http://www.dw.de/ DW's history project "African Roots" addresses young Africans DW's new series "African Roots" uses online comics and radio broadcasts to highlight 25 important African personalities. The project, funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, is aimed at young audiences. The portraits cover a long period of time, ranging from Dinknesh, the "Mother of Mankind" in present-day Ethiopia, to legendary rulers of the Middle Ages such as Mali's King Sunjata Keita to key figures from the African independence movement such as Patrice Lumumba. These animated online stories by the successful Nigerian graphic design team "Comic Republic," will primarily be shared on Facebook once a week. DW’s Facebook platforms for Africa have more than four million subscribers. There will also be broadcasts of supporting content on radio, reaching nearly 40 million African listeners per week. Most of the content is available in six languages (English, Amharic, Hausa, Kiswahili, French, Portuguese). DW users have raised concerns saying that public discourse on African history is often based solely on the perspective of the continent's former colonial powers. One commented on Facebook that "young Africans don't have easy access to historical documentation." "African Roots" hopes to help close this gap. The project, spearheaded by DW's Africa service, employs African sources, and was developed in collaboration with African historians, cultural scientists and writers. It targets Africa's young generation, which makes up the vast majority of the population on the continent. History en Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:37:29 +0200 Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:21:49 +0200 30 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss iono.fm 2.5.2.0 2012 Deutsche Welle no Once-off feeds@iono.fm (Feed Manager) https://cdn.iono.fm/files/p8/logo_4814_20250910_202838_1400.jpeg http://www.dw.de/ DW's history project "African Roots" addresses young Africans DW's new series "African Roots" uses online comics and radio broadcasts to highlight 25 important African personalities. Deutsche Welle episodic Deutsche Welle odair.hansen-figueira@dw.com false ZA https://iono.fm/e/766568 https://iono.fm/e/766568
When did Yaa Asantewaa live? Yaa Nana Asantewaa was born in 1840 in Besease, then Ashanti Empire. She died in exile on the Seychelles on 17th October 1921.

What was Yaa Asantewaa renowned for? She inspired and supported what is today known as the War of the Golden Stool. The Golden Stool was the Asante nation's most sacred possession, and the British representative at the time, Sir Frederick Mitchell Hodgson, demanded for it to be brought for him to sit on, in the name of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom. She commented on the shilly-shally of the Asanti men regarding the British representative's demand with the remark: "Is it true that the bravery of Asante is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be! I must say this: If you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight till the last of us falls on the battlefield. If you chiefs will not fight, you should exchange your loin cloths for my undergarment.” She was nominated by a number of regional Asante kings to be the war-leader of the Asante fighting force – as the first and only woman in Asante history. She was at the war front at different times to give advice and refresh supplies for the Asante fighters – at the age of 60!



What is Yaa Asantewaa's legacy? Yaa Asantewaa is a very important role model and an inspiration to girls and women in Ghana and throughout Africa because of the bravery she displayed. A lot of women who go into professions that were previously dominated by men are often nicknamed Yaa Asantewaa as a way of encouragement and support. In 2000, a museum in Ejisu was dedicated to the memory of the great warrior queen. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:21:00 +0200 0 0 Yaa Asantewaa, the Asante warrior queen 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:34 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766567 https://iono.fm/e/766567
When did Thomas Sankara live? Born in 1949, Captain Thomas Sankara took power during the revolution which started on August 4, 1983. With his comrades in arms, he renamed the Upper Volta, a name inherited from the French colonial power, into the Democratic and Popular Republic of Burkina Faso, which means "the land of upright men." He was later ousted by one of his closest comrades, Blaise Compaore, then murdered on October 15, 1987 along with twelve of his companions.

What is Thomas Sankara known for? Trying to turn his West African country into an agricultural laboratory in order to achieve food self-sufficiency. He was ahead of his time and promoted products made in Burkina Faso. He also attempted to boost local manufacturing and consumption. "The comrade president of Burkina" wanted to improve the health system and the education in a country that was one of the poorest in the world. He lived a modest lifestyle himself. The emancipation of women was also one of his political priorities.

What has Thomas Sankara been criticized for? His links to Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, but also for disrupting the established order. In 1985, a conflict even occurred with Mali about the border between the two countries.

Did Thomas Sankara speak out against the powers that be? In a historical speech pronounced in July 1987 at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Addis Ababa,
Sankara denounced the debt owed to the Bretton Woods institutions - World Bank and International Monetary Fund - which according to him were inherited from colonialism. Almost three decades after his murder, the captain was still seen as a hero by the protesters who brought down the regime of Blaise Compaore in October 2014. Many people consider him an icon for African youths. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:20:00 +0200 0 0 Thomas Sankara, the upright revolutionary 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:00 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766566 https://iono.fm/e/766566
Who was Sunjata Keita? Sunjata Keita, also spelled Sundiata or Soundiata, is a heroic figure still praised today in the songs of griots - traditional storytellers and keepers of history in West Africa. According to these epic oral chronicles as a child Sunjata was physically disabled. But through sheer determination (and a little bit of sorcery), he managed to start to walk. He became a great hunter, a mighty warrior and a skilled military strategist who unified the West African kingdoms of the Mandingo people - also known as the Mandinka or Malinke. Born around the end of the 12th century in the northwestern corner of present-day Guinea, Sunjata was the son of a king. While living in exile for reasons that remain unclear, he rallied Mandingo chiefs to rebel against the cruel King of the Sosso (another Western African tribe), who had conquered much of the Mandingo's territory. Around 1235, Sunjata led the chiefs into a decisive battle and won. The victory marked the beginning of the Mali Empire.

