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a cappella: Music without instrumental accompaniment; popular in South Africa. Abacha, Sanni: Nigeria's military dictator from 1993 to his death in 1998. He executed his political opponents including Moshood Abiola and Ken Saro-Wiwa. Abiola, Moshood: Yoruba Muslim who won the 1993 elections in Nigeria. The military government suspended the results and imprisoned Abiola who was murdered in 1996. Abu Simbel: The site where Ramses II built two temples in 1250 B.C.E. Abuk: According to Dinka religion, she was the first woman and is associated with rivers. Achebe, Chinua: Nigerian novelist and poet. Author of Things Fall Apart. Adulis: Major city and seaport of the Axum Empire. Its gateway to the rest of the world. Afar: Nomadic herders who live in the desert regions of Ethiopia, Eritea, and Djibouti; devout Muslims. afro-Beat: A form of music popular in West Africa. Afrikaners: white descendants of the Dutch (Boer) settlers to South Africa. age-set: In many African societies, people are grouped by age and each age has a set of privileges and obligations; friendships between age-sets are discouraged; a rite of passage marks the movement from one age-set to another. Akhenaten: See Amenhotep IV. akple: A mixture of corn and cassava flour used to make a bread that is eaten with meat or vegetable stew. Ala: Among the Igbo (Ibo), Ala is the earth goddess who is honored through shrines and festivals. Al-Bakri: Historian whose writings are our source of knowledge about Classical Ghana. Ali, Mehemet: Ottoman soldier who became Viceroy of Egypt in 1805. He reformed the Administration, army, and navy. After defeating the Ottomans, he & his descendants became the hereditary rulers of Egypt. Allah: Islamic name for the one God. Almoravids: Berber warriors who spread Islam to West Africa. In the 11th century, they overthrew the Empire of Ghana. At their height the Almoravids controlled most of north-west Africa and Southern Spain, where they were known as the Moors. Aloma, Idris: Greatest ruler of the Muslim Kingdom of Kanem-Borno in northern Nigeria from 1595-1617. Alves, Antonio de Castro: Brazilian abolitionist who was known as the poet of the slaves because of his critique of slavery. His poems fueled the public debate on abolition, which paved the way for the enactment of the Law of the Free Womb(1871) which declared all children born to enslaved women free, and the Golden Law (1888) ending slavery. AmaNdlozi: Ancestors of a Ndebele family who are spiritual guardians of the family. Amanirenas: Kushite Queen from 99-94B.C.E. She was a famous miliatry leader who defeated the Roman Army, preventing them from conquering Nubia. The Romans called her the one-eyed Kandake, because she had lost an eye in a previous military battle. Amanitore: Kushite Queen who ruled Nubia from 25-41C.E. Amen: See Amon. Amenhotep IV: Young Pharaoh of Egypt during the 14th century, who believed in only one god, Aten, and tried to impose his religious beliefs on his people. Overthrown by a revolt led by the priests. Amenokal: The title given to the king of each of the 7 confederations of the Tuareg. Amhara: Ethiopian ethnic group who live in the northern highlands; they control the nations government and economy; most are Christians. Amin Dada, Idi: military colonel who seized power in Uganda in 1971; created a brutal regime under which thousands of Ugandans were killed. Amma: The supreme god of the Dogon. Amon: In Ancient Egypt, Amen or Amon-Re was the local god of the city of Thebes. Depicted as a ram's head, Amon symbolized life and fertility. The temple dedicated to Amon at Karnak is one of the most famous in Egypt. Anansi: The spider character who is featured in many West African folktales. Anansi is a trickster who outwits all other animals. These stories were carried to the Caribbean by enslaved Africans. ANC: African National Congress; South African political group led by Nelson Mandela; led the fight against Apartheid. They won the majority of legislative seats in the 1994 election and continue to lead the government of South Africa. ankh: A T-shaped cross with a loop at the top. In Egyptian hieroglyphics it symbolizes eternal life. apartheid: From 1948-1991, the white minority of South Africa used force to oppress the black majority by forcing them into segregated homelands and denying them equality. Apedemak: An ancient god popular among the Nubians. Asante: Or Ashanti. In 1670, the Asante Empire emerged as a union of various ethnic groups in the area that was one the Empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. In exchange for guns and other European goods, the Asante sold gold and slaves, usually either captured in war or accepted as tribute from conquered peoples. As the prospered, Asante culture flourished. During the 19th century, they fought several wars with the British, who sought to eliminate the slave trade and expand their control over the region. Asantehene: The Asante King. Askari: Africans who fought in the colonial armies of German East Africa during World War I. Askia Muhammed: (1450-1528) Overthrew Sunni Baru to become ruler of Songhai. Extended the empire and consolidated it as an Islamic state. Aspelta: Powerful Nubian King from 600-580 B.C.E. His armies were defeated by the Egyptians and he was forced to withdraw from Napata to Meroe. Aswan: In 1970, Nasser built a dam near this city to control the floodwaters of the Nile and bring electricity to rural Egypt. Atlas Mountains: Mountain range located in Morocco and Tunisia near the Strait of Gilbralter. Aten: Egyptian sun god who was made the one true god by the Pharaoh Amenhotep IV. Audoghast: The salt capital of the Empire of Ghana. Axum: Located in modern Ethiopia, this city was the capital and cultural center of the Axumite Empire. Legend says that the Ark of Covenant was brought to Axum by a royal descendant of the Jewish King Solomon and the Axumite Queen of Sheba.
