IROHIN

SPRING 2001

Taking Africa to the Classroom

A Publication ofThe Center for African Studies

University of Florida

IROHIN

SPRING 2001

Taking Africa to the Classroom

A Publication ofThe Center for African Studies

University of Florida

Editor/Outreach Director: Agnes Ngoma LeslieLayout & Design: Pei Li Li

Assisted by Kylene Petrin

427 Grinter HallP.O. Box 115560

Gainesville, FL. 32611(352) 392-2183,

Fax: (352) 392-2435

Web: http://nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu/~outreach/

Teachers’ Workshops. The Center offers in-service workshops for K-12 teachers on theteaching of Africa.

Summer Institutes. Each summer, the Centerholds teaching institutes for K-12 teachers.

Publications. The Center publishes teachingresources including Irohin, which is distributed toteachers. In addition, the Center has also pub-lished a monograph entitled Lesson Plans onAfrican History and Geography: A TeachingResource. Teachers may request for free copies ofthis publication.

Library. Teachers may borrow video tapes andbooks from the Outreach office.

Community and School Presentations. Facultyand graduate students make presentations onAfrica to the community and schools.

enter forC

Research Affiliate Program. The programenables African specialists at institutionswhich lack adequate resources to increasetheir expertise on Africa through contact withother Africanists and by accessing African-related resources in the University of Floridalibraries. Two one-month appointments areprovided each summer.

Part of the Center’s mission is to promoteAfrican culture. In this regard, it invitesartists such as Dolly Rathebe, from SouthAfrica to perform and speak in schools andcommunities.

frican StudiesAOutreach Program at the University of Florida

The Center is partly funded under thefederal Title VI of the higher education actas a National Resource Center on Africa.As one of the major Resource Centers,Florida’s is the only center located in theSoutheastern United States. The Centerdirects, develops and coordinates interdisci-plinary instruction, research and outreach onAfrica.

The Outreach Program includes a variety ofactivities whose objective is to improve theteaching of Africa in schools from K-12,colleges, universities and the community.Below are some of the regular activities,which fall under the Outreach Program.

Contents

Geography of Africa ....................................................

Africa and Its Vast Kingdoms .....................................

Africa Through The Senses .........................................

Introduction to Calligraphy ........................................

The Truth About African Cloth ..................................

Adire Cloth: Yoruba Art Textile ....................................

Types of Instruments in Africa ....................

Geometric Design in Angolan Pottery ........................

Kenyan Folklore and Art .....................................

Government: Understandingthe African Political Situation .................................

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Editor’s Note

Every summer, the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida hosts aK-12 teachers’ institute. The objective of the institute is to help teachers broadentheir knowledge about Africa and develop lesson plans to use in their classrooms.The creative lesson plans in this issue of Irohin were written by participants in the2000 institute. Please feel free to use these materials in your teaching and sharethem with other teachers. Write or call the Center for additional copies.

Sincerely,

Agnes LeslieAgnes Ngoma Leslie,Editor/Outreach Director

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K-12 teachers who wrote the articles for this Irohin pose for the picturedressed in African clothing: James Miller, Tamara Bako, Kelly Verner, JohnFuller, Sylvia McCullars, Robert W. Wendt, Agnes Leslie (Institute Director),Antoinette D’ Assomption (presenter), Dorian Thrailkill, Ebony Young andKathy D. Dyce.

Insert isBeverly Finley,playing anAfrican drum,who alsoparticipated inthe institute.

Geography of AfricaBy John Fuller

Objectives(1). The students will gain an understanding ofAfrica’s diverse geographical makeup and therole that geographical features have played inthe development of Africa.(2). They should gain an understanding of thesize of Africa and learn of the locations of someof Africa’s early empires.

OverviewIn a class discussion go over the differ-

ent geographical features of Africa using a wallmap or overhead transparency of Africa. Havethe students use a desk map or the Atlaseslocated in their text book. Include in the dis-cussion the following ideas and information.

1. The major physical features of Africanincluding the major mountain ranges, deserts,rivers and climatic regions.2. The impact these geographical featureswould have had on the development of societiesin Africa.3. The major early civilizations of Africaincluding Ghana, Mali, Songhai and Zimbabwe.Include in the discussion the major trade routesof these empires, the cultural aspects of them,and the role the geography had on their culturaldevelopment.4. The impact these geographical features hadon the development of trade. Point out thenarrow coastal plains, short length of the navi-gable parts of rivers from the coast. If avail-able, show a video of the geography of Africa.5. Have the students complete the map ofAfrica.6. Have students use the map and an Atlas ofmodern Africa to answer questions to help themgain an understanding of the geography ofAfrica and of the areas occupied by the early

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empires of Africa. The following are examplesof the type of questions you might want to use:

• Notice the narrow coastline of Africa and thelack of natural harbors. How would this impactthe development of trade by the early empires?

• How would lack of harbors and coastalislands affect the development of maritimetechnology of the people of Africa?

• Look at the location of the empire of Songhai.List five present day African nations that arelocated there today.

• Look at the Climate Zone map of Africa inyour Atlas. What are the four climate zonesfound in Africa?

• How would the type of climates found inAfrica affect where the different empires ofAfrica developed?

• Africa is the second largest continent in theworld. What is its size in square miles?

• The United States of America is 3,615,123square miles. How many times would theUnited States fit into the continent of Africa?

Follow-up ActivitiesHave the students research in groups or

individually, different countries. Each groupcould then present their information to the classusing a poster to show a map, the flag, and otherselected information.

Students could create travel brochures topromote one of the present countries of Africa.These could be displayed on a bulletin board toshare the information.

ECOLOGICAL AREAS OF AFRICA

It is important when teaching history tostop, review and reflect on the Great AfricanEmpires, its people and their enormous contribu-tions before continuing with the story of slaveryin America. It is imperative as teachers that weleave our students with the whole story of thepeople of Africa and their descendents. Thestory of America is and always will be con-nected to Africa.

This lesson is specifically designed for8th grade American history students. Thelessons are geared to the block schedule withapproximately 80 minutes for class time (oneweek). Get your classroom in a state of readi-ness. Collect pictures of the continent, art workposters, and play music from different Africancountries.

Goals• Students will gain knowledge about the vast

continent of Africa and its Great Empires.• Students will be able to name the regions of

Africa and list at least 35 countries in Africa,• Students will be able to compare the Africa

before the 1600’s with Africa today.• Students will gain knowledge about the

different regions of Africa.

Gear-Up Activities• Have students name as many countries in

Africa as they know in one minute.

• Have students complete a political map ofAfrica.

• Have students complete a puzzle of Africa(nice review activity). Use an already mademap cut by political boundaries and lami-nate, or use an opaque projector to enlarge,trace and laminate.

• Dispelling stereotypes and myths, havestudents brainstorm what they have learnedabout Africa through the media

• Go over list of politically correct terms(negatives and positives).

• Ask students to make a list of contributionsmade by Africa such as music, dance, instru-ments, language, science, math, folk tales,books, etc.

• Have students make a chart of foods theybelieve to be from Africa.

• Have students make a chart of resourcesfrom Africa including minerals, and naturalproducts, etc.