Why is Sunjata Keita famous? He is renowned for several reasons. He is celebrated above all for laying the foundations of the Mali Empire, which, at the height of its power, stretched from West Africa's coast 2,000 kilometers inland to the Niger River and beyond. It was one of the largest empires in African history.
Sunjata is also credited with introducing a system of central government and unifying dozens of different ethnic groups living within the empire. This ensured the Mali Empire's future unity and helped make it prosperous. He assigned land, rights and duties to everyone and is also said to have proclaimed, in Kurukan Fuga, the Manden Charter, what is considered to be one of the first charters of human rights in the world (albeit in oral form). www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:19:00 +0200 0 0 Sunjata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:01 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766565 https://iono.fm/e/766565
When did Siti binti Saad live? Siti binti Saad was born in 1880 in the Fumba village on Zanzibar's main island of Unguja, which is today part of Tanzania. Born into a poor family, she sold pottery on the street before moving to Zanzibar town in 1911. There she started working with musicians and became famous as a taarab singer. She practiced music until old age and died in 1950.

What is Siti binti Saad renowned for? Siti binti Saad was a star of the taarab musical style, a music she herself greatly influenced. Endowed with a beautiful and powerful voice, she was invited to perform at the sultan's palace. But Siti binti Saad didn't only sing for the elite: She also performed for the working class and her house was a place of exchange and debate.

What was Siti binti Saad's pioneering role? efore her, taarab was usually performed by educated men who mostly sang in Arabic - the language of Zanzibar's small elite. Siti binti Saad, who had no formal education, was the first famous female singer of the genre and she popularized taarab music by using the Swahili language. Her role was such that the British Gramophone Company brought her all the way to Bombay, in India, to capture her voice, making her the first East African to ever make commercial recordings.


What are Siti binti Saad's songs about? Always listening to the working population, Siti binti Saad put their concerns to music. Her songs are about everyday life in Zanzibar and talk about actual events. They contain social criticism, denouncing class oppression, corruption, the abuse of women by men and the shortcomings of the legal system. To this extent, taarab, the women's performing art as it was shaped by Siti binti Saad, is highly political. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:18:00 +0200 0 0 Siti binti Saad, the mother of taarab 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:33 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766564 https://iono.fm/e/766564 When did Sarah Baartman live? Sarah Baartmann, also known as Saartjie Baartman, was born circa 1789 in the vicinity of the Gamtoos River, in what is now South Africa's Eastern Cape province. She belonged to the Khoikhoi people. Orphaned at an early age, Baartman moved to Cape Town where she worked as a servant for a "free black man" and later moved with him to Europe. After touring Great Britain, she moved to Paris where she died famous, but poor, in 1815.

What was Sarah Baartman's claim to fame? In Europe, she was exhibited as an exotic attraction. Her body features, not uncommon with South African Khoikhoi women, were considered a sensation in England and France: Baartman had a slender waistline with big buttocks and large sexual organs. She was nick-named the Hottentot Venus. Hottentot was a European name for the Khoikhoi people, while Venus alludes to the Roman goddess of love

Was Sarah Baartman a victim of racism? It is not clear whether she traveled to London of her own accord or if she was forced. Neither do we know exactly how much say she did have in the revues where she presented herself to audiences. But Baartman definitely suffered from the racist mindset that dominated Europe's view on the world in the early 19th century. Generally, following cultural and biological, Africans were considered to be lesser developed human beings. The Khoikhoi people of Southern Africa, rarely seen in Europe, were even de
humanized. After her death, Napoleon's surgeon, the renowned naturalist Georges Cuvier, dissected Baartman's body, concluding she had ape-like features. For almost 160 years, her remains were displayed at the French National Museum in Paris, making her a victim of scientific racism. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:17:00 +0200 0 0 Sarah Baartman: Reclaiming an African venus 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:39 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766562 https://iono.fm/e/766562
When did the Queen of Sheba live? She is believed to have lived more than three thousand years ago.

What is the Queen of Sheba renowned for? In a massive desire to quench her thirst for knowledge, this legendary queen supposedly paid a visit to Israel's wise King Solomon in Jerusalem. Written accounts of the encounter suggest that she bore the king a son, who would become the first Ethiopian king in the Solomonic dynasty.

How do we know about her existence? The encounter in Jerusalem is documented in various texts, among them the Jewish Bible, the Qur'an — where the queen is called Bilqis — and an ancient Ethiopian document called Kebre-Negast, where she is named Makeda. She is also alluded to in the New Testament as the "Queen of the South".

