a brief note on the history of Africans exploring their own continent
plus: Ancient Egypt in Africa.
=========================== #### Discover more from African History Extra All about African history; narrating the continent's neglected past Over 6,000 subscribers a brief note on the history of Africans exploring their own continent
===================================================================== ### plus: Ancient Egypt in Africa. ( Nov 26, 2023 16 Africa is world's second largest continent and arguably the most difficult to traverse. Historically, many parts of the continent that were conducive to human settlement and activity were home to large, complex societies which rank among some of the world's oldest civilizations. These include ancient kingdoms of the Nile valley and the northern Horn of Africa, the empires along the Niger river, the kingdoms of west-central Africa and the lakes region, as well as the city-states of the East African coast and kingdoms of south-eastern Africa. In between these densely populated regions were pockets of relatively inhospitable land covered with thick forests and barren deserts. Yet despite this seemingly insurmountable barrier, Africans suceeded in creating vast networks of communication that cut across the deserts and forests between them, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges and expanding Africans' knowledge of their own continent. In west-Africa, ( extended from the shores of the Atlantic in Senegal to the forest region of central Ghana and across the shifting sands of the Sahara into North-Africa. By the early 2nd millennium, Wangara traders and scholars had established urban settlements along different nodes of this complex network, easily switching goods between various cities as they interacted with other commercial diasporas. _**dispersion of the Wangara diaspora across west Africa.**_ In central Africa the Ovimbundu traders of central Angola pioneered cross-continental routes that moved goods between the city of (
. Here, they encountered the established network of the Yao and Nywamwezi, whose own trading routes connected the Swahili cities of the East African coast to the kingdoms of the Lakes region. Eventually, the Swahili would expand these trade routes with the first recorded cross-continental journey in the region that begun at Bagamoyo in Tanzania and arrived at Luanda in 1852. Long-distance trade was not the only activity undertaken along these routes. Envoys, scholars, pilgrims and other travelers also utilized the same routes to visit and settle different parts of the continent and beyond. The Djenne-born scholar Muhammad Salma al-Zurruq (b. 1845) for example, travelled across west Africa and the Ottoman domains before returning to Mali, only to embark on another trip that saw him ending up in Sudan. But arguably the most fascinating case was that of the Bornu scholar al-Faki Ahmad Umar who ( following long-established pilgrimage and trade routes. But long before these west African and Central African networks emerged, the region of North-eastern Africa was arguably the most interconnected part of the continent. The rise of ancient states of Egypt, Kush and Punt was largely enabled by the robust exchange of ideas, technologies and goods across the region, brought by the people who visited and settled within the different communities. **The history of ancient Egypt in its north-east African context is the subject of my latest Patreon article, in which I explore the regional interaction and population movement between Egypt and its neighbors; Kush and Punt, from the perspective of the latter.** Read more about it here; ( * * * _**Ibn Khaldūn asserts that prior to entering Cairo, Mansa Musa of Mali “came out near the Pyramids in Egypt,” while al-Maqrīzī states “Mansā Mūsā, king of Takrūr . . . stayed for three days beneath the Pyramids as an official guest.”**_ If Mansa Musa did pass by Giza, _**“it suggests medieval Mali was well aware of Pharaonic Egypt’s illustrious past, with the mansā purposely seeking to connect with it”**_ \-Michael Gomez * * *
### A Brief Note on the History of Africans Exploring Their Own Continent

#### Introduction
- Africa is the world's second-largest continent and has historically presented challenges for traversal due to its diverse geography, including deserts and thick forests.
- Despite these barriers, Africans developed extensive networks of communication and trade, facilitating exploration and cultural exchanges across the continent.

#### Ancient Civilizations
1. **Complex Societies**:
   - Major regions with significant human settlement and activity included ancient kingdoms along the Nile Valley, the northern Horn of Africa, empires on the Niger River, and city-states on the East African coast, among others.
   - These areas were often home to some of the world's oldest civilizations.

2. **Geographical Distribution**:
   - Between populated areas were inhospitable regions, which included thick forests and barren deserts, yet these did not hinder the interactions among African societies.

#### Trade Networks
1. **West African Trade Routes**:
   - By the early 2nd millennium, Wangara traders had established urban settlements throughout West Africa, from Senegal to central Ghana and extending into North Africa across the Sahara.
   - This network allowed for the exchange of goods and culture, linking various cities and facilitating trade.

2. **Central African Trade**:
   - In Angola, the Ovimbundu traders created routes that connected their region to the Swahili city-states on the East African coast.
   - A significant journey was recorded in 1852, connecting Bagamoyo in Tanzania to Luanda in Angola, illustrating the extent of these trade networks.

3. **Movement of People**:
   - Alongside trade, various travelers, including scholars and pilgrims, utilized the same routes for exploration and settlement.
   - Notable figures include Muhammad Salma al-Zurruq from Djenne, who traveled across West Africa and beyond, and al-Faki Ahmad Umar, who followed established trade and pilgrimage routes.

#### Ancient North-Eastern Africa
1. **Interconnected Regions**:
   - Before the emergence of later trade networks, North-eastern Africa was highly interconnected, particularly through the ancient states of Egypt, Kush, and Punt.
   - The interactions among these civilizations were marked by exchanges of ideas, technologies, and goods.

2. **Egypt’s Historical Context**:
   - The history of ancient Egypt is significant when considering its relationships with neighboring regions like Kush and Punt.
   - This interaction highlights how ancient Egypt was not an isolated civilization but part of a larger web of regional connections.

#### Notable Historical Figures
1. **Mansa Musa’s Legacy**:
   - Mansa Musa of Mali is historically noted for traveling to Egypt, where he reportedly visited the Pyramids, as recounted by historians Ibn Khaldūn and al-Maqrīzī.
   - His journey reflects Mali’s awareness of Pharaonic Egypt’s historical significance, suggesting a desire to connect with its illustrious past.

#### Conclusion
- The exploration and understanding of Africa by its own people involved intricate networks of trade and cultural exchange, covering vast distances across diverse geographical landscapes.
- The history of ancient Egypt, particularly in relation to neighboring kingdoms, is an essential part of this narrative, illustrating the continent's complex interconnections long before colonial influences.