Have students create a concept map onthe West African Empires and the East AfricanEmpires in order to organize their ideas. Stu-dents may use the facts below, time line, andmaps. You might also want to pull books formthe media center and allow students Internetaccess.

Students may work in pairs. Have themname at least four major cities and cite at leasteight facts on each concept map. Pictures can beused to enhance the concept maps. Allow aboutten minutes for each group to present. In addi-tion, videos on the Great Empires of Africa canbe shown.

MaterialsConstruction paperSharpiesColor markersColoring crayons

Africa and Its Vast Kingdoms By Beverly T. Finley○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Africa’s Major Kingdoms

Through the 1800s

West African Empires and Kingdoms• Arab conquerors intent on spreading the

Islamic religion swept into North Africa inthe 600’s.

One Arab wrote... “There is a country where gold grows

like plants in the sand in the same wayas carrots do, and is plucked at sun-set.”

• People in the “land of gold” called their home Wagdu, their capital.

• Kimbu, and the Soninke (soh-NIGN-kah)lived in an area that included parts of mod-ern Mauritania, Senegal and Mali. Ghanarose to power between AD 300 and 500. Itwas the first of three empires to take advan-tage of a location that lay at the crossroads oftrade”. The heart of the trade was salt, goldand ivory.

• Ghana had a strong central government andused their taxes to protect their people andsurrounding areas. Taxes enriched the kingand enabled him to build bigger armies, paymore officials and maintain the beautifulcourse that led the Soninke to give theirkings a new title - Kaya Maghan, whichmeans “master of gold.”

• By the late Middle Ages, most Europeangold came out of West Africa—a place littleknown to Europeans.

• Trade included a number of Africans. Thesystem of owning people had existed forhundreds of years and in most parts of theworld, including Greece and Rome. Inaddition, Africans enslaved other Africansthey captured during wars. This type ofslavery was much different from the slaverywhich later came to the Americas.

• The slavery practiced by Africans allowedenslaved people to earn or purchase theirfreedom. Sometimes slaves became part ofthe household.

• At first, trade with the Muslims across theSahara enriched Ghana. The King of Ghanaallowed the practice of Islam within theempire, some towns had as many as 12mosques.

• In the l000’s, Muslims, Berbers from NorthAfrica launched a war against Ghana. Thebattles exhausted Ghana’s power, and in itsplace, two empires rose - Mali and Songhai.Both empires flourished from about 1240-l5OO’s.

Rise of Ghana

Islam sweepsNorth Africa

Hausa city-statesfounded

Almoravid invadesGhana

Mali builds empire

Rise of Benin

Songhai buildsits empire

Moroccansinvade Songhai

600s l000 1076 1240 -1400 1400 1464 -1591 1591

WESTERN EMPIRE

300s-500

• Mansa Musa, leader of Mali, after his pil-grimage to Mecca, persuaded some ofIslam’s finest architects, scholars and otherprofessionals to return with him to Mali.There they constructed buildings and schoolsin the famous Timbuktu. Mali was latertaken over by Summi Ali leader of neighbor-ing Songhai.

• In 1591, an army from Morocco marchedinto West Africa in search of gold. TheMoroccan army defeated the Army ofSonghai.

Kingdoms of the Grassland and Forest• The Hausa people lived mainly in present

day Nigeria. They formed city-states, whichwere self ruling states made of a city and itssurrounding territory. By the 1100’s sometowns were encircled by walls.

• Lots of trading took place with surroundingareas, cotton, iron and animal skins. Tradingof leather and other items reached as far asMorocco and Europe. Katsina and Kanobecame major centers of commerce andlearning.

• Benin was one of the best known of thekingdoms in the rain forest area. Peoplesuch as the Yoruba and Bini and many otherslived in this area in states such as Ife and

Oyo from 1400’s and 1500’s. The Oba, orruler, named Ewuare greatly expanded thesize of Benin. He set up a strong govern-ment.

• The Kongo consisted of a number of smallkingdoms ruled by a powerful leader calledManikongo. The people of Kongo knewhow to melt copper and iron. The Kongobecame another area for trade.

East Africa• Small trading communities grew along the

coast. The main trading partners wereArabs. These states became very powerfulin trading for gold, copper, ivory and slaves.

• By 1100 Kilwa had become the center of theEast African gold trade. Kilwa was a walledcity with wide streets, impressive palaces,and beautiful mosques.

• Zimbawe built up a large trade with thecoastal regions of east Africa

• The Bantu speaking people began a secondwave of migration that continued fromroughly AD 100 to 1000. They carried withthem skills learned in their original WestAfrican homeland: mining, iron making,goldsmith and pottery.

EASTERN EMPIRE

1000 -500 B.C.

Bantu migration out ofWest Africa begins

Bantu-speakers move into on the East Coast. Zimbabwe becomes a powerful Kingdom

Swahili harbor townsreach their peak

Enslaved Africans revoltin present-day Iraq

Matope builds oneof the largestAfrican empiressouth of the equator

200 - 900 869 1300 1450 - 1480

Above: Map of Great Zimbabwe.Below: An aerial view of the Great Zimbabwe Ruins.

What’s In A Region?Divide students into five groups. Each groupwill represent a Region of Africa: North Africa,West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa andSouthern Africa. Students will need time in themedia center and access to the Internet. Eachgroup is responsible for a visual and oral presen-tation. Explain to the groups that they are on afact-finding mission.

Terms to review: imperialism, capitalism,nationalism, economics, exploitation, ethnicgroup.

Suggested questions:• What is the region like geographically?

Natural resources, climate and physical features.

• What major countries does your regioninclude?

• What ethnic groups make up your region?

• Can any of the ethnic groups in your regionbe traced to the Americas?

• What are some of the customs, languagesand traditions of at least two groups withinyour region?

• How did imperialism affect your region?What European countries controlled yourarea?

• What are the major economic resources ofyour region?

• What are some major problems facing yourregion today?

• What is happening currently in at least twoof the countries in your region? Internetsuggestions: African News On-linehttp:www.africanews.org/

• Have students research art, music, and foodfrom their area. With the excitement of theproject, I’m sure they will want to sharesome of the art, music and foods from theirregion.

Suggestions for Presentation• Use PowerPoint slides.

• Role play - Have students pretend they areinvestigators who are reporting on thedifferent regions and complete an interviewwith people of the past and the present.

• Use art or drawing to answer the missionquestions.

• Discussion groups - present the informationorally and visually.

• Students may show parts of African Videos in their presentations. (20 minutes)

• Have students brain storm questions to answer in their group research topic. Stu- dents will have other suggestions, make sure each person in the group has at least two questions to research and share with their group and later to the class.

Homework AssignmentHave students write a four-paragraph essay onone of the following topics:

a) What effect did imperialism have on Africa?b) Explain the contributions of a specific region

or ethnic group to the world.

Culminating ExperienceBring guest speakers from the different regions.Have speakers come out to your school anddiscuss the history, art, music and literature ofAfrica. Contact the Center of African Studies inyour area.

Africa is a huge, diverse continent. It isthe second largest continent in the world. Africais so vast that the landmasses of the UnitedStates, Europe, India and Japan could fit into itand there would still be plenty of empty space.It is the diversity of the land and the people ofAfrica the students will learn about through theuse of their senses.