What is the Kebre Negast? The Kebre Negast was first compiled as far back as the fourteenth century in Ethiopia. Its sources include various legends, the Old and New Testaments, as well as Egyptian, Arabian and Ethiopian sources. The Kebre Negast gives the most detailed account of the queen's meeting with King Solomon. The story goes that having convinced Makeda of his wisdom, Solomon spent the night with her. This union results in the birth of King Menelik I, the founder of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia, which ruled until the deposition of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974.
But where did the Queen of Sheba come from? The Queen of Sheba's origins remain a subject of debate. Ethiopians claim her as their own, but so do Yemenites who believe that tha name 'Sheba' is a reference to the Yemenite kingdom of Saba. Ethiopians believe her palace to have been in the northern Ethiopian town of Aksum, where ruins can still be visited. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:16:00 +0200 0 0 Queen of Sheba: A journey in search of wisdom 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:32 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766560 https://iono.fm/e/766560
When did Muhumuza live? Queen Muhumuza's exact date of birth is not known but her life history spans from the 18th to the 19th century. She was a wife of Rwandan King Kigeli IV. When, in 1895, her husband died and her son was denied the throne, she rebelled against the Rwandan establishment and colonial powers. She moved to Uganda, was finally captured by the British and imprisoned in Mengo where she died in 1945. She never got an opportunity to return to her cradle land.

What was Muhumuza renowned for? Muhumuza, also spelled Muhumusa, is said to have possessed spiritual powers hailing from the legendary Queen Nyabingi. Most of her followers never saw her face since the cult required her to hide in a basket. Described by colonial governments as "an extraordinary character", Muhumuza took up the fight against the three colonial powers in the region - the German, the British and Belgians from neighboring Congo. She is also remembered for resisting the establishment and the norms that limited women's rights in society.

What is the biggest controversy surrounding Muhumuza? Some of her followers actually believe Muhumuza herself to be Queen Nyabingi. Others refer to her as being the reincarnation, or being possessed by the spirit, of a Rwandan queen who lived several centuries back. Unfortunately, her history was never fully documented due to the patriarchal nature of society then and colonial imperialism.

What is Muhumuza's legacy? She inspired a whole anti-colonial struggle in Rwanda and Uganda. Today, her followers see her as a role model and a true representation of inclusion and resistance to norms that undermine sections of society. Her spirit lives on through the Rastafarian movement, where Muhumuza is referred to as Nyabinghi. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:15:00 +0200 0 0 Queen Muhumuza: Fighting colonialism in East Africa 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:34 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766559 https://iono.fm/e/766559
When and where did Patrice Lumumba live? Patrice Emery Lumumba was born as Elias Okitasombo on July 2, 1925 in Onalua, a village in the Kasai Oriental. After receiving basic education in local missionary schools, he settled in Stanleyville (now Kisangani), a city in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the early 1940s, he moved to the capital which was then called Leopoldville (now Kinshasa). He held various jobs, working at the post office, as press correspondent and sales director for a brewery, while establishing himself as an anti-colonialist political leader. He became the first prime minister of the independent Congo in 1960, but was rapidly removed from office in the turmoil that followed independence. Lumumba was put under house arrest. He attempted to flee, but was captured and brought to Lubumbashi (formerly Elisabethville) in Katanga province where he was assassinated on January 17, 1961.

What was Lumumba renowned for? The idealistic and charismatic autodidact Lumumba knew how to rally people for the cause of an independent state. His uncompromising fight against colonialism earned him recognition far beyond the borders of his country, creating a true Lumumba myth. On June 30, 1960, images of his speech at the ceremony of independence went around the world.
"No Congolese will be able to forget that [independence] was won in struggle, a struggle in blood, fire and tears," he declared. He went on to describe the injustices suffered by Congolese during the colonial era, while the King of the Belgians, Baudouin I., was present in the room. Throughout his life Lumumba wrote articles, essays and speeches, addressing social issues as well as Congo's or Africa's fate. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:13:00 +0200 0 0 Patrice Lumumba, uncompromising independence fighter 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:23 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766558 https://iono.fm/e/766558
When did Njinga Mbande live? She lived in what is now Angola. Njinga Mbande was born circa 1583 in the Ndongo region and died 17 December 1663 in the Matamba region.

What is Njinga Mbande remembered for? Njinga Mbande fought the nascent Portuguese colonial administration all her life using both her diplomatic acumen and her military skills.

What is Njinga Mbande criticized for? She was said to have a ruthless character. It is documented that she killed her nephew in order to obtain the reign of Ndongo. Critics also point out that she facilitated the slave trade in her territory, striking deals on the delivery of slaves in her negotiations with the Portuguese and Dutch. Furthermore, she was accused of cannibalism, adopting the habits of her allies, the Imbangala.