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Bambuk: Secret location of the gold mines that were the source of wealth for the Empire of Ghana. Battuta, Ibn: 1304-1369-8; born in Morocco; the greatest Arab explorer and geographer; traveled through north, west, and east Africa, India, and China; his writings provide an excellent record of the time period. B.C.E.: Before common era. The current term for the time known as B.C. Historical dates before the year one. Beja: Desert people of northeast Sudan and Eritrea who were conquered by Ezana I during the 4th century. Today they are nomadic herders and Muslim. Berber: Nomadic traders of the Sahara and the northwest coast of Africa. In 1054, a confederation of Berbers founded the Almoravid dynasty and conquered the Empire of Ghana and invaded Spain. In the 1800's various Berber guerilla groups fought the French and Spanish efforts to colonize their territory. Today they number about 15 million and are spread out over North Africa, especially Algeria and Morocco. They are devout Muslims. Berlin Conference: (1884-1885)Meeting at which the major European powers (led by Bismark) negotiated and formalized their claims to territory in Africa, in what was known as the "Scramble for Africa." Bight of Benin: Bay along the West African coast, forming the western part of the Gulf of Buinea. The coast is characterized by rough surf and low offshore islands that protect shallow anchorages. Throughout the 18th century the Bight of Benin was known as Slave Coast, when Badagri and Ouidah were major slaving ports. Between 1711 and 1810, over 1 million people were captured along this coast, most of them from the Yoruba, Hausa, and Nupe people. Biko, Steve: Founder of South Africa's Black Consciousness movement & president of the South African Students' Organization. Banned by the government from political activity in 1973; he was killed while in police custody in 1977. Biko became an internaltional symbol of the repression of the white government of South Africa. Black Conscienciousness: South African movement led by Steve Biko; stressed black pride and the rediscovery of black culture. Book of the Dead: Ancient Egyptian collection of writings about life and death. bridewealth: Practice common among African People in which a marriage between a couple is sealed with a gift--often cattle, or other livestock--from the groom to the bride's family; a token of respect and compensation for loss of a family member. Boer: See Africaner. Boer War: War between the English and Dutch settlers over who would control South Africa--including its gold and diamond mines---from 1899-1902. Botha, Pieter Willem: White minority ruler of South Africa from 1978-1989. Boutros-Ghali, Boutros: Egyptian who became the first African Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1992. Buthelezi, Mangosthutu: Former Prime Minister of the Kwazulu homeland and leader of the Inkatha; Zulu king who challenged Mandela for leadership of South Africa.