Objectives:Each student will:1. Develop core knowledge about the countries

that make up the continent of Africa.2. Select a country to research through the use

of their senses and observation skills.3. Create a 3-D puzzle map of the country

selected.4. Develop a rubric for evaluation.

Objective #1Develop a core knowledge about the countriesthat make up the continent of Africa.

Week One. Begin a class and individualKWL chart. Complete the “what we know” and“what we want to learn” sections on a large chartto show all responses.• All students are given a 3-ring notebook and

a composition booklet for notes, journals andhandouts.

• Explain goals and expectations for the unit“Africa Through The Senses.”

All classrooms should have a “WORDWALL” where new vocabulary for the unitbeing studied is displayed. Students write wordson paper strips to be hung on the wall.

Besides the KWL chart students may usethe five question words as a bases for acquiringknowledge.

Where? What? Why? When? Who? and How?Where: location / comparisonWhat: continent / to be learnedWhy: contributions / importanceWhen: period of time / historyWho: peopleHow: to put it all together

Week Two. During this time, the teacher willgive an overview of Africa’s five regions- NorthAfrica, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africaand South Africa.

North Africa encompasses the SaharaDesert and stretches from the Atlantic coast tothe Red Sea. Countries include: Algeria, Egypt,Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara.

West Africa includes the many countries clustered around the western curve of thecontinent, adjacent to the Gulf of Guinea and theAtlantic Ocean: Benin, Burkina Faso, Coted’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania,Guinea-Bisseau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Niger,Senegal, Sierra Leone and Cameroon.

Central Africa includes the countries tothe west of the Great Rift Valley of Africa,located just north of southern Africa: Chad,Central African Republic, Congo, EquatorialGuinea, Gabon and the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo.

East Africa includes countries betweennorthern Africa,southern Africa and east of theGreat Rift: Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya,Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan.

Southern Africa consists of countries inthe southern part of the continent, plus thenearby island of Madagascar: Angola,Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi,Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, SouthAfrica, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

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Africa Through the SensesBy Kathy Dyce

INTRODUCTION: REGIONS OF AFRICA PRESENT DAY

1. NORTH AFRICA 2. WEST AFRICA 3. EAST AFRICA 4. CENTRAL AFRICA 5. SOUTH AFRICA

Objective #2Select a country to research through the use ofthe senses and observation skills.

Using Senses in Research. Our senseshelp us to compare and contrast things in ourenvironment; they help us to distinguish factfrom opinion. By using our senses, we are ableto question things in our environment in order tobe a good observer. When we use the senses toobserve something in our environment, we relateour perception to something tangible to betterunderstand it. For example, “It’s as light as afeather.”

Emphasize to the student...

To Be A Good Observer, One Must Ask Many Questions!

The Sense of Sight Students will use de-scriptive words / drawing to identify how some-thing looks.Color. Use samples from a paint store andcrayon samples.Size. Drawing and measurement with standardand metric system.Shapes. 3-D words, ie. teardrop, egg, pear,cone, cylinder. Look for a pattern.Sights of Africa. Most of the information aboutAfrica will come through the printed word andvisual arts (Geography, People, Arts/Creativity).

“However privileged the ear in verbal

cultures, it has always been true that

man has lived by his eyes.”

-Robert F. Thompson, Black Gods and Kings

The Sense of Taste. Students will use theirsense to describe something that can be tasted oreaten. Not everything should be put in one’smouth. Our taste buds comprise of four tastes:sweet, sour, bitter and salty. The descriptionmust be familiar to one’s environment. Forexample, “Gross, this tastes like medicine.”

The Sense of Touch. Students will use theirsense of touch to describe how something feelswhen touched with the hands.Texture. Contrast or connect something elsewith object. For example, smooth vs. rough,coarse vs. fine or hard vs. soft.Weight. Heavy or light.Moisture. Wet or dry.Temperature. Hot or cold.

Many African artifacts, such as this “stand-ing man,” can be seen in museums in the US.

Movement. Students willexplore movement as a formof expression and communica-tion. Create a vocabulary listthat describes different formsof movements/purpose.Movements of Africa: dance,music and drama.

The Sense of Sound. Students will use theirsense of hearing to describe sounds in theenvironment. The class can make a list of soundwords to refer to when describing the sound thatis heard. The description must be familiar toone’s environment.Sounds of Africa. music, languages, history,literatures and story telling.

Above: Master drum-mer, Mohammed D’Acosta, cheered teach-ers in the SummerInstitute with his drum-ming skills.Left: Summer Instituteteachers experienceAfrican music anddance.

A duuliga violin madewith a calabashcontainer, snake skin,leather, a piece ofhorsetail and a twig.

The Sense of Smell. Students will use theirsense of smell to describe scents within theenvironment. This sense as it relates to observ-ing is limited. Some things do not smell. Whenstudents are describing a smell, they need torelate it to something that is familiar to most.For example, “It smells like baby powder.”Smells of Africa: foods, spices and thingswithin the environment.

Objective #3Students will create a 3-D puzzle map of thecountry selected.

Creating a 3-D Puzzle Map.1. Get a current and accurate map of Africa.2. Determine the size of the puzzle and place- ment in classroom.3. List of materials needed.4. Resources: people and businesses.5. Time line for project.6. The puzzle piece and what should be on it.7. After completion determine who to share final product with. Ask question, “Who might be interested in learning more about my project?” P.T.A., parents, friends, neigh- bors, clubs, teachers, classes, art center, university, senior citizens, general public.

Objective #4Develop a rubric for evaluation.

Development. Here are things to considerwhen developing a rubric for the African report.Other ideas may be added, but try to keep itsimple. Determine specific things that should bein the written report. Score each of those areasand additional information can be a bonus forstudents.Title page. Title, name, school, grade and year.Neatness. Written report’s focus, organization,support, details and conventions.Map of Africa. Oral presentation of project,student creativity and audience participation.

Evaluation of the Unit.1. The class will complete the KWL chartSection “what we learned” in groups duringclass. Students may do their own chart later athome.2. The final evaluation will be a question the

students will answer for themselves.

• “How can I do something creative with myknowledge about the subject that I have stud-ied?”

• “What type of goals may I have now?” Forexample, to change something for the better orto explain something.

Selecting a Country for Research.1. Students will select an African country to

study. The class determines the selectionprocess for selecting a country.

2. Brainstorm what research information shouldbe in the report. Here is a list of things to beconsidered: official name, capital, flag,currency, map, language, food, population,people, customs, education, land, climate,vegetation, natural resources, news, events,traditions, animals/ insects, children, religion,clothing, weather, sports, recreation, art,music, dance.

3. Brainstorm what resources may help in theresearch of information. Here is a list ofsources. books, maps, travel agency,

4. Brainstorm ways to share research informa-tion through a product.

Written FormatInterview Community ResourcesCollage of Words and PicturesBooklet/Four GuideVideo Tape/CassetteMusicalDioramaSlide ShowPoemPhotographsModelScrap book

5. Create time line for completion6. After the brainstorming, the teacher will develop handouts for the students with specific information regarding #2, 3, 4, and 5.

businesses, university, library, almanac,friends, neighbors, newspapers, games,How-To Books, films, museum, teachers,internet, catalogs, dictionary, field trips,biographies, famous people, farm, perfor-mances.

