Re-looking at African History
SLAVKO Filipovic's "Look at African History" published in The Namibian of April 16 stimulated my thoughts and prompted me to contribute to this important topic.
As a student of history, palaeontology, archaeology, anthropology,
ethnography, etc I have very few corrections to make and then
develop the theory a bit further and pin it down to examples of
colonialism and imperialism from our own doorstep.
It has now been accepted in the palaeontological world that
Africa is the cradle of mankind.
But the first hominids did not appear here until some 4.5 (not
7) million years ago.
Our early ancestors started walking on two legs only less than
two million years ago when they became homo erectus.
But the homo sapiens did not become modern human or homo sapiens
sapiens until some 200 000 years ago.
Even their Neanderthal cousins and the Cro-Magnon humans (the
Aurignacians) did not appear until some 230 000 years ago.
The native peoples of Africa at the dawn of the European
colonial and imperialist expansion (which, as Filipovic observed,
had nothing to do with skin colour) could also be grouped as:
Whites (Hamites) (in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, etc), Nelotic (in
Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, etc), Negroid (the Sudanic people of west
Africa and the Bantu of central, East, and southern Africa),
Pygmies (of central West Africa), Asiatic (not Asians - in
Madagascar, Seychelles, and Mauritius), and Khoisan (of southern
Africa).
Because of differences in cultural materials (tools, technology,
food, etc), religion, organisational levels, and physical
environment, these human groups have subjugated and colonised one
another throughout history and pre-history.
It is believed in some palaeontological circles that the
Neanderthals of Europe, who rarely made any stone or bone tools,
were wiped out by the invading tool-making homo sapiens sapiens
from Africa.
The dramatic human movement of 3 000 BC Filipovic mentioned was
an escape from subjugation and colonisation by invading groups from
the north.
The escaping Bantu subjugated and colonised the weaker groups
they encountered on their way.
The Mbutis (of the Pygmy group) in central West Africa, for
example, were pushed all the way into the Ituri Forest of DRC and
Gabon.
In southern Africa, the Khoisan were pushed all the way to the
southern tip of the continent.
Others were pushed into the thicker forests of Angola, Namibia,
etc.
In Namibia, the San of the Khoisan group are bearing the brunt
to this day.
Because of the differences cited above, they had kept on running
- fleeing the Bantu groups that were ever invading their
territories.
In north central Namibia they found new homes in the areas of
Eenhana and Utsathima.
Finally those at Eenhana found themselves in the Okongo
area.
Both San groups had nowhere else to escape to and the Bantu
group - armed with the newly acquired religion, weapons and
implements, pastoral and agricultural skills and advanced (not
superior!) organisation - subjugated them and colonised their last
lands.
The Bantu are now busy dismantling the San culture and way of
living.
United with other groups such as whites and other Khoisan and in
the name of modernity (civilisation), the Bantu have passed laws
banning hunting - the very foundation of the San societies.
The same people are working hard day and night to overcome the
Himba people in the north-west and colonise their land.
Although the pastoral Himba, just like their Masai counterparts
in East Africa, are culturally resistant efforts to defend their
independence are surely doomed to fail in the face of the united
world forces of imperialism and colonialism.
The wars to subjugate other peoples are continuing all over the
world today.
All this is imperialism and colonialism and has nothing to do
with colour but with the elements Filipovic and I cited.
No wonder some people from all colours in Namibia today claim to
be un-free - marginalised, oppressed, suppressed, or discriminated
against by their liberators or new masters, if you like, who are
not necessarily white but have some advantages over others.
Even, as Filipovic says, "[t]he land issue in Namibia today has
much to do with complicated human developments on the African
continent" and such current developments in our country can have
explosive effects in future if not handled responsibly.
J. Mwalundange
Windhoek
Contact: 061-249624
It has now been accepted in the palaeontological world that Africa
is the cradle of mankind.But the first hominids did not appear here
until some 4.5 (not 7) million years ago.Our early ancestors
started walking on two legs only less than two million years ago
when they became homo erectus.But the homo sapiens did not become
modern human or homo sapiens sapiens until some 200 000 years
ago.Even their Neanderthal cousins and the Cro-Magnon humans (the
Aurignacians) did not appear until some 230 000 years ago.The
native peoples of Africa at the dawn of the European colonial and
imperialist expansion (which, as Filipovic observed, had nothing to
do with skin colour) could also be grouped as: Whites (Hamites) (in
Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, etc), Nelotic (in Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan,
etc), Negroid (the Sudanic people of west Africa and the Bantu of
central, East, and southern Africa), Pygmies (of central West
Africa), Asiatic (not Asians - in Madagascar, Seychelles, and
Mauritius), and Khoisan (of southern Africa).Because of differences
in cultural materials (tools, technology, food, etc), religion,
organisational levels, and physical environment, these human groups
have subjugated and colonised one another throughout history and
pre-history.It is believed in some palaeontological circles that
the Neanderthals of Europe, who rarely made any stone or bone
tools, were wiped out by the invading tool-making homo sapiens
sapiens from Africa.The dramatic human movement of 3 000 BC
Filipovic mentioned was an escape from subjugation and colonisation
by invading groups from the north.The escaping Bantu subjugated and
colonised the weaker groups they encountered on their way.The
Mbutis (of the Pygmy group) in central West Africa, for example,
were pushed all the way into the Ituri Forest of DRC and Gabon.In
southern Africa, the Khoisan were pushed all the way to the
southern tip of the continent.Others were pushed into the thicker
forests of Angola, Namibia, etc.In Namibia, the San of the Khoisan
group are bearing the brunt to this day.Because of the differences
cited above, they had kept on running - fleeing the Bantu groups
that were ever invading their territories.In north central Namibia
they found new homes in the areas of Eenhana and Utsathima.Finally
those at Eenhana found themselves in the Okongo area.Both San
groups had nowhere else to escape to and the Bantu group - armed
with the newly acquired religion, weapons and implements, pastoral
and agricultural skills and advanced (not superior!) organisation -
subjugated them and colonised their last lands.The Bantu are now
busy dismantling the San culture and way of living.United with
other groups such as whites and other Khoisan and in the name of
modernity (civilisation), the Bantu have passed laws banning
hunting - the very foundation of the San societies.The same people
are working hard day and night to overcome the Himba people in the
north-west and colonise their land.Although the pastoral Himba,
just like their Masai counterparts in East Africa, are culturally
resistant efforts to defend their independence are surely doomed to
fail in the face of the united world forces of imperialism and
colonialism.The wars to subjugate other peoples are continuing all
over the world today.All this is imperialism and colonialism and
has nothing to do with colour but with the elements Filipovic and I
cited.No wonder some people from all colours in Namibia today claim
to be un-free - marginalised, oppressed, suppressed, or
discriminated against by their liberators or new masters, if you
like, who are not necessarily white but have some advantages over
others.Even, as Filipovic says, "[t]he land issue in Namibia today
has much to do with complicated human developments on the African
continent" and such current developments in our country can have
explosive effects in future if not handled responsibly.J.
Mwalundange
Windhoek
Contact: 061-249624