Tell me about Njinga the insubordinate. In 1622, then ruler Ngola Mbande, Njinga ’s brother sent her to Luanda to negotiate a peace treaty for the Ndongo region with the Portuguese governor. She was given a rug instead of a chair to sit on, which meant she was regarded as a subordinate. Njinga ordered one of her servants to kneel on the ground and serve as a human chair. She continued the negotiations as an equal.
What can you tell me about Njinga the educated? She could speak several native languages as well as Portuguese. She was also literate, writing her correspondence for the negotiations with the colonial rulers herself. Her early contact with missionaries and Portuguese merchants contributed to this. She had a great sensibility for diplomatic and military issues which came to her advantage when dealing with the Portuguese and the Dutch. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:12:00 +0200 0 0 Queen Njinga Mbande: The diplomat warrior 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:37 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766557 https://iono.fm/e/766557
When and where did Ngungunyane live? Ngungunyane — also known as Mudungazi — was born around 1850 in the territory of the southeast African Gaza Empire. His grandfather Manukosi ruled over a vast territory. At its peak it stretched from the Incomati river in the south and the Indian Ocean in the east to the Zambezi and Save rivers in the north, covering much of what is today Mozambican territory, as well as parts of neighboring countries. Ngungunyane would become the last Gaza king before the empire was defeated by the Portuguese. He died December 23rd, 1906, while in exile on Terceira Island.

How did Ngungunyane rise to power? After the death of Ngungunyane's grandfather, Manukosi, in 1858, a war between his two heirs was ultimately won by his son Muzila, with the support of Portuguese authorities. But deciding his successor was problematic. As the son of Muzila and his favourite wife, Yosio, Mdungazwe — as he was then known — ordered the killing of one of his halfbrothers who also had a claim to the throne and rose to power in 1884. He changed his name to Ngungunyane, meaning "the terrible" or "the invincible". For 11 years he ruled with absolute power and used excessive force in the handling of vassal peoples.

How did Ngungunyane relate to the Europeans? Ngungunyane took power a few months before the Berlin Conference (1884-85) was held, where European nations divided Africa among themselves, often viewed today as
the formalization of the so-called 'Scramble for Africa.' In the face of Great Britain and Germany's growing interest in the Mozambican territories, Portugal felt increasing pressure to impose its power on the region and suppress the Gaza Empire. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:11:00 +0200 0 0 Ngungunyane, the king against Portuguese occupation 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:20 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766556 https://iono.fm/e/766556
When and where did Nelson Mandela live? Born in the mountainous Transkei region of South Africa in 1918, Mandela went on to study law at the country's Fort Hare University. In 1944, he joined the African National Congress, a political party set up to resist the racist policies of the white-led South African government. Soon afterwards, this system would be refined into apartheid, and Mandela's fight would turn into a life-long struggle. The first president of post-apartheid South Africa, he retired after five years in office. Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95.

What is Nelson Mandela renowned for? Nelson Mandela set up the military wing of the ANC known as "Umkhonto we Sizwe" ("Spear of the Nation") to take on the ruling government and their anti-black policies. He was charged with sabotage and plotting to overthrow the government in 1964 and sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island where he spent 27 years. Released in 1990, Mandela went on to become the first black president of South Africa in 1994.

How did Nelson Mandela survive his long prison spell? Mandela inspired a generation because although he was imprisoned for so long, his humanity and world view transcended the walls of his prison. The decades served in jail didn't break him but only built his iconic role in the nation's struggle for freedom.
Various freedom songs called for Nelson Mandela's release, amongst them Johnny Clegg and Savuka's "Asimbonanga" (which translates as "we haven't seen him").

What is Nelson Mandela revered for? Despite his years of hardship and imprisonment, Mandela never lost sight of his vision of a peaceful, more equal society in South Africa and his role in serving his country. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:10:00 +0200 0 0 Nelson Mandela, visionary of a free South Africa 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:54 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766555 https://iono.fm/e/766555
When and where did Margaret Ekpo live? Margaret Ekpo was born in 1924 in the muddy settlement of Creek Town in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. At the time, Nigeria was ruled by the British and women weren't allowed to vote. Ekpo died aged 92 in 2006 in Calabar, Cross River State.

What was remarkable about Margaret Ekpo? Ekpo is particularly remembered for mobilizing women rich and poor to fight for their economic and political rights and participate in politics. She also tirelessly agitated for Nigerian independence. She became one of the country's first female elected politicians and continued to push to advance the role of women while she was a politician.

How did Margaret Ekpo become politically active? In the 1940s, Ekpo, whose husband was a doctor, started attending meetings to protest the treatment of indigenous medical staff by the British colonial authorities. In 1946, she founded the Market Women Association to unionize women in the city of Aba in Nigeria's Abia State, where she was then living with her husband. In this period, Ekpo also became active in Nigeria's struggle against colonialism, joining the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons party. The party later nominated Ekpo as a special member of the influential regional House of Chiefs to represent women.
After Nigeria's independence from Britain in 1960, Ekpo became an elected politician in the Eastern Regional House of Assembly. She was the first woman in Aba, and one of the few female politicians in the country, to be elected to such an office. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:08:00 +0200 0 0 Margaret Ekpo, pioneering feminism in Nigeria 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:31 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766550 https://iono.fm/e/766550
"A peaceful, happy and prosperous Burundi." This was the dream of Prince Louis Rwagasore, who was passionate about economics and convinced that independence could be achieved peacefully.