Size of Continental Africa Comparedto the United States

Introduction to CalligraphyIntroduction to CalligraphyIntroduction to CalligraphyIntroduction to CalligraphyIntroduction to Calligraphyby by by by by Sylvia McCullarsSylvia McCullarsSylvia McCullarsSylvia McCullarsSylvia McCullars

The Art of African Calligraphy

Objectives1. To recognize Calligraphy as an African art form that dated back to the earliest times.2. To show the technique of making a reed pen that was used in African calligraphy, especially Islamic calligraphy.3. Observation of alphabet letters of art from Africa.

Art ActivitiesCutting a bamboo pen (lesson plan and illustration by Ward Dun-ham). In Gainesville, bamboo can be purchased from KanapahaGardens.

Follow-up art activity can be the use of the pen and makingstrokes and letters or designs.

Materials1. Calligraphy pens available in art stores in U.S.2. Reed pens if available.3. Black bamboo and knife for demonstration.4. Maps of Africa and a globe.5. Examples of African or Islamic calligraphy.6. Visit www.catalog.com/gallery/techni.html for more informa- tion about how to make a bamboo pen.

Marking and writing can be traced back to early civilizations. Cavemen marked lines to indi-cate victory for killing beasts. As time passed, making letters and alphabets became an art. We knowthat quills were used in Colonial time and later reed pens. Reed pens were used in England prior tothat. The history of reed pens in Africa seems very scarce, but we know reed pens were used to makeIslamic letters of alphabets, as it is known Mohamed was skilled in Calligraphy. The term calligraphy derives from the Greek word “good” or “beautiful” and refers to whatmasters called the art of fair writing. Further, Britannica says it implies a sure knowledge of thecorrect form of letters, for example, the conventional signs by which language can be communi-cated. Calligraphy is the skill to inscribe them with such ordering of the various parts and harmonyof proportions that the cultivated, knowing eye will recognize the compositions as a work of art. In Asia, calligraphy is considered a major art, equal to painting. In African art, lettering andwords are mixed throughout textiles and are prevalent in some clothing styles, and of course in theirliterature, writings and books.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Ever since I was a child, I have beeninterested in clothes, especially clothes fromfaraway places. The great variety of colors,patterns, and textures fascinated me. A few yearsago, I wrote to a person in Ghana so I could learnmore about his country. However, as do manyAmericans, I thought Ghana was a state, likeFlorida, and Africa was the country. I did notrealize Africa was a continent. After writing andreceiving a few letters, I sent him a camera withfilm so I could see photographs from Africa. Hismother was a head seamstress in Sunyani andmade me a traditional type outfit in Kente cloth,which I treasured. He also sent me some tradi-tional sandals, which were pretty, but not ascomfortable to walk in.

Initially, I thought Kente-type cloth wasthe only traditional African cloth, but havediscovered through seminars and research thatthere are countless types of “traditional” Africancloths, depending on the region, religion andethnic group of the person as well as many otherfactors.

Variety in Traditional African DressI have also realized that African traditions

are just as varied as any other continent’s coun-tries. In addition, two African country’s tradi-tional dress and clothes styles can be as differentas Great Britain’s are from France’s or evenmore.

Some people in the same country maydress entirely different depending on the climate,their social status, societal role, religious prefer-ence, or the occasion. By the way, borders inAfrican countries are arbitrary invisible barriersthat have nothing to do with ethnic grouping oranything African, but were, rather, determined byEuropeans. Therefore, some people across theborders of one country may dress alike whilethose in the same country do not.

The Truth About African Clothby Tamara Bako ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Ashanti man from Ghana wearingthe popular kente cloth.

Clotheslotheslotheslotheslothes Descr ipt ionDescr ipt ionDescr ipt ionDescr ipt ionDescr ipt ion Ethn ic GroupEthn ic GroupEthn ic GroupEthn ic GroupEthn ic Group GenderGenderGenderGenderGenderdashiki loose fitting shirt and pants Yoruba malebusuuti long dress with sleeves Uganda femalesauka long sleeveless dress Uganda femalebuba shirt with loose sleeves Yoruba femalegele hat that is wrapped from cloth Yoruba femaleiro wrapped skirt Yoruba femalekanzu long white robe Uganda maleagbada robe-like with huge sleeves Yoruba malelapa wrapper type skirt female

Some Common African Clothes— their names, descriptions, and areas worn

Modern African DressIn the large cities, western clothes are

regularly worn. However, with the concept of“negritude”, many Africans are returning to theirroots by wearing their traditional cloths anddress. Often traditional African and modernwestern styles are combined to create a newmulti-cultural style.

In rural areas, a traveler is much morelikely to see traditional clothes with less westerninfluence, but western clothes are seen there aswell. However, if a person wants to see the“real” Africa, he or she should avoid the largecities and visit the rural areas because it is inthose areas where Africans follow more of theirparticular group’s traditional way of life.

As mentioned previously, the style ofdress depends a great deal on what part of Africaa person comes from. For example, much ofNorthern Africa is Islamic, which has a definiteeffect on their dress. Married Muslim womenin the Middle East and many of their counter-parts in Northern Africa often have their faceveiled and wear loose, long conservative robes,whereas in other parts of Africa, the body isaccentuated by dress.

gele

buba

iro

Adinkra Symbols:

SAFETY ANDSECURITY

HOPE

HYPOCRISY

THE POWEROF GOD

UNITY

JEALOUSY

GOOD LUCK

KNOWLEDGE

Clothes for Special OccasionsAdinkra Cloth from Ghana. Adinkra

means good-bye in Ashanti. Adinkra cloth isnormally only worn at funerals or period ofpersonal or national mourning. Adinkra cloth isstamped with special symbols with a stampmade of calabash. The dye is mixed with mudso the cloth cannot be washed for a year.

Men wear the cloth with white back-ground and women wear the one with coloredbackgrounds. They both wear the cloth in atraditional draped fashion.

dashiki

agbádá

An excellent resource book for themeanings of Adinkra symbolism is AfricanAccents Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate YourHome by Lisa Shepard, published by KrausePublications in 1999. She also gives greatinstructions for making African arts and crafts.

Another book for those interested inAdinkra is by Jane Kerina called African Craftspublished by the Lion Press in 1970.

The Importance of the Obete (apron) In order for an okpella male to gain title

status, he must go through important ritualsinvolving the wearing of the obete. The firsttitle status gained is manhood, the second isOkpella-hood and the third is Oghalo(elderhood).

The obete is made of red trade clothappliquéd with angular designs. Edo traditionsassociate the color red with protective powers toward off evil and protect its wearer.

Okpella TerminologyOmada is a indigo-dyed cover cloth or

shawl worn by women whose husbands’ holdtitle positions. It is the most complicated clothwork done by northern Edo women.

Older women also wear the omadadraped over their left shoulder during festivals orceremonies when they want to emphasize theirtitle status. Titled women also wear omada afterthey die.

Ogbo - this worldEga - a senior titled female elderilimi - the beyondugbakpi - spin and woven country cloth

The Importance of the WeaverIn many parts of Africa, weavers are

looked upon with awe and wonder. Men areusually the professional weavers while womenweave for themselves and their family. Womenuse an upright loom while men use a horizontaltype. The type of loom determines the width ofthe strips of cloth, which in turn determines whattype of cloth they will make.

