"HISTÓRIA GERAL DA ÁFRICA" - Vol.1 cap. " 01 " Parte 1

General History of Africa Chapter 1: Evolution of African Historiography

This section discusses the evolution of African historiography, highlighting the early works on African history by historians from the Old World Mediterranean and medieval Islamic civilization.

Early Works on African History

• Historians from the Old World Mediterranean and medieval Islamic civilization considered Africa north of the Sahara as part of their historical studies.

• The history of North Africa remained a significant focus for historians until the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century.

Shift in Focus

• After Napoleon Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt in 1798, European colonial powers influenced historical studies on North Africa.

• From 1930 onwards, modernizing movements in Islam and nationalist movements in North Africa led to a resurgence in producing historical works in Arabic, French, and English.

Limited Historical Accounts

• Historians had limited interest in tropical Africa due to scarce contacts; ancient authors provided sporadic information about West Africa.

• Classical sources like Herodotus and Arab authors offered more substantial details about regions such as East Africa.

Influence of Arab Authors

• Arab authors like Al-Masudi and Ibn Battuta played a crucial role in documenting trade activities and settlements along the western Indian Ocean coast.

• Works by these authors are vital for reconstructing the history of Western Sudan during the 15th century.

Continuation: Challenges in Historical Documentation

This section delves into challenges faced by historians when using ancient texts for reconstructing African history.

Limitations of Ancient Texts

• Ancient texts lack systematic analysis over time, focusing more on descriptions rather than changes that occurred.

Reliability Issues

• Historical works often lack means to verify information sources or distinguish between firsthand observations and hearsay.

Ambiguity of Historical Accounts

• The example of Leo Africanus highlights uncertainties regarding information sources and personal observations within historical narratives.

Definition of History

• The term "history" can refer to both methodical accounts of events or systematic descriptions of natural phenomena. Leo Africanus' work exemplifies this ambiguity.

Importance of Systematic Studies

África e as suas relações com os outros povos do Mediterrâneo e do oriente próximo

The discussion delves into the historical relationships between Africa and other Mediterranean and Near Eastern peoples, highlighting a cyclic view of history where nomads conquer settled lands, establishing empires that eventually decline.

Africa's Historical Cyclic View

• Mark Block's model portrays history as cyclical, with nomads conquering settled lands to establish empires that later succumb to new invasions.

• Mark Block stands out for his modern approach to history, emphasizing critical analysis and comparison over blind acceptance of historical fragments.

• Mark Block's work on the Mali Empire showcases his focus on African history beyond North Africa, incorporating oral traditions into historical narratives.

Written Histories in Africa

• Early African histories relied on both oral and written records for preservation, with some works from the 16th century providing detailed accounts of events and interpretations.

• Works like the "History of Songhai" not only document specific events but also aim to understand the broader historical significance of regions like Gana and Mali.

Tradições Literárias na África Tropical

This segment explores literary traditions in tropical Africa, emphasizing the preservation of historical narratives through diverse languages and written forms over centuries.

Literary Traditions in Tropical Africa

• Distinct from Arabic writings, historical works in local African languages emerged in the 19th century, contributing valuable insights into regional histories.

• European interactions with coastal regions spurred literary productions offering crucial historical insights about Guinea Coast, Lower Zaire-Angola region, Ambesi Valley & Ethiopia during the 16th - 17th centuries.

New Section

This section discusses the European interest in Africa during the 16th and 17th centuries, highlighting differences in motivations between missionaries and traders.

European Interest in Africa

• Europeans' interest in Africa during the 16th and 17th centuries differed due to missionaries focusing on changing African societies while traders were primarily motivated by commerce.

New Section

The text delves into the contrasting approaches of missionaries and traders towards African societies, emphasizing the role of historical knowledge.

Missionaries vs. Traders

• Missionaries felt compelled to alter African societies, whereas traders were content with observing without instigating change.

New Section

This part explores the significance of historical knowledge for missionaries operating in Africa, particularly focusing on Ethiopia.

Historical Knowledge for Missionaries

• Understanding African history was deemed useful for missionaries; notable pioneers like Pedro Paes and Emanuel de Almeida contributed to historical works about Ethiopia.

New Section

The text discusses the challenges faced by Europeans in eliciting desired goods from traditional African societies.

Challenges Faced by Europeans

• Traditional African societies were reluctant to provide Europeans with desired goods unless under significant pressure, leading to drastic societal changes.

New Section

This segment highlights the emergence of historical elements within descriptive accounts of Africa by European authors.

Historical Elements in Descriptions

• Early authors like Cadornega incorporated historical aspects into their works, shedding light on Angolan wars and garnering attention towards tropical Africa's history.

New Section

The text elaborates on utilizing older authors as historical sources for understanding African history.

Utilizing Older Authors as Sources

• Works by ancient authors such as Leo Africanus served as valuable historical sources; monographs like Silva Corrêa's "History of Angola" further enriched historical narratives about Africa.

New Section

This part emphasizes the timing and context surrounding publications related to African history at the end of the 18th century.

Publications on African History

• Publications like Silva Corrêa's work emerged amidst growing debates around slave trade abolition, reflecting shifting perspectives towards non-European histories.

New Section

The discussion centers around individuals involved in documenting histories related to slave trade practices between Europe and tropical Africa.

Documenting Slave Trade Histories

• Individuals with experience in slave trade operations contributed to documenting histories related to regions like Daomé, influencing arguments both for and against abolishing slave trade practices.

New Section

This section delves into prevailing European attitudes towards non-European societies during a period marked by cultural shifts.

European Attitudes Towards Non-Europeans

New Section

This section discusses the dominance of Western European ideas and values in shaping historical narratives, particularly focusing on Africa's exploration and the beginning of a rational evaluation of African history.

Dominance of Western European Ideas

• Western European ideas have dominated historical narratives for centuries, with the history of the world often being equated solely with European history.

• Exploration of Africa by Europeans during Regal's lifetime marked the beginning of a modern and scientific approach to understanding African societies.

• Early European explorers were driven by genuine curiosity to learn about African peoples' past through written documents or oral traditions.

Exploration and Evaluation of African History

This section delves into the extensive literature produced by explorers in Africa, highlighting its value for historians in understanding African history.

Extensive Literature on African History

• The literature produced by explorers contains valuable historical insights, contributing significantly to understanding African societies.

• Notable works like "Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile" by James Bruce (1790) provide detailed historical accounts.

Scientific Exploration and Conquest of Africa

This section explores how European conquest and domination in Africa led to moral justifications influenced by Hegelian and Darwinian principles.

Moral Justifications for Conquest

• The conquest phase marked a new era where moral justifications based on Hegelian and Darwinian principles justified European dominance over Africans.

• The emergence of anthropology as a non-historical method to study primitive cultures further reinforced notions of superiority over Africans based on skin color distinctions.

Challenges in Studying African History

This part discusses challenges faced in studying African history due to prevailing Eurocentric perspectives and emerging scientific approaches.

Eurocentric Perspectives

• Intellectual debates regarding the mental capabilities and progress limitations attributed collectively to Africans posed challenges for studying African history objectively.