AFRICA

RAJEAN RHODEN
SY26C
GENERAL INFORMATION
 Africa is the world's second largest and most-
populous continent, after Asia. It is about 30.2 million km² (11.7
million sq mile) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the
Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With
about 922 million people (as of 2005) in 61 territories, it
accounts for about 14.2% of the World's human population
 The
continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north,
the Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the northeast, the Indian
Ocean to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. There
are 53 countries, including Madagascar and various island
groups, associated with the continent.
Africa, particularly central eastern Africa, is widely regarded within
the scientific community to be the origin of humans and the
Hominidae tree (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the
earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have
been dated to around seven million years ago. Human were found in
Ethiopia being dated to ca. 200,000 years ago.
Etymology
AFRI was the name of several peoples who dwelt in North Africa
near Carthage. Their name is usually connected with Phoenician
afar, "dust", but a 1981 theory has asserted that it stems from a
Berber word ifri or Ifran meaning "cave", in reference to cave
dwellers.

Africa or Ifri or Afer is name of Banu Ifran from Algeria and

Tripolitania (Berber Tribe of Yafran).
In Roman times, Carthage became the capital of Africa Province,
which also included the coastal part of modern Libya. The
Roman suffix "-ca" denotes "country or land". The later Muslim
kingdom of Ifriqiya, modern day Tunisia, also preserved a form
of the name.
 Other etymologies that have been postulated for the ancient
name "Africa":

. the 1st century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (Ant. 1.15)

asserted that it was named for Epher, grandson of Abraham
according to Gen. 25:4, whose descendants, he claimed, had
invaded Libya.

. Latin word aprica ("sunny") mentioned by Isidore of Seville in

Etymologiae XIV.5.2.
  the Greek word aphrike, meaning "without cold." This was
proposed by historian Leo Africanus (1488–1554), who
suggested the Greek word phrike (φρίκη, meaning "cold and
horror"), combined with the privative prefix “a”, thus indicating a
land free of cold and horror.
languages
 By most estimates, well over a thousand languages (UNESCO
has estimated around two thousand) are spoken in Africa. Most
are of African origin, though some are of European or Asian
origin. Africa is the most multilingual continent in the world, and
it is not rare for individuals to fluently speak not only multiple
African languages, but one or more European ones as well. There
are four major language families indigenous to Africa:

The Afro-Asiatic

The Nilo-Saharan

The Niger-Congo

The Khoisan
WHAT DOES AFRICA MEANS TO
ME?
When I think of Africa several things come to my mind:

Motherland
nature
Slavery/Struggles
Famine and Diseases
Ancestors –which goes to me far as the days of
Adam and Eve
WHAT HAS INFLUENCE MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS
WORD
 Firstly, History-
due to studying history in high schools, Africa was presented as
the place where famine and diseases thrive. It was for me , in six
form that I learnt about European diseases like small pox etc. In
addition, the historical process of slavery was introduced to me,
thus making it apart of my conceptualisation of Africa today.

Secondly, the media has been portraying Africa in the negative

light as well. However, Africa as NATURE and the Motherland is
also being portrayed in the media.

Thirdly, due to my limited understanding of the bible, the Garden

of Eden was located in Africa. Therefore Adam and Eve must be
from Africa.
THE CONTEXT WHICH I USED THE WORD
1 When talking about going backs to my roots- “me want go back
a MAMA AFRICA.”

2 When I see a “PRETTY” girl- there goes my queen from

AFRICA.

3 Conversely, this one was deep in my subconscious, I remember

long ago when I saw an extremely black person, I would say “you
look like you come from Africa.”
4- When i saw someone looking starved, I would say “you look
like you just come from Africa”
5- when thinking about marriage-“ me ago Africa fi look a wife”
WHAT DOES AFRICA MEANS TO
OTHERS.
Due to the complexity of Africa, persons have various meaning
for Africa. Like me, some of them are positive while others
negative. I did a mini- survey with some of my friends; I asked
them what does Africa means to them. Some of the responses
include:

1 Africa- that is an obeah land

2 A whole heap of tribal war happen deh so
3 When me think about Africa me see HIV/AIDS
4- one girl said that “ a pear( a great deal) stupid people live deh
so.” she was referring to the warfare and diseases in the
continent.
5- a male said that “ a deh so the real herbs come from”
6- another male said “ its the land of the K’s(talking about guns)
Here are some of meanings Africa has for me
and others:
 Africa's pain is my pain
Africa dear Africa
Your children are lonely and depressed
Africa dear Africa
Your children are at war with each other
Africa dear Africa
Your children are killing each other
Africa dear Africa
Your children are starving
Africa dear Africa
Your essence is pure but you are suffering
Africa dear Africa
your pain is my pain
So I sit here crying.

Ayanle Isak
 Africa

Africa my Africa
Africa my mother land
land of milk and honey
land of natural beauty
Africa land where i live

Africa my Africa
A land of great rulers
Africa my Africa
land of nature
A land were nature lives
 Africa

Africa my Africa
Africa my mother land
land of milk and honey
land of natural beauty
Africa land where i live

Africa my Africa
A land of great rulers
Africa my Africa
land of nature
A land were nature lives
 Africa
Africa the land I was born on
Africa the land my mother
and father was born on
Africa where I was taught to talk
Africa where I was taught to walk
Africa my Africa
Africa the land i love

charite emlor
 Africa is a paradox which illustrates and highlights neo-
colonialism. Her earth is rich, yet the products that come
from above and below the soil continue to enrich, not
Africans predominantly, but groups and individuals who
operate to Africa's impoverishment.
[Kwame Nkrumah (1900-1972), Ghanaian president. Neo-Colonialism, ch. 1
(1965).]
What does Africa means in terms of racial
politics/myths/stereotypes
 As it relates to racial politics, I think the wider world esp. the
West do not accept Africa's self rule as legitimate. The reason for
this is unknown to me. This is evident in the way the west has
control over some African countries international relations. For
example an African country that is ally to the US cannot have
relations with communist countries. Maybe, it still has roots in
colonialism. For me, from long has there is proper governance in
the country, its all good.
I do not think that I have any stereotypes about Africa, if I do it
is not intentional- meaning I may be a victim of the colonialism
ideology. However, I think the western powerhouses does,
meaning that they think that west is the best and anything outside
or from Africa should be disregarded
Here are some racial myths about Africa that is purported by the
west:
1. All we do is kill each other.
they makes it seem like all Africans know what to do is fight,
oppress each other and make life miserable.

2. Africa is all corrupt

Africa is all poor

4. Nothing will come out of Africa

5. Africa is all bush

 Revelations

1- the way Africa is so big and complex , there is no set

perceptions about it.

2- many people esp. Caribbean people do not have a negative

perception of Africa, they are just victims of centuries of colonial
ideology.
3- no matter how we try to remove the negative notions about
Africa , it will always be there as long as the western
powerhouses exists.
 References
http://goafrica.about.com/od/peopleandculture/a/africangreeting.htm

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/africa-31/

http://techmasai.com/2008/02/07/top-7-myths-about-africa/

[Kwame Nkrumah (1900-1972), Ghanaian president. Neo-Colonialism, ch. 1

(1965).]