Weavers are sometimes considered tobe endowed with special powers and some usedivination in their creation. Because cloth issuch an integral part of life—it is there when aperson is born, for special ceremonies andrituals, and when he/she dies. The weaver is anessential part of African culture whose clothcannot be compared to factory-made materialswhich do not have the spiritual essence.

Above: A traditional African loom used to

create Kente cloth. Below: Strips of Kente cloth

are combined to produce a larger cloth; however

a strips can also be worn as scarf

The Study of African Cloth in the Classroom

(1) Show and Tell.There are many places a teacher can ordertraditional and modern African cloth to sharewith the class. There is nothing like the experi-ence of actually being able to see, touch andwear African cloth. Order cloth from manydifferent areas to illustrate the great variety inAfrican dress. If the teacher cannot get the actualcloths, at least show illustrations —photographsand/or drawing of them and how they are worn.

(2) Discuss the Cloths.Where each cloth was from, its function, andwho would wear it - male, female, child, etc.

A Yoruba Ifa PoemThis poem compares a weaver to a spider. It reaffirms the idea of the supernatural involvement inthe weaving of cloth, thus indicating the importance of the substance of the cloth being in harmonywith the cloth designer - the weaver. It seems to suggest that the weaver must be able to dwellpeacefully with the earth and the other “worlds” and the supernatural in order for the creation to turnout all right.

When the farmer looks at cotton wool on the other side ofthe river,It seems to open its white teeth smiling joyfully.Ifa divination was performed for the Spider,Offspring of those who do all thingsIn a wonderful way.Ifa, in your own wonderful way.Bring all good things to me.When the farmer looks at cotton wool on the other side ofthe river,It seems to open its white teeth smiling joyfully.

- Abimbola 1977:56

Yoruba words for different cloth and clothdecoration methods:

adire cloth dyed in indigoadire eleko cloth painted with cassava starchadire eleso tie and dyeadire eleko brush boutiqueadire cloth dyeing

(3) Art Project. Use some of the methods described. For ex-ample, do an Adinkra stamp project, tye and dieT-shirts, or weave a simple shawl.

Useful References Regarding African TextileSieber, Roy. African Textiles and Decorative

Arts. The Museum of Modern Art, NewYork, 1972.

Borgatti, Jean. Cloth as a Metaphor: NigerianTextiles from the Museum of CulturalHistory (UCLA)

Spring, Christopher & Julie Hudson. NorthAfrican Textiles, Smithsonian Press,Washington D.C. 1995.

Stoltz Gilfoy, Peggy. Patterns of Life - WestAfrican Strip-Weaving Traditions.National Museum of African Art.

Picton, John & John Mack. African Textiles,1989.

The Art of African Fashion. Prince Claus Fund/African World Press. 1998.

Spring, Christopher. The Treasury of DecorativeArt - African Textiles. Moyer Press. 1997.

Sources of African FabricAfritex350 7th Avenue, Suite 1701New York, NY 10001888-9AFRITEXe-mail: info@afritex.com

As-Hro Fabrics 2748 Wisconsin StreetDowners Grove, IL 60515800-532-7476

G Street FabricsMail Order Service12240 Wilkins AvenueRockville, MD 20852800-333-9191

Harlem Market116 StreetNew York, NY 10035212-534-3377

Harlem Textile Works186 East 122 StreetNew York, NY 10035212-534-3377

Homeland Authentics122 West 27th StreetNew York, NY 10001800-AFRICAN

Tunde Dada House of Africa356 Main StreetOrange, NJ 07050-2703973-673-4446

African Internet and Catalogue ResourcesAdire African Textiles Gallerywww.adire.clara.nete-mail: duncan@adire.clara.net

African Crafts On-linewww.africancrafts.com

African American Shopping Mallwww.aasm.com

African Fabrics.comwww.africanfabrics.com770-996-3106

Gold Coast Africawww.goldcoastafrica.com800-818-5136

Kente Cloth Festivalwww.kente.net212-481-2481

Tunde Dada House of Africawww.tundedada.com

Bandele PublicationsP.O. box 21540Washington, DC 20009301-779-7530e-mail: bandele@erols.com

Stemmer House Publisher, Inc.2627 Caves RoadOwings Mills, MD 21117

The Yoruba people of West Africa are apeople that have maintained a rich artistictradition and creative genius for centuries.Wood sculpture, basket weaving, ceramics,weaving,iron worksand leatherworks, arejust some ofthe artforms theYorubaproduce intheir societyto expresstheir valuesand beliefs.

Thislessonfocuses on atie-dye resisttechniquecalled AdireAleko.

Adirecloth is anart formproduced bythe women of Yoruba. Cloth is an importantaspect of Yoruba and West African culture.Different Cloths convey messages, expressfeelings and convey prestige and wealth. TheYoruba ethnic group can be found in Nigeria,Togo and Benin so Adire can be found in differ-ent countries in West Africa.

There are two types of Adire cloth. AdireAleko is a resist technique using cassava pastewith flower and water. Feather quills or hardwooden sticks are used to create the differentmotifs and patterns seen on finished products.

Sometimes metal stencils are also used tocreate designs. One can also use hard stencilssuch as leather or cardboard if that is easier forthe students.

AdireOniko is aresist techniqueusing raffia orstring. Theknots cancreate smalldelicate dottingpatterns. Somecan be large(Alekete) orvery tinydepending onthe width ofyour knot(Olosupa). Forthe sake oftime, however,I have chosento use AdireAleko.

Each clothdesign or motifhas a name.

The same way Western artists give titles toconvey a meaning or emotions, Yoruba artists dothe same for their art. The names are expected tostart a pleasant train of thought in the mind ofthe beholder. Names of popular cloths:

Adire Cloth: Yoruba Art TextileBy James Miller○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Traditional Adire cloth comes in two’s and is 2 1/2 yards longfor each cloth. It is sown together to make one cloth.

Life is Sweet

All the Birds are Here

Carefully Done by Hand

Four Friends Who Should Know What to Do

Three Coins are Scattered Around the Room

Materials� 2 cloths of 2 1/2 yards each.� Corn starch resist: Corn starch, flour, alum.� Rubber bands, string, or raffia.� Hand tools: feather quills, wooden sticks, or popsicle sticks.� Indigo dye or any dark blue dye.

Some cloths tell a story in African societies.

ActivityAsk your class to think of some things that makethem feel good and turn them into titles.

Art CriticismShow a cloth you have produced or an authenticcloth made by the Yoruba.Discuss the patterns/motifs and their meaningand message the artist was trying to express.Perhaps there is a story behind the cloth?Can you identify the shapes?How many squares are there on this cloth?Are certain numbers important to the Yorubapeople?

Art AestheticsIndicate to the students the art principles

utilized in the cloth. Balance, for example, is animportant principle in Yoruba art. Squares areused so often because it promotes balance for theframework of the piece.

The Yoruba say...

“The pot that is as wide as it is highdoes not fall and spill the soup.”

In general, patterns are an importantaspect of African art. A thought or concept issymbolized by the shapes in the artwork. Askyour students how they see shapes function inAmerican society. Shapes repeated over againnot only become decorative but also representthe importance of tradition in Yoruba society.