When did Louis Rwagasore live? Louis Rwagasore was born in January 1932 to Mwami Mwambutsa IV, one of the last Burundian kings. After studying in Belgium, he quickly took the lead in Burundi's anticolonial movement. In the run-up to independence, Rwagasore was declared prime minister. Just weeks later, on 13 October 1961, he was assassinated. The independence he had been striving for was formally proclaimed on 1 July 1962.

Was Rwagasore popular because of his royal blood? It is true that Louis Rwagasore grew up with the privileges of a prince. He was the eldest son of Mwami Mwambutsa Bangicirenge, King of the Barundi and he received a good education in one of the most prestigious high schools of Rwanda under Belgian trusteeship. After studies in administration and agronomy in Brussels, where he met students from all over the African continent, Rwagasore returned to his country in 1956 and became a political animal. He became popular through his charisma and his abilities as a strategist.

How did Rwagasore manage to unify Burundians? Louis Rwagasore was a skilled diplomat and a great unifier. He impressed Burundians firstly by his spirit of initiative, with the creation of agricultural cooperatives
that were supposed to give Burundians back the control over production and by putting an end to the monoculture of coffee. He also had strong relationships with great figures of African independence – Prince Louis Rwagasore met Congo's Patrice Lumumba several times, he exchanged letters with Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser and he developed his political project thanks to his friend Julius Nyerere. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:07:00 +0200 0 0 Louis Rwagasore, the unifying prince 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:39 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766549 https://iono.fm/e/766549
When did Kwame Nkrumah live? 21. September 1909 (Nkroful, Ghana) – 27. April 1972 (Bukarest, Rumania)

What was Kwame Nkrumah renowned for? Pan-Africanist, leading Ghana into independence (in 1957) and acting as its first Prime Minister and President (replaced by a coup in 1966), played key role in creating the Organisation of African Unity (later to become the African Union).

What was Kwame Nkrumah criticized for? Sympathizing with socialist ideology, calling himself Marxist. This brought him enemies within and outside his country. Some believe US intelligence is responsible for his downfall.

Who inspired Kwame Nkrumah or was inspired by him? He got immersed into the African-American liberation struggle, met Martin Luther King Jr. while in the US, read (and later discussed with) sociologist, pan-Africanist and human rights activist W.E.B. Dubois. While studying in Great Britain, he crossed paths with many fellow Africans struggling for independence, the likes of Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta, Ethiopia's Haile Selassie and Malawi's Hastings Kamuzu Banda.


What are some famous remarks by Kwame Nkrumah? "We face neither East nor West: We face forward." "Revolutions are brought about by men, by men who think as men of action and act as men of thought." "Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. They claim it as their own and none can keep it from them.

Can you tell me about the most famous controversy surrounding Kwame Nkrumah's legacy? In 2012, a statue of Nkrumah was unveiled at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.But why Nkrumah? In Ethiopia, many felt former Emperor Haile Selassie would have deserved the honours as being considered the founding father of the AU. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:06:00 +0200 0 0 Kwame Nkrumah: Fighting for a united Africa 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:25 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766547 https://iono.fm/e/766547
When did Kinjeketile live? Little is known about Kinjeketile's childhood and upbringing. Although there is uncertainty about his year of birth, we know that he was born in Ngarambe, Matumbi in Tanganyika, now part of Tanzania. He was hanged for treason in August 1905 by German colonial officials.

What is Kinjeketile famous for? He is said to have been possessed by a spirit known as Hongo. According to the legend, Hongo appeared in the form of a snake which dragged Kinjeketile under water. When he emerged 24 hours later he was not wet at all. From this moment on, he started prophesying.

Kinjeketile's biggest achievement was uniting different ethnic groups in and even beyond the region against a common enemy, the German colonial administration. He thus stirred the first embers of nationalism in Tanganyika.

He is seen as the initiator of the Maji Maji war, even though he himself died shortly after the uprising started. The Maji Maji war lasted from 1905 until 1907 and was one of the biggest wars against colonial powers in Africa.

What is Kinjeketile criticized for? He is blamed for leading the people to their death by telling them that the sacred water, or maji in Kiswahili, he discovered would protect them from the bullets of the Germans, which it didn't. It is estimated that between
180,000 and 300,000 people died during the Maji Maji war as a result of the fighting and hunger, partly caused by the destruction of crops and farmland by the colonialist. The local population was reduced by a third. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:05:00 +0200 0 0 Kinjeketile and the Maji Maji rebellion 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:23 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766544 https://iono.fm/e/766544
When was Julius Nyerere born? In 1922, Butiama village in Tanganyika. He studied teaching at Makerere University in Uganda. Later on, Economics and History at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He died in London in 1999.

