a brief note on the Intellectual history of Africa
the Jabarti diaspora of North-Eastern Africa.
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================================================== ### the Jabarti diaspora of North-Eastern Africa. ( Feb 04, 2024 29 The African continent has historically been home to dozens of writing systems including some of the world’s oldest such as the Meroitic script of Kush, the Ge'ez script of Aksum, and the Old Nubian script of medieval Nubia, as well as some of the more recent scripts such as (
, Vai and Njoya's syllabary. Each of these writing systems produced its own literary traditions and contributed to the continent’s intellectual history. While many of these writing systems were created within the continent, their usage was often confined to the societies that invented them. The vast majority of writing in most African societies was done using the Arabic script which was also rendered into various African languages as the Ajami script. This was in large part due to the gradual adoption of Islam as a common religion across many African societies, which facilitated cross-cultural exchanges and the usage of the Arabic script without the need for extending political authority as was the case for Kush’s Meroitic script, Ethiopia’s Ge’ez script, or King Njoya’s script, that were all associated with royal power. Documents written in the Arabic script are thus attested in more than eighty languages across the continent from the Atlantic coast of Senegal to the East African coast in Tanzania to the forested regions of Eastern Congo. _**Map showing the languages in which the Arabic script is attested,**_ map by Meikal Mumin In virtually all these societies, the tradition of literacy and the use of the script was propagated by African scholars through complex intellectual networks that cut across varied social interactions and political boundaries. Over centuries, this African literary tradition has left a priceless heritage in manuscript collections from Timbuktu to Kano, to Lamu, which underscore the salient role played by Africa's scholarly diasporas in the spread of learning across the continent. In West Africa, the most dynamic of these scholarly diasporas were the Wangara of the Inland delta of central Mali. Appearing among the earliest documentary records about West Africa, (
. These merchant scholars are associated with many of the region's earliest centers of learning and the emergence of intellectual movements that continue to shape the region's social landscape. In East Africa, the Swahili were the region's equivalent of the Wangara. Initially confining their activities to the coast and its immediate hinterland, (
, crossing into Uganda, Zambia, and Congo, until they reached the Atlantic coast of Angola. They were integrated into the region's societies, and contributed to the region's intellectual culture, producing a large collection of manuscripts across many locations from Kenya to Mozambique to the D.R.C. _**Ruins of a mosque in Isangi, eastern D.R.Congo, ca. 1894, NMVW**_ While the intellectual history of West Africa and East Africa has attracted the bulk of attention from modern researchers, the northern horn of Africa was home to an equally vibrant literary tradition in Arabic and Ajami that is at times overshadowed by the focus on the Ge'ez literature of Ethiopia. The intellectual traditions of the northern Horn of Africa produced some of the continent’s oldest centers of learning such as Harar and Zeila, as well as many prominent scholars, most notably the Ottoman-Egyptian historian Abdul Rahman al-Jabarti. **The intellectual networks and scholars of the northern Horn of Africa are the subject of my latest Patreon article** **Please subscribe to read more about it here:** ( * * * _**ruins of an old mosque in Zeila, northern Somalia**_ * * *
### A Brief Note on the Intellectual History of Africa: The Jabarti Diaspora of North-Eastern Africa

1. **Historical Writing Systems in Africa**:
   - Africa has been home to numerous writing systems, some of the oldest being:
     - **Meroitic Script**: Originated in Kush.
     - **Ge'ez Script**: Developed in Aksum.
     - **Old Nubian Script**: Emerged in medieval Nubia.
   - Recent writing systems include Vai and Njoya's syllabary.
   - Each writing system contributed uniquely to Africa’s literary and intellectual heritage.

2. **Dominance of the Arabic Script**:
   - The Arabic script became predominant in Africa due to the spread of Islam, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges.
   - It was incorporated into various African languages using the **Ajami script**.
   - This script is attested across more than eighty African languages, spanning from Senegal in the west to Tanzania in the east, and including regions in Eastern Congo.

3. **Propagation of Literacy**:
   - African scholars played a crucial role in propagating literacy through complex intellectual networks.
   - These networks transcended social and political boundaries, fostering a rich tradition of scholarship.
   - Significant manuscript collections, such as those in Timbuktu, Kano, and Lamu, highlight the importance of these scholarly diasporas.

4. **West African Scholarly Diaspora**:
   - The **Wangara** merchants of the Inland delta in Mali were among the first significant scholarly communities in West Africa.
   - They are linked to some of the earliest centers of learning and major intellectual movements in the region.

5. **East African Intellectual Contributions**:
   - The **Swahili** served as the equivalent scholarly diaspora in East Africa.
   - Initially based along the coast, their influence expanded into Uganda, Zambia, Congo, and reached the Atlantic coast of Angola.
   - The Swahili contributed to the region’s intellectual culture, producing a vast collection of manuscripts from Kenya to Mozambique to the D.R.C.

6. **Northern Horn of Africa's Literary Tradition**:
   - The northern Horn of Africa, particularly regions like Harar and Zeila, fostered vibrant intellectual traditions in Arabic and Ajami.
   - This area produced important centers of learning that are sometimes overshadowed by the focus on Ethiopia's Ge'ez literature.
   - Notable scholars from this region include **Abdul Rahman al-Jabarti**, an Ottoman-Egyptian historian.

7. **Conclusion**:
   - The intellectual networks and contributions of the northern Horn of Africa are significant to the overall understanding of Africa's literary history.
   - These networks reflect the diverse historical contexts and cultural exchanges that have shaped Africa’s intellectual landscape.