Sometimes the cloths can tell a story inhistory or commemorate an event in someone’slife or in the society; for example, the birth of achild, the creation of the world or the crowningof a king. Ask your students about some impor-tant times in their life they could express on theircloth.

Crisscross designs in Yoruba art repre-sent the coming together of all things. All thingsare not the same, but in life they will meet.

Procedure1. Spread cloth out on even surface.2. Create a stencil or do a free hand approach.3. Let paste dry completely.4. Dip in dye. Traditionally they dip in the dye 3 times and use cold water.5. When the dye is dry, wash off starch. For a

traditional look re-dip one more time tosoften the contrasts. Put salt in the dye or inthe vinegar.

6. 0nce they are dry, sew the two cloths to-gether. Ashe! Your cloth is ready to wear orsimply display.

AssessmentCreate a procedure board so your students canfollow along with each step. Ask them ques-tions to help them understand the process.

GLOSSARY

African Diaspora. Any part of theworld where Africans or descen-dants of Africans live.Calabash. An African gourd.Cassava. A starchy African tuber.Motif. A recurring prominentelement in a work of art.Prestige goods. Objects, whichrepresent wealth, symbolically orliterally. The ownership of theseis restricted to very wealthy and/orpowerful people.Resist-dyeing. Any dyeing tech-nique in which the cloth is pre-pared in some way so that thedye reaches some parts of thefabric and not others. This can bedone through knotting or directapplication of a wax or paste.Adire Oniko. Adire cloth stitchedwith Raffia.Adire Eleko. Painting or stencil-ing designs on the cloth withstarch.ALekete. Small circles within aspiral.Olosup-Eleso. Large circles inshape of moons and fruits.Adire. To take or to tie.Raffia . The leaf fibers of thepalm tree. Yoruba women use theraffia as thread for the Adire cloth.

REFERENCESAfrican Fabric Crafts by Dendel.Flash of the Spirit by Robert Farris Thompson.The Yoruba Artist by Drewal, Abiodun, and Pimborton.

RESOURCESVideos, slides of Adire, a map of Africa, African cloths.Invite guest speaker or storyteller to come and speak about African Art.

c 1999-2001www.barrysclipart.com

Objective:Children will be able to recognize different typesof instruments in traditional African music.

Procedure:1. Ask each student to clap their hands and stomp their feet. Explain to the students that in Africa the clapping of the hands and the stomping feet is a very popular way of making music. Also explain to them that music is a language, just like spoken words form a language.2. Listen to different types of African instruments.3. Have them name the instruments that they had just heard.4. Have the students make their own Afri- can instruments and make their own music. Sing this song with them at the beginning and the end of the day:

Different Types of Instruments in AfricaBy Ebony Young○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Q: How do you spell Africa?

A: A-F-R-I-C-A.

Q: What’s the second largest continent in

the world, the whole wide world?

A: Africa is the second largest continent i

in the world, the whole wide world.

Q: How many parts to Africa?

A: There are four parts to Africa. North

Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa and East Africa. Wooden harps are just one of the many

string instruments found in Africa.

There are many typesof instruments used in Africanmusic including rattles, bowharp, drums, flute, tambou-rine, thumb piano and the xy-lophone.

Many types of drumscovered in leather skin arefound. Different wind instru-ments used include flutesmade from bamboo and ani-mal horns. Body percussionis very popular especially handclapping and foot stomping.Gourds are played with driedroots and shells attached tomake noise when shaken.

Traditional music anddance is still practiced, but itis decreasing because of ur-banization. Preservation of tra-ditional music is given specialattention in many of the coun-tries because of its historical,political and cultural importance.

DecoratedAfrica drum.

Geometric Design in Angolan PotteryBy Kelly Verner○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Angola and Its Arts� Angola is located in the southwestern part of Africa.� It gained independence from Portugal in 1975.� Many different languages are spoken, but the official language is Portuguese.� Traditional African religions are practiced, as well as Christianity.� Angolan artists work with wood, bronze, ivory, stone, and ceramics.� Ethnic groups have their own unique art.� Before the late 1980’s, the selling of arts and crafts was controlled by “Artiang,” which was an arm of the Ministry of Culture. This monopoly has ended, and the art world of Angola has blossomed.� The capital city, Luanda, has a population of 2 million and has an artists’ market every Sunday.

Objectives1. The student will create a decorated pot in the style found in Southwest Angola.2. The student will gain background knowledge about the people of Angola.3. The student will demonstrate an understand- ing of radial symmetry in the oku-taleka patterns.

Materialsclay, potters tools and wheel, pencils, brushes,paint, ink or glaze.

Procedure1. Go over the facts about Angola and its people.Visit www.angola.org. It is maintained by theembassy of the Republic of Angola in the UnitedStates and contains a wide variety of informationabout arts and culture, as well as maps, newspa-

Togo clay pot decorated with fine lines.

pers, stampsand much more.2. Show stu-dents the fivet r a d i t i o n a lshapes ofSouthern Afri-can earthen-ware. Discusspossible usesfor the variousshapes.3. Ask the stu-dents to choosea shape and at-tempt to form it using the wheel. If no wheel isavailable, the coil method is a possibility.4. Once the pieces have been fired, have thestudents choose one of the six patterns used bythe Nyaneka-Humbe women in southwesternAngola.5. Explain that these designs are called, “oku-taleka”, which means, ‘the drawings have to belooked at, or seen”. These patterns demonstrateradial symmetry.6. Have the students lightly draw (carefully andslowly) the design on the neck or upper part ofthe pot. This is where the women in Angola drawthe designs.7. Fill in the design with paint, ink, or glaze. Fire as necessary.

EvaluationThe student will be able to demonstrate an abilityto create the geometric patterns on the ware andhave a basic understanding of Angolan potterydesign.

Reference: Gerdes, Paulus. Women, Art, andGeometry in Southern Africa. Africa WorldPress, Inc. Trenton, N.J. 1998.

Objectives1. The children will be able to find Kenya in Africa on the world map.2. Children will learn that oral literature pre- ceded written literature and is a beautiful part of Kenya’s and Africa’s rich tradition.3. Children will be able to identify the seven continents and understand that Africa is the second largest continent with 54 countries.4. Read Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain.

Materials1. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema: Dial Books for Young Readers. New York, 1981.2. A world map and a globe.3. Overhead transparency depicting the other countries that would fit into Africa and trans- parency showing Africa’s individual coun- tries.

ProceduresDiscuss with children the fact that

Kenya’s many ethnic groups have a well devel-oped and sophisticated folklore which embodiestheir history, traditions and wisdom. Theirlegends recount the movement of people to andfrom the rift valley into the highlands, the grass-lands and the lake regions.

Famous historical figures are representedin myths and legends. Myths include accounts ofhow cattle were given to a certain people by God.Folk tales try to answer etymological questions,such as why the hyena has a limp. In manyKenyan cultures, the message that men would notdie was given to a chameleon, but he was so slowthat a bird got to man before him and gave themthe message.