What was he renowned for? His title "Mwalimu", which means teacher. Nyerere actually taught Biology and English for three years before leading Tanganyika into independence and going on to become the first president of the United Republic of Tanzania. He had an unrelenting passion of a united Africa. In opposition to Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah, however, he opted for a regional East African union as a first step, while Nkrumah pushed for a direct and complete union. Jointly, they masterminded the Organization of African Union. He took in African freedom fighters. After gaining independence for his country, Nyerere followed his pan-Africanist path by welcoming and supporting the armed rebellions against regimes in Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and others.

Julius Nyerere's other accomplishments? He translated William Shakespeare into Kiswahili.


How stubborn could Julius Nyerere be? In a Cold War world, Nyerere didn't take sides. When the German Federal Republic asked his country to sever ties with the German Democratic Republic according to its Hallstein Doctrine, Nyerere declined, at the risk of losing German development aid, insisting on Tanzania's sovereignty. He said his country would "not accept aid with strings attached" - and finally got his way. His country upheld diplomatic relations with both German states. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:03:00 +0200 0 0 Julius Nyerere: Undeterred African leader 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:19 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766542 https://iono.fm/e/766542
Who was Josina Machel? She was born Josina Abiathar Muthemba on August 10, 1945 in the southern province of Inhambane. Unusually for an African woman of the time, her family encouraged her to go to school, and in 1956, she moved the capital, then called Lourenco Marques, to attend a secondary technical school. There, Machel became politically active in clandestine student groups and became a member of an underground cell of the Mozambique Liberation Front, more commonly known by its Portuguese abbreviation, FRELIMO. Currently the dominant political party in Mozambique, FRELIMO was founded in Tanzania in 1962 to fight for Mozambique's independence from Portuguese rule.

How did Josina Machel contribute to the struggle for independence? When she was 18, Josina Machel decided to flee Mozambique to join the liberation war against the Portuguese. On the first attempt, she was captured in what was then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), sent back home and imprisoned for several months. On the second attempt, she managed to reach Frelimo headquarters in Tanzania's capital, Dar es Salaam - a 3,500 kilometer (2,175 mile) journey. She received military training and rose in FRELIMO ranks, becoming head of the party's Department of Social Affairs in 1969 at the age of 24. The same year, she married Samora Moises Machel, who would go on to become the first president of an
independent Mozambique in 1975. But Josina never lived to see her country liberated from the Portuguese. After a serious illness, she died in Dar es Salaam in 1971. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:02:00 +0200 0 0 Josina Machel - Mozambique's female freedom fighter 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:04 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766541 https://iono.fm/e/766541
When did Hendrik Witbooi live? Hendrik Witbooi was born around 1830 in Pella, a district which today is part of the Northern Cape of South Africa and borders Namibia. Witbooi came from a long line of chiefs of the Witbooi Nama, a previously nomadic tribe belonging to the Khoikhoi people of southwestern Africa. In 1863, the Witbooi Nama moved to an area that became known as German South West Africa (now Namibia). There, Hendrik Witbooi received formal education by German missionaries. He later resettled to the mountains southwest of Windhoek, establishing and leading a wellordered Nama community. He died on October 29, 1905, in the village of Vaalgras in a battle against German colonizers.

What was Hendrik Witbooi known for? He was known for his sharp mind, his early recognition of the menace of colonialism, and his calls for warring African tribes to unite against the German colonizers. The Nama were few in number and poorly supplied compared to the German troops. But Witbooi's tenacious tactics earned him the title "!Nanseb Gaib Gabemab" or "the snake in the grass." He was respected by the Germans – the colonial administrator of German South West Africa, General Leutwein wrote of Witbooi: "I still see him before me …modest, yet selfpossessed, loyal yet not without political cunning, never deviating from what he considered his duty or his right." Witbooi communicated extensively with other African and European leaders and UNESCO has registered his letters and diary (written in Dutch) as world documentary heritage. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:01:00 +0200 0 0 Hendrik Witbooi, a strategic political fighter 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:26 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766540 https://iono.fm/e/766540
When did Haile Selassie live? Haile Selassie was born Tafari Makonnen on July 23, 1892, near Harar, Ethiopia. His father being a cousin and close ally of Emperor Menelik II, he was summoned to the court in Addis Ababa when his father died in 1906. In 1916 he became Ras Tafari, heir presumptive and regent to Empress Zauditu, daughter of Menelik II, and in 1928 he and his supporters had the Empress crown him King. In 1930, on the death of Empress Zauditu, Tafari was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie — "Might of the Trinity." He was deposed in a coup by the communist Derg regime in 1974 and died less than a year later, on August 26, 1975, in Addis Ababa.

What were the foundations Haile Selassie laid for his country? He introduced Ethiopia's first written constitution in 1931; it provided for a bicameral parliament and a legal code, and proclaimed all Ethiopians equal. However, both this first constitution and the second one promulgated in 1955 were criticized for granting too much power to the emperor himself — he retained the right to overthrow any parliamentary decision — and for making no provision for political parties.