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cadi: A judge in Mansa Musa's government in during Mali Empire. calabash: Type of gourd that is hollowed out and used to make a musical instrument. caliph: An islamic ruler. caravan: a company of travelers journeying together, usually with a train of pack animals (camels) loaded with trade goods. Caribbean: Over half of all slaves sent to the Americas were sold to the Islands of the Caribbean where they would work on the sugar plantations. Today, the culture of the Caribbean is a mixture of African, Indian, and European. caste: The class of society into which a person is born and will belong to for life. cataract: Rapids or waterfalls in a river that makes it impossible or hazardous to navigate. C.E.; Common Era. The current term for A.D.. Historical dates After the year one. CFA: Type of currency used in the former French colonies of West and Central Africa including Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Central African Republic. chaabi: A form of music popular in Morocco that combines Arab, Berber and Western styles. The lyrics often deal with political or social issues. chariot: A military vehicle with two wheels that is drawn by two or four horses and will carry one to two people. Cheops: See Khufu. chimurenga: Contemporary African music based on the rhythms of the mbira; played an important role in the freedom fight in Zimbabwe. Chukwu: The supreme being of the Igbo (Ibo) people. clan: Group of several people, usually several lineages, who claim descent from a common ancestor. Cleopatra VII: Last of the Ptolemy dynasty (descendants of Alexander the Great) to rule Egypt. She became queen in 51BCE but was deposed by her brother. Julius Caesar restored her to her throne in 47BCE, but Egypt became a Roman province. In 30BCE, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were defeated in the Naval Battle at Actium, and Cleopatra committed suicide. compound: An enclosure containing living quarters; a group of linked buildings lived in by members of the same family. copra: the dried "meat" of the coconut that is also used to make coconut oil. Coptic: Refers to the Copts--a Christian minority located mainly in Egypt--i.e. the Coptic Church; a historical period in Egypt from 200-642 C.E. couscous: A spicy dish from North Africa that consists of a steamed course-ground grain such as seminola. It is popular in North Africa and the Sahel. Cyclopean Stone: The greatest monolithic structure built during the Axumite Empire between 270 and 320.
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Dardar: The sultan of the Afar people. Dawning: The beginning of an empire, civilization, or historical time period. deforestation: The clearing of trees in a forest. African rainforest are endangered because of rapid deforestation caused by logging and settlement. de Klerk, Frederik Willem: The last white minority president of South Africa. In 1989, de Klerk became president and began to dismantle the Apartheid system. He freed Nelson Mandela in 1990, and negotiated with Mandela a peaceful transfer of power & free elections. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Mandela in 1993. desertification: The process by which fertile land becomes barren desert. The Sahel region of West Africa is threatened by desertification due to drought, overpopulation, and too much herding. dhow: Cargo ship with a raised deck at the stern and sails, which is used along the Indian Ocean. The Swahili city-states used dhows to trade with the Arabian Peninsula and India. dialect: A regional or local version of a language. Diaspora: Refers to the forced scattering of Africans all around the world by the slave trade; also the diverse African heritages brought to the Americas and their influence on the societies of the western hemisphere. Difaqane: Means scattering. It refers to the period of mass migration and war in southern Africa between 1819 and 1839. It was cause by the Zulu conquest of the region. Also known as the Mfecane. divination: A practice in many African religions. Diviners use bones, plants, and tools to reveal the spiritual unbalance that is causing an illness or misfortune. Dja-gay: According to the Nuer, Dja-jay was the first human who emerged from a hole in the groung at the holy site of Duar. Djenne: Also Jenne. This city was the seat of learning & trate during the Songhai Empire. Location of a famous medical university that in 1485 was teaching doctors to remove cataracts from the human eye. Drakensberg Escarpment: Extends along the southeast coastline of South Africa from Cape Province and Natal to Lesotho. drought: Water shortage caused by a prolonged period of inadequate rainfall. duba: A massive drum made from a long, hollow tree trunk and used to call people together. durra: Sorghum, a type of cereal grown in Africa. dyamu: Malinke word for a group of people who share the same name dynasty: A
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Ehi: A spirit of destiny. During the Kingdom of Benin. the people believed that their destiny was shaped by a conversation between their soul and the creator-god Osanobua. They called this destiny Ehi. Emergence: In Egypt, it is the season when the waters of the Nile match their peak in September and begin to recede. Emin Pasha, Mehmed: (1840-1892) Emin Pasha became the administer of the province of Sudan. He was an explorer, geographer, botanist, and linguist. He fought against slavery and was murdered by Arab slave traders at Boyoma(Stanley) Falls. emahiya: A brightly-colored body wrap worn by the Swazi. emanicapation: the legal abolishing of slavery within a country. Emir: Ruler, prince, or commander of an Islamic state. enkang: Masai homes lived in during the rainy season. EPLF: The People's Liberation Front of Eritea; in the 1960's they led the fight for independence from Ethipia. Independence was acchieved in 1991, but a war between the two nations is still being fought over border territory. Equiano, OIaudah: Author of The Early Travels of Olaudah Equiano, his autobiography of his experiences as a slave. In 1756, at the age of 11 Equiano was enslaved. After a few years as a slave in Africa, he was sold and shipped to Barbados, then Virginia, then England. He purchased his freedom in 1766 and became a leader of England's anti-slavery movement. His autobiography is one of the few written first hand accounts of the Middle Passage. erg: An area of shifting sand dunes in a desert. escarpment: A steep cliff that separates two levels or different elevation. Because a large percentage of Africa contains escarpments. Africa has an abundance of waterfalls and many of its rivers are not navigable. Es-Saleh: Mansa Musa's most important architect who built mosques and monuments throughout Timbuktu. Esu: God of the Kingdom of Benin and the Yuruba people. Esu is the trickster god. Ezana I: Axumite King during the 4th century, who conquered the Beja and converted most of the region to Christianity.