Folk tales also recount the adventures oftricksters. In Kenya, tricksters are usually thehare or the tortoise. The ogre is another popular

evil character in many Kenyan folk tales.Ask the children if we have similar

folklore. They may be familiar with PaulBunyon and can recount and compare some ofour folklore. Ask the children if they thinkpeople in other parts of the world act like, dresslike, eat like, or talk like they do. When they say“No”, ask them if they know where Africa is.

Kenyan Folklore and ArtBy Dorian Thrailkill○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Teachers should also emphasize that Africa hasa well developed urban life. This is the NationalBank of Kenya in Kairobi.

Make a chart stating what we alreadyknow about Africa, what we want to learn andthen a blank column for what we have learned tobe used last. Have children point to a world mapand or the globe to show where Africa is. If theydon’t know where it is, show them and tell themthat they are going to learn about a man wholives in Kenya, Africa (Locate Kenya on themap), and they’re going to learn about the wayhe lives, and how it might be different or thesame from the way they live.

Read and discuss Bringing the Rain toKapiti Plain. Discuss the book with the chil-dren, asking them questions about Kenya andthe Nandi people so they’ll have a better under-standing of Ki-pat and his way of life.

Information and Suggested Questions• Why do you think the book is called Bringingthe Rain to Kapiti To Plain?

• What do you think the man is doing?

• Now he made a bow, let’s predict what he isgoing to do with the bow and arrow.

• Do you think these animals (giraffes, antelope)are afraid of the man?

• What kind of a place do you think they are in?Do they have little rain or abundant rain? Whydo you think this? There could be varied an-swers, but it is hot for part of the year and wetthe other part.

• Kenya is located on the East coast of Africaand the equator runs through the middle of it.Kenya is considered a tropical area because it ishot and humid. There are sand beaches, la-goons, rain forests, and swamps. The averagetemperature is 80 degrees all year long. Most(3/4) of Kenya consists of plains. It’s very dryand the soil isn’t very good for farming. Theplains receive about ten to thirty inches ofrainfall each year.

• There aren’t any major cities there, but nomadstravel throughout the land tending their flocks.There is a highland area in the Southwest thatreceives enough rainfall (40 to 50 inches a year)and has enough good soil to support farming.The majority of the people live here. There areforests and grasslands. Nairobi, the capital city,is located in the highland area.

• Have one or two children show where Kenya ison the map, and have the other children tell themif they are correct.

• Tell the children that they have learned aboutthe plains in Kenya and the people who raiseanimals. Have them draw what they think theplains look like and what the people look likewatching their animals.

• Ask the children if they think it is important tolearn about other people. Yes! So that we canknow that we are different but also have thingsin common.

Q. What is an acacia tree?

A. The tree on the cover of the book; any of a

genus of trees or shrubs of the pea family,having finely divided leaves and growing intropical or warm regions. (Scott, ForesmanAdvanced Dictionary, 1988).

Q. Which animal in the picture is an ani-mal that might eat the others?

A. The leopard.

Q. Is this similar to where we live?

A. Discuss the plains and the highlands of

Kenya, and discuss that not all places in Kenyalook like this picture because there are beaches,swamps, etc.

Q. What is it called when it rains and rainsand rains?

A. The Monsoon season.

Q. What are these animals?

A. The wildlife in Kenya is diverse. There are

elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinoceroses, zebras,antelopes, buffalos, cheetahs, leopards, croco-diles, eagles, land ostriches, storks.

Q. In this picture it is very dry, what is itcalled when an area doesn’t have water and itis very dry?

A. Drought. Most of the people in Kenya live

in rural areas, but many people go to the citiesevery year. The people in rural areas farm andraise livestock. Some people live as nomads,and they travel the land with their herds to findfood and water. The Nandi people are an ex-ample of a nomad group. They live in WesternKenya, in the plains, and they keep cattle, sheep,and goats as their way of life.

Q. What types of clothes do peole in Kenyawear?

A. Most of the men in Kenya wear cotton

shirts and pants or shorts, but many wear busi-ness suits. Most women wear cotton dresses orskirts and blouses and business suits. Somepeople that live in rural areas wear cloth thatthey wrap around their bodies. The nomads areespecially known for this.

Q. What do you think Ki-pat will do withthe arrow he made?

A. The children could give any answer, but

according to the folk tale, he is going to shootthe cloud to make it rain.

Q. Is it really possible to shoot an arrow ata cloud to make it rain?

A. No.

Q. Is it okay to pretend in this story?

A. Yes!

Q. Look at the houses they live in. What doyou think they’re made of?

A. Most rural people live in small houses made

of mud and wood. Cities have modern housesand buildings made of stone and cement.

Q. Do you think this a real story, why orwhy not?

A. No, because you can’t shoot a cloud to

make it rain.

Q. Why do people tell these stories, what istheir purpose?

A. To explain things that occur around them.

Q. Do we do this?

A. Yes, we do sometimes. Even though Ki-pat

lived far away from where we live now, and weare very different, we also have some things thatare the same.

Evaluation• Ask one or two children to point to the mapand show where Kenya is. Have the otherchildren correct or agree with the helpers.• Assess the accuracy of the children’s drawings.• Finish chart stating the things they havelearned about Africa.

Follow-up ActivityDivide students into four groups. Ask eachgroup to choose a country that interests themfrom one of the major regions of Africa andmake a report on that country.

Culminating ActivityHave parents prepare a few simple Africandishes and help children dress in traditionalclothing. Invite parents to come and listen tostudents present their group projects and serveAfrican food that has been prepared. Enjoy andhave fun!

Africa has seen many magnificentcivilizations in its long past. Ancient Egypt,Ethiopia, Mali and Songhai are some of themighty kingdoms that have existed on thiscontinent. Africans have a strong heritage anddiverse cultures, but this did not save them fromthe Europeans. Technology would be theirundoing. Africans did not have the weapons thatthe Europeans possessed. The slave tradedepopulated many areas of Africa, uprootingmillions of Africans who were forced to go asslaves to North and South America.

Colonial Powers EmergeThough Europeans had established some

colonies in Africa, it was at the Berlin Confer-ence where they decided to settle the scramblefor African territory. The 1880’s were viewed asthe critical period during the age of Imperialism(empire-building, domination of a people politi-cally, economically and militarily). Once ac-quired, the colonies were to be sources of rawmaterials and markets for the colonizers’ manu-factured goods. Cash crops like rubber andcocoa were to be grown for the colonial power atthe expense of food crops needed for the Africanpopulation’s survival. The conquered peopleand their cultures were looked upon as inferiorby the colonial power whose mission it was tocivilize and Christianize them.

Trade took place between the colonialpower and its colonies. The colonies were notallowed to trade with former neighbors whowere under the control of another colonizingpower. The boundaries these colonial powersdrew were in no way logical. The lines dividedethnic groups in half or included groups thatwere hostile to one another. This played into the

hands of the Europeans who practiced divideand conquer tactics where they would favor onegroup, usually a minority, over the others.Recently, this hatred played out in Rwandabetween the Tutsi and Hutus ethnic groupsresulted in genocide.

A Conqueror’s RuleThe British were the most liberal of the

Imperialists and ruled both directly or throughtraditional rulers who were subject to the crown.Although the British territory was much richer inmineral and agricultural wealth, the French hadthe largest empire in Africa. The French fol-lowed a policy of assimilation in which every-one was forced to adopt the French culture.