Was Haile Selassie beyond criticism? From his early days, Tafari Makonnen is considered to have been a good strategist. He may have had a hand in the removal from power of designated Emperor Lij Iyasu, Zauditu's predecessor, who ruled only three years. As emperor, Haile Selassie gave thousands of students the chance to study abroad. Those very students later called for his deposition, decrying a lack of reform.
Disenchantment with his monarchy culminated in an attempted coup d'état in 1960, the biggest threat to his rule until he was finally overthrown by the Derg. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 12:00:00 +0200 0 0 Haile Selassie - Ethiopia's 'Lion of Judah 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:30 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766539 https://iono.fm/e/766539
Where was Dinknesh found? She was discovered near the Ethiopian village of Hadar in the Afar Triangle, a geographical depression that is part of the Great Rift Valley.

Why is Dinknesh famous? Dinknesh probably lived 3.2 million years ago. When her fossilized bones were excavated in 1974, she was hailed as the oldest early human — or hominin — ever found. Scientists also found 40 percent of her bones, making her the most complete skeleton of an early human species. Dinknesh belonged to a new species, which was given the scientific name Australopithecus afarensis ('southern ape from afar' in Latin). By studying Dinknesh, scientists learned much about human evolution, such as how these hominins moved.

But Dinknesh was an ape, wasn't she? Dinknesh was not an ape. She is more closely related to modern humans than to modern apes. And she already had some humanlike features. The study of her bones showed she was already capable of walking upright — although she probably felt more comfortable on trees than the ground.

How old was Dinknesh? By looking at her teeth, bone development and vertebrae, scientists believe Dinknesh was a young, but fully mature adult when she died.

How did Dinknesh get her names? Donald Johanson and Tom Gray, the American scientists who found Dinknesh, celebrated their discovery at their camp by listening to
the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." This is how the unique fossil got its first name, Lucy. Her other, more recent name is Dinknesh, which means "you are marvelous" in Amharic, Ethiopia's official language. Alas, her first name is so popular that "Dinknesh" is not commonly known outside her home country. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:58:00 +0200 0 0 Dinknesh - a peek into the history of humankind 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:55 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766537 https://iono.fm/e/766537
When did Cheikh Anta Diop live? Cheikh Anta Diop was born in 1923 in the village of Thieytou, about a hundred kilometers east of Dakar, in Senegal, in a Wolof family of aristocratic origin. He was granted a scholarship to study in France in 1946 and he first chose physics and chemistry before turning to philosophy and history, with a thesis addressing "precolonial Black Africa" and the "cultural unity of Black Africa”. Cheikh Anta Diop was a nationalist and an advocate for African federalism. He returned to Senegal following independence in 1960 and dedicated himself to teaching, research and politics until his death in 1986.

What was Cheikh Anta Diop renowned for? Cheikh Anta Diop was a prolific writer: he is the author of many scientific works and books about the history of the Africa, but also about its future. Basing his theory on the kinship between African languages like Wolof — his mother tongue — and ancient Egyptian, Cheikh Anta Diop revealed the cultural influence of earlier African peoples on the Egyptian civilization and he demonstrated that "ancient Egypt was Negro-African." Cheikh Anta Diop had degrees in chemistry and in nuclear physics. In 1966 he created the first African laboratory for radiocarbon dating with the university now named after him. During his student years he was an advocate for the independence of African countries. Later on he became a major figure of the federalist African movement and presented his
ideas in his book Black Africa: The Economic and Cultural Foundations of a Federated State. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:57:00 +0200 0 0 Cheikh Anta Diop: Visionary scholar 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:26 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766536 https://iono.fm/e/766536
When did Charlotte Maxeke live? She was born April 7, 1871, or possibly 1874, and given the names Mannya Makgomo. Not just the year but also her birthplace is a bone of contention, being recorded as either Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape, or Ramokgopa in the Polokwane district in Limpopo Province. Charlotte Maxeke died on October 16, 1939, and her eulogy reportedly ended with the words, "she was everyone's friend and no-one's enemy".

What was Charlotte Maxeke renowned for? She was renowned for many things: her singing voice, her work for the church and her devotion to women's rights, her magnificent oratory style. Also, she was the first black African woman to go to university and gain a degree. She made it her personal mission to share her knowledge and enable children to learn, building a school in Evaton, south of Johannesburg.

What was the pioneering role of Charlotte Maxeke? Maxeke was an early and very active member of the ANC, one of its first female members and – something that history remarkably failed to record – the only woman present at the launch of the ANC in 1912. At a time when the ANC only granted membership to men, Charlotte Maxeke lobbied for their admission to the organization. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking at the launch of the Maxeke Memory Project in October 2015, said she was such a great orator that one of the ANC's earliest presidents, Reverend Mahabane, joined the ANC after hearing her speak. Maxeke, for her part, in 1918 launched the Bantu Women's League that would later become the ANC Women's League. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:54:00 +0200 0 0 Charlotte Maxeke, ‘Mother of Black Freedom 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:04 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766531 https://iono.fm/e/766531
When did Bayajida live? Most of the Bayajida legend was transmitted through oral history. There is no record of Bayajida's date of birth or death, and no certainty of his existence. He is believed to have originally come from Baghdad in modern-day Iraq, and after a brief encounter with the Kanem empire in Bornu, he settled in Daura, in modern-day Katsina.

