Lesson 1

African Life through

Which continent includes the Sahara Desert, the River
Nile, the country of Kenya and the largest savanna?

A. Asia
B. Africa
C. Europe
D. North America
Trivia Time!!!
What is Savvanna?
Savanna sometimes called the tropical grassland is
found in hot countries. The largest savanna is located
in Africa. Nearly half of the continent of Africa is
covered with savanna grasslands.
The savanna is a large, flat area of land covered with
grass, usually with scattered trees and shrubs.
 Africa
A poem by David Diop

Meet the Author

One of the most promising French
West African poets, David Diop is
known for his contribution to the
Negritude literary movement.
Diop’s father is a Senegalese and
his mother is a Cameroonian. Diop
had his primary education in
Senegal. At the age of 15 he started
writing and publishing his poems.
At the age of 15 he started writing and
publishing his poems. His works often
showed African problems brought about by
colonialism, his hatred for the oppressors,
his empathy for the oppressed with hope
and longing for independent Africa. As a
revolutionary African poet, Diop employed
casual narrative styles in his poetry which
became a new style of protest poetry.
 In his poem “Africa,” Diop started
by reminiscing about Africa from
his grandmother’s songs about his
childhood.
 Africa
A poem by David Diop
Africa, my, Africa
Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs
Africa of whom my grandmother sings
On the banks of the distant river
I have never known you
But your blood flows in my veins
Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
 Africa
A poem by David Diop

The blood of your sweat

The sweat of your work
The work of your slavery
Africa, tell me Africa
Is this your back that is unbent
This back that never breaks under the weight of humiliation
This back trembling with red scars
And saying no to the whip under the midday sun
 Africa
A poem by David Diop
But a grave voice answers me
Impetuous child that tree, young and strong
That tree over there
Splendidly alone amidst white and faded flowers
That is your Africa springing up anew
springing up patiently, obstinately
Whose fruit bit by bit acquires
The bitter taste of liberty.
Illustrate

How would you describe Africa based

on the poem’s first three lines?
interpret

What idea does the word “distant” in

the fourth line convey?
 interpret

In the bracketed lines, what does the author

urge the black people to stand up for?
interpret

Who may be referred to by the following?

A. Tree
B. White and faded flowers
Reflective Questions

What does the poem “Africa” tell about the land

and its people?
Reflective Questions

What lessons can we learn from reading the

poem Africa?
 Build Your Skills
Direction: Use the questions below to study the poem
“Africa.” You may refer to the poem as you answer the
questions.
1. What might be the reason why Diop started his poem
with the line “Africa, my Africa”?
2. Are there positive and negative things or ideas
mentioned in the poem?
3. What words in the poem describe the Africa’s
landscape?
 Build Your Skills
Direction: Use the questions below to study the poem
“Africa.” You may refer to the poem as you answer the
questions.

4. What feelings might David Diop have in the bracketed

lines of the poem?
5. Is “beautiful black blood” the literal or true meaning?
What might it mean?
End…
Thank You
for
Listening!!!
Ooops… This is North America
Ooops… This is South America
Ooops… This is Europe
Ooops… This is Asia
Ooops… This is Antarctica
Ooops… This is Australia
You’re right! This is Africa