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Farouk I: The last king of Egypt who ruled from 1937-1952. Blamed for Egypt's loss to Israel in 1949 and the British military occupation of Egypt, he was deposed by General Muhammad Neguib. feluccas: Small, narrow boats that have sailed the Nile river for centuries. forge: fou-fou: Cassava
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Gabaza Axum: One of the holiest sites of ancient Axum, believed to be the final resting place of the Jewish Ark of Covenant. Ganda: Ethnic group that live in the northwestern lake region of Uganda. Garang: According to Dinka religion, he was the first man and is associated with the sun. geerewol: A dance performed at a Fulani festival that is performed by men to attract women. Ge'ez: The language of the Axumite Empire. Gelede: A Yoruba festival where masked dancers perform to guard the village from witches. Genna: Ethiopian word for Christmas. Ghana: The kings of the Wagadu used this title which means war-chief. The kingdom they created was named Ghana after them. Ghana was the earliest of the classical empires of west Africa lasting from 300B.C.E. to 1200C.E. The Empire, first known as Wagadu, rose to greatness by controlling the salt for gold trade. The modern nation of Ghana was the first European colony to become independent after World War II. Gikuyu: Son of Ngai; the Kikuyu people are decendants of Gikuyu. Gowon, Yakubu: Nigeria's leader during the Biafran War of 1967-1970. He was deposed in 1975. Great Sphinx: Giza: The Great Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Khufu are located on the desert plains of Giza. It is one of the most famous tourist sites in the world. Goree Island: Island of the coast of Senegal that was used as a slave port for the transatlantic slave trade for over 300 years. At least 1/3rd of slaves exported before 1600 came from Goree. It was so commercially profitable that the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British fought over it 17 times. Today the Senegalese government has restored the island as a memorial of the slave trade. griot: A West African storyteller, singer, musician, and oral historian. The griot kept an unwritten record of all births, marriages, and deaths that was passed down from one generation to the next. groundnut: Group of plants including peanuts; a major cash crop in many African nations.
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Habyarimana, Juvenal: Army officer who took power in Rwanda in 1973. In 1994, a plane carrying Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira, president of Burundi, was shot down and both men were killed. The deaths of these two Hutu leaders would begin the genocide in Rwanda. Hadith: Muslim holy book that provides guidance on the rules of daily life. Hajj: A pilgrimage to Mecca, that every devout Muslim should make at least once in their lifetime. hammada: An area of rock platforms and boulders in a desert. Hapi: Egyptian god of the Nile River, symbolized by a man carrying fishing spears. harmattan: A cool, dry, dusty wind of the Sahara desert that blows westward during the winter. Hathor: Egyptian goddess of health and prosperity; symbolized by woman with cow horns. Hatshepsut: (1540-1481BCE) Became queen of Egypt in 1505 BCE. Although she shared her throne with her nephew Tutmosis III, she dressed as a man and ruled on her own. During her reign she built the temple at Deir al Bahri and two obelisks at Karnak. She increased Egyptian trade along the east coast of Africa. harambee: swahili slogan that means pull together. Heliopolis: Holy city of Lower Egypt dedicated to Atum and