But what was the origin of the legend? Some sources state that the Bayajida legend appeared somewhere between the 16th and 19th centuries AD. But there is evidence of its existence in Hausa culture as early as the 9th and 10th centuries AD.

What does his name mean? His original name was most probablyAbu Zaid. The name given to him by the Hausas. Bayajida, is actually a phrase: "Ba ya ji da," which means "he couldn't understand before."

I've heard allusions to a snake. What is the story behind this? Bayajida is said to have slayed a snake that lived in a well in Kusugu, a place in modernday Daura. The snake had terrorized the people and deprived them of water. It only allowed water to be drawn from the well on Fridays. In spite of the warnings, Bayajida went to fetch water at the well on a Thursday. When the snake attacked him, he cut off its head with his sword.
Does this story have a happy end? As a reward for killing the snake, the Queen of Daura, Daurama, promised him half of her kingdom. But Bayajida cleverly refused and instead asked for her hand in marriage. This was unheard of, since all previous queens were had practiced celibacy. However, Daurama felt indebted to him and agreed.

What is Bayajida's legacy? Bayajida is known for altering the traditions in Daura: prior to his arrival, the Daura people had been ruled by women. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:52:00 +0200 0 0 Bayajida: The legend of Hausa land 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:33 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766530 https://iono.fm/e/766530
When did Cabral live? Amilcar Cabral was born in 1924 in Bafata, Guinea-Bissau, to Cape-Verdean parents. He grew up in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde, and studied agronomy in Lisbon before returning to Guinea Bissau. On January 20 1973 he was assassinated in Conakry, Guinea.

What was he renowned for? Co-founding the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) in 1956 and serving as its secretary-general, uniting both countries in their struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. PAIGC led Guinea Bissau to its independence in 1973. Cabral was a pan-Africanist, an agronomist and a poet.

Was there anything Cabral was both criticized and revered for? Probably the most important was not accepting to import foreign models of struggle to apply in Guinea Bissau.

Who was inspired by him? Cabral was an inspiration for other liberation movements in the Portuguese speaking countries in Africa but also around the world. In Lisbon, he helped found the Centro de Estudos Africanos, an association of Lusophone African students, and was in contact with other independence figures of lusophone Africa such as Agostinho Neto, Mário Pinto de Andrade, Marcelino dos Santos
What are some of Cabral's most famous remarks? "The African people know that the snake may change its skin but it is always a snake." "We never confused 'Portuguese colonialism' with the 'Portuguese people'. Our struggle is against the Portuguese colonialism." "If somebody is going to harm me it is going to be one among us. Nobody can harm the PAIGC but ourselves."

Who killed Amilcar Cabral? Cabral was killed in Conakry by a member of his own party who was believed to have acted under Portuguese orders. But there are many theories regarding who was really responsible for Cabral’s death. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:50:00 +0200 0 0 Amilcar Cabral: The collective liberation 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 3:13 African Roots https://iono.fm/e/766529 https://iono.fm/e/766529
When did Ahmed Baba live? Ahmed Baba was born in 1556. Some sources locate his birth in Araouane, around 250 km northwest of Timbuktu, a city in Mali's north. It is more likely, however, that he was born in Timbuktu, then a flourishing center of Islamic learning and trade nestled on the southern edge of the Sahara. Baba taught in Timbuktu's famed mosques. After opposing the conquest of Timbuktu in 1591 by the Moroccan sultan, Ahmed Al-Mansur, Ahmed Baba was deported to Morocco. During his 12 years of exile there, he continued his Islamic studies. Ahmed Baba returned to Timbuktu in 1608 where he died in 1627.

What is Ahmed Baba renowned for? During his lifetime, he was known for his legal treatises, which dealt with issues relating to Islam and the appropriate way for Muslims to practice their religion. Today, Ahmed Baba's name is associated with the memory of Timbuktu's golden age.

What was Ahmed Baba's philosophy? Ahmed Baba strove to bring together the different ethnic groups that coexisted in Timbuktu at the time. For him, ethnic differences were less important than to knowledge. The Moroccans, despite holding Baba in open arrest, also considered him a fully-fledged scholar.


What controversy surrounds Ahmed Baba? In a treatise on slavery, Ahmed Baba wrote that Muslims couldn't be held as slaves, regardless of their origin and skin color. At the time, slaves were one of the prime commodities traded in Timbuktu. His understanding of Islamic law was seen as radical at the time, as it stressed the equality of all Muslims before God. However, Ahmed Baba didn't entirely condemn the practice of slavery as such, writing that it remained legitimate for non-Muslims. www.dw.com]]> History Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:48:00 +0200 0 0 Ahmed Baba: Timbuktu's famous scholar 0 0 Deutsche Welle full 4:32 African Roots