Belgian rule followed the principle ofpaternalism where it was the personal propertyof the king. Their rule, as well as the Portu-guese rule, was the most harsh for the Africanswho were forced to labor for their conquerors orsuffer mutilation. Unlike the British or French,the Belgians did nothing for education or infra-structure like roads and railroads. When theyleft, after the Congo had gained its indepen-dence, there were less than 50 college graduatesin the entire country and only 15 doctors.

The Spanish, Germans, and Italians hadcolonies in Africa as well. However, Germanylost her colonies because of her defeat in WorldWar I. Only two African countries, Liberia andEthiopia, escaped this age of colonization.Liberia had been settled by ex-slaves from theUnited States and Ethiopia which had been aChristian kingdom since the days of the RomanEmpire. However, Italy did try to conquerEthiopia near the start of World War II.

Government: Understanding the African Political Situation

By Robert W. Wendt○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

COLONIAL BORDERS 1914

survived this political trend, including Botswanawhich maintained its parliamentary multipartystructure since the time of its independence untiltoday. By the 1980’s, 60 percent of Africancountries had been under military rule.

The Cold War between the United Statesand the Soviet Union did much to keep thispolitical trend toward dictators in place. As eachpower sought to attract allies to their ideology, itgave its strong men financial aid that reinforcedmisgovernment instead of political and eco-nomic reform. The United States was guilty ofkeeping Zaire’s dictator, Mobutu Seko, in powerunder this practice. He looted the country ofmoney that should have gone into the societalsystem of that country. The Congo, as it wasrenamed, is today in danger of disintegrating asa state just the way Somalia did on the Horn ofAfrica, which the United States and the UnitedNations tried to prevent before withdrawing infailure in the 1990’s.

Sometimes the African states played oneside against the other as Egypt did when theSoviet Union built for it the Aswan Dam, andlater, after the Soviet Union had been kicked out,the United States rewarded Egypt with millionsof dollars in aid for making peace with Israel.Angola became a pawn in the 1970’s where theUnited States and the Soviet Union fought aproxy war. The Popular Movement for theLiberation of Angola (MPLA) was backed byCuban troops acting for the Soviet Union. TheNational Union for the Total Independence ofAngola (UNITA) was backed by the UnitedStates. This civil war is yet to be resolved.

Economic and Social TroublesFrom the period of the 1960’s to the

latter part of the 1980’s, many African countriesslipped deeper into debt that robbed them ofneeded capital of improvements in the infra-structure, education and health services. Thedream that had accompanied independence hadnot become reality for a number of reasons.Sub-Sahara Africa had become the poorestregion on earth. Standards of living had fallennearly 25 percent since 1960. Things began to

Fighting for IndependenceColonial rule in Africa ended in three

waves, the first being in the 1960’s with theBritish, French and Belgians giving indepen-dence to their possessions. Most countriesgained their independence without much blood-shed; however, there were exceptions such as inAlgeria where the French came to regard it as apiece of France.

The second wave came in the 1970’swith the end of Portuguese rule in Angola,Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau. South Africa,Zimbabwe and Namibia round out the countriesthat gained independence in the 1980’s and1990’s. South Africa ended its policy of apart-heid in 1994. This policy made Africans secondclass citizens in the country where they were inthe majority. Nelson Mandela, who had beendetained for 27 years, was elected as the firstblack president.

Colonial rule had been authoritarian andmost colonial powers left artificial institutionssuch as a national constitution and a parliamen-tary democracy which people were not ac-quainted with. The new governments believedthey would eliminate poverty, banish illiteracyand reduce the population growth and disease.In handing over the political institutions, theformer colonial powers maintained a controllinginterest in each country’s economics. Withoutthis basis, the new governments were bound tofail. Also, new countries were left with theartificial colonial boundaries. These boundarieswere given meaning by the OAU or the Organi-zation of African Unity in 1963 when its mem-bers agreed not to interfere in the internal affairsof another neighbor and to respect all colonialboundaries.

Most multiparty systems gave way toone party rule. In some countries, they wereoverthrown by military coups. The new rulerswould do no better than their civilian counter-parts they had replaced. In Nigeria, for example,since its independence in 1960, there have been28 years of military rule. In some cases, militaryrule gave way to tyranny and reigns of terror asunder Idi Amin in Uganda. Some countries

Africa in terms of partnership rather than as thesuperpower dictating to its client state; however,it failed to address the genocide in Rwanda. Aidto Africa actually fell from $826 million in 1991to $689 million in 1997. This was partly due tothe Republican-dominated Congress that did notshare the administration’s views on a number ofissues. One of its key pieces of legislation, theAfrican Growth and Opportunity Act, which willallow African goods to enter the United Statesduty free and replace aid with trade is stillbottled up in Congress as well as an initiative tocancel all $4.5 billion in African debts to theUnited States. Another Clinton initiative wasthe African Crisis Response Initiative, which is aforce composed of several Africans beingtrained and financed by the United States for thepurpose of intervening in conflicts when theneed arises. Once again the United States mustbe aware of being labeled Imperialist if it goestoo far with any interventions, not that interven-tions involving United States troops will occurin light of the United States failure to restoreSomalia to a working government. For Africa,the future is filled with much hope, but alsouncertainty. The United States was not consoli-dated as a nation until after it had fought a civilwar.

Activity 1On a current map of Africa put the colonizingpower’s name next to the country it occupied -Britain, France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany,Italy, and Spain. [Refer to Colonization map.]

Activity 2How would you redraw the boundaries of thesecountries to reflect political realities? [Refer tocurrent map of Africa in this issue.]

Activity 3Find the hidden African countries on page 40.

change with the end of the Cold War.In the 1990’s, there has been some very

nasty conflicts: the 1994 genocide in Rwandainvolving the Tutsi and Hutus ethnic group; thereligious war between the Muslims and Chris-tians in Sudan over the imposition of the Islamicpenal code; the continuing struggle in Angolabetween the MPLA and the UNITA; and thecrisis in the Congo involving neighboringAfrican states.

Africa has made progress in both theeconomic and political areas. The push forchange has come largely from the people whoare demanding better lives and an end to tyr-anny, corruption and respect for human rights.

A Changing Political ArenaPolitical observers have been encourag-

ing with 34 African countries having heldmultiparty elections since 1996. During this era,the economic giant of Africa, South Africaoverthrew white minority rule establishing byelection Nelson Mandela as its first AfricanPresident. Already there has been a peacefultransfer of power between Mandela and Mbekiwho became the next elected president Thabo.

In Nigeria after the military governmentscrapped the results of the 1993 presidentialelection, the military government stepped downin 1999 allowing elections, which restoredcivilian government to that country. The UnitedStates hoped for this development becauseNigeria is its 2nd largest supplier of oil.Obasanjo, the newly elected leader, will havemuch to do trying to keep its over 250 ethnicgroups from fighting and ensuring that all thegroups get a share of the oil revenues which hasbeen a source of conflict in the past. For thishuge country to try the democratic model isindeed encouraging for all of Africa.

Democracy seems to be making a come-back, though problems such as freedom of thepress, the development of opposition partiesaccess to the government media, voter fraud, andrespect for human rights must still be addressed.

The United States, under the Clintonadministration did a better job of talking about