence and, no history was available early visitor of Africa to read (Carnoy and Samoff 3). It is only from such point of view that the African history can be considered not available to the historians. However, this can be explained from the fact that Africans themselves did not develop writing habit until the introduction of western education system in the nineteenth century. Hence there was lack of written information that historians can withdraw information of history from. However it is not totally darkness as lamented by Hugh; a few written information could still be obtained from the visitors such as the early Europeans that came to the continent then. Hence there is always some reference point as far as African history is concerned. However, many western people such as Hugh and Hegel who undermines the development of African had a different opinion (Acquah 5). Due to the geographical location of Africa and its surrounding continents, many interactions happened and is still happening between Africa and the other continents.in the colonial period there was trade taking place between Africa and the western states (M’Baye 7). The trade involved trafficking of the human being gold, ivory and bead among other goods. Due to this interaction, Africa has been undergoing evolution from their traditional and cultural practices has the visitors from the west influenced their behavior. Key areas which have been influenced includes family set up, education and religion. In this part, evaluation and discussion will be used to analyse how these areas functioned in precolonial and postcolonial periods. In the precolonial period, Africa consisted of a large number of independent societies that had good political organizations. The Zulu under Shaka in South Africa and kingdoms of Ashanti and Dahomey in West Africa are examples of the societies that attained a high degree of political governance even before the colonial period (Kasongo 4). During the precolonial period, traditional leaders and the traditional authorities were the most important institution. Any decision making for the societies was done at this level. It is through this institution that the day to day activities and running of the society were organized and effected. The relationship between the traditional elders and the community was crucial and it was through these elders that information was passed to the younger generation. In the precolonial periods, there were no formal schooling but Africans were still being educated (Kasongo 7). They possessed a customary education that suited the setup of the societies during the pre-colonial periods. In this education there were no focal classes, neither books nor professional trainers, but the youth was always under the elders to guide them in the ways of the community. The main aim why most African societies educated their members was for the sole purpose of preserving their culture and heritage of their tribe. Through such education, the youth was made to understand the operations and the survival of the society so that they could carry on with the community in the future. They also offered education and training to the young generation to teach about their environment and how to live with it. In the precolonial era, both formal and informal means were used to pass down the knowledge, skills and ideas to the younger generation. Among the subjects that were being taught include riddle, myths and even stories explaining the origin of man. Riddles were used to sharpen the youths thinking. There were even practical involved as boys would stage a mock battle to prepare them as warriors of the community as girls would also model dolls. In many precolonial Africa societies, formal education manifested itself mainly during initiation where an adolescence would graduate into an adult The coming of Europeans to Africa changed how Africans would now approach education with much of it now being a formal process whereby the instructor are now technical and professional instructors (Bassey 9). The Africans adopted the European formal education as it was viewed as essential for better communication and also to aid economic growth. Another area that has been most power by colonizers is religion. Africa was and still is a sacred continent (Acquah 6). Most African societies during the precolonial time believed that only one god who was the creator. In addition, they also believed other gods existed. These other gods were believed to control events that happened in every man’s lie. For example, they believed that the sun and the moon were being controlled by these gods. During the precolonial period there were no churches they would worship in shrines and places they considered holy e.g. under certain trees, at the foot of mountains, on river banks and many other sacred places. In terms of religions in African, very little have changed. African traditional beliefs and cultural practices remain separate and strong despite the influence by the missionary (Acquah 8). According to Acquash, African religion practices have even spread across other continents. In conclusion, knowledge about the past is a critical piece of information for our society. Africa has lost of stories that happened long before Europeans visit the continent. African elders taught this story to the each generation,and they made sure that the tradition remained consistent. However, the problem was that Africans did not write the histories of their own. This lead to claims such as those made by Hegel and Trevor-Ropers. European colonial administrators, missionaries and businessmen, kept clear details of their activities in the continent Africa. Therefore, most of the recorded history about Africa was during the colonial era. Due to language barrier and hostility of the administrators, they could cooperate with African elders to record past histories. This lead to several myths and inaccurate recording of some of the African ways. Reference Acquah, Lady Jane. "The Rise and Fall of States and Empires in Precolonial Africa." (Re)tracing Africa: A Multi-disciplinary Study of African History Societies and Cultures. By Salome Nnoromele and Ogechi Emmanuel Anyanwu. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt, 2012. 37-50. Print. Acquah, Lady Jane. "African Indigenous Religion." (Re)tracing Africa: A Multi- disciplinary Study of African History Societies and Cultures. By Salome Nnoromele and Ogechi Emmanuel Anyanwu. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt, 2012. 37-50. Print. Achebe, Chinua. "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness” Kimbrough, London: W. W Norton and Co. 1988, pp.251-261. M’Baye, Babacar. “The Economic, Political, and Social Impact of the Atlantic Slave Trade on Africa.” (Re) Tracing Africa: A Multi-Disciplinary Study of African History, Societies, and Cultures. Eds. Salome Nnoromele and Ogechi Anyanwu. Dubuque: Kendell Hunt, 2012. 177-191. Print. Kasongo, Michael. “European Expansion and the Scramble for Africa.” (Re) Tracing Africa: A Multi-Disciplinary Study of African History, Societies, and Cultures. Eds. Salome Nnoromele and OgechiAnyanwu. Dubuque: Kendell Hunt, 2012. 195-207. Print Carnoy. M., & Samoff, J. (Eds.). . Education and social transition in the third world. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.1990. Print. Bassey, M. Western education and political domination in Africa: a study in critical and dialogical pedagogy. London: Bergin & Gravey. 1999. Print. Read More