As my previous post discusses, I recently did a bit of research on the Barbary Corsairs (North African Pirates). This, plus a conversation with my new classmate Alex who is originally from Eritrea, led me to do further research on the lesser known Arab Slave Trade.
You might be interested to know that the Arab Slave Trade preceded the European and American Slave Trades by about 700 years. It was wider spread and though there are discrepancies int he figures, there may have been three times the African slaves sold during the Arab Slave Trade than the European/American Slave Trade. Slaves were taken, mostly from East Africa, to places as far as Iran, India, the Arabian Gulf and even China. (Note: I was especially shocked to learn that I have been to three of the major North African port cities where slaves were sold and sent as cargo to meet the demands of the Middle East and South Asia, which are Cairo, Marrakech and Aswan. I had no idea that these places where I'd spent so much of my time were actually central hubs to supplying such an abysmal institutional practice)
According to one source, slaves taken over to India eventually revolted against their owners and took power in Bengal in the late 1400's. Instances such as these continued throughout the world...I also came across research about Arab-African perceptions of one another. Most Arab (and European) perceptions of Africans were negative, because most of them believed that Africans were of an inferior race. This is in direct opposition to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad in Islam, but it still exists even today. I saw a variety of reasons for this belief...some biblical, saying that the son of Noah, Ham, was cursed by being black and that the Africans were his descendants. Others claimed that it was because of, oddly enough, the physical features of having a "flat nose and kinky hair". Then a third, was because of the practices of animistic religion and other seemingly foreign concepts that led the outsiders to believe that the Africans were vile, corrupt, barbaric, ignorant, incapable of comprehension, uncultured, and prone to sexual promiscuity etc.
I then came across one of the few Arab travelers who actually visited West and East Africa. Rather than relying on hearsay, Amazigh (Berber) historian Ibn Battuta conducted his own research and the notes of his travels depict a very different pictures of Africans and Sub-Saharan Africa from the 1300's. He stated that the some of the cities in Africa were some of the most beautiful that he'd seen and that their craftmanship and architectural skills were impressive. Below are quotes from his notes.
So, in summary, Ibn Battuta found the Africans in both West and East Africa to be noble people, religious people whom hated violence, inequality and unfairness. They were well dressed people who took pride in themselves and were committed to their religions. They had cities, states and empires instead of huts,as is depicted in today's cinema and history. They had governments, not anarchy. The sexes were egalitarian, especially in comparison to Europe and the Middle East at the time and the people's hospitality deeply moved Ibn Battuta.
This is what Africa was really like. This is what the African people were like before Colonization. Researchers say that the difference between Ibn Battuta's experience and the hearsay of those who had never been was that the Africans may have spread negative rumors in order to keep out potential invaders. Perhaps this is where many of the negative stereotypes and assumptions originated. Maybe they just stuck over time.
Nevertheless, I am greatly appreciative of Ibn Battuta for providing a more accurate historical depiction of what Africa was like back when my ancestors were still on the continent. It makes me feel like I am a little closer to home.
You might be interested to know that the Arab Slave Trade preceded the European and American Slave Trades by about 700 years. It was wider spread and though there are discrepancies int he figures, there may have been three times the African slaves sold during the Arab Slave Trade than the European/American Slave Trade. Slaves were taken, mostly from East Africa, to places as far as Iran, India, the Arabian Gulf and even China. (Note: I was especially shocked to learn that I have been to three of the major North African port cities where slaves were sold and sent as cargo to meet the demands of the Middle East and South Asia, which are Cairo, Marrakech and Aswan. I had no idea that these places where I'd spent so much of my time were actually central hubs to supplying such an abysmal institutional practice)
According to one source, slaves taken over to India eventually revolted against their owners and took power in Bengal in the late 1400's. Instances such as these continued throughout the world...I also came across research about Arab-African perceptions of one another. Most Arab (and European) perceptions of Africans were negative, because most of them believed that Africans were of an inferior race. This is in direct opposition to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad in Islam, but it still exists even today. I saw a variety of reasons for this belief...some biblical, saying that the son of Noah, Ham, was cursed by being black and that the Africans were his descendants. Others claimed that it was because of, oddly enough, the physical features of having a "flat nose and kinky hair". Then a third, was because of the practices of animistic religion and other seemingly foreign concepts that led the outsiders to believe that the Africans were vile, corrupt, barbaric, ignorant, incapable of comprehension, uncultured, and prone to sexual promiscuity etc.
I then came across one of the few Arab travelers who actually visited West and East Africa. Rather than relying on hearsay, Amazigh (Berber) historian Ibn Battuta conducted his own research and the notes of his travels depict a very different pictures of Africans and Sub-Saharan Africa from the 1300's. He stated that the some of the cities in Africa were some of the most beautiful that he'd seen and that their craftmanship and architectural skills were impressive. Below are quotes from his notes.
"[The people of Mombasa in Kenya] are a religious people, trustworthy and righteous. Their mosques are made of wood, expertly built."
"Ibn Battuta was also impressed with aspects of the Mali Empire of West Africa, which he visited in 1352, writing that the people there:
'...possess some admirable qualities. They are seldom unjust, and have a greater abhorrence of injustice than any other people. There is complete security in their country. Neither traveler nor inhabitant in it has anything to fear from robbers or men of violence.'
"In addition, he wrote many other positive comments on the people of the Mali Empire, including the following":
'I met the qadi of Malli... he is a black, has been on a pilgrimage, and is a noble person with good qualities of character... I met the interpreter Dugha, a noble black and a leader of theirs... They performed their duty towards me [as a guest] most perfectly; may God bless and reward them for their good deeds!'
'Another of [the Malli blacks'] good qualities is their concern for learning the sublime Qur'an by heart...One day I passed a handsome youth from them dressed in fine clothes and on his feet was a heavy chain. I said to the man who was with me, 'What has this youth done -- has he killed someone?' The youth heard my remark and laughed. It was told me, 'He has been chained so that he will learn the Qu'ran by heart.'
'[the people of Iwalatan in West Africa] were generous to me and entertained me...and as for their women -- they are extremely beautiful and are more important than the men...'
So, in summary, Ibn Battuta found the Africans in both West and East Africa to be noble people, religious people whom hated violence, inequality and unfairness. They were well dressed people who took pride in themselves and were committed to their religions. They had cities, states and empires instead of huts,as is depicted in today's cinema and history. They had governments, not anarchy. The sexes were egalitarian, especially in comparison to Europe and the Middle East at the time and the people's hospitality deeply moved Ibn Battuta.
This is what Africa was really like. This is what the African people were like before Colonization. Researchers say that the difference between Ibn Battuta's experience and the hearsay of those who had never been was that the Africans may have spread negative rumors in order to keep out potential invaders. Perhaps this is where many of the negative stereotypes and assumptions originated. Maybe they just stuck over time.
Nevertheless, I am greatly appreciative of Ibn Battuta for providing a more accurate historical depiction of what Africa was like back when my ancestors were still on the continent. It makes me feel like I am a little closer to home.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_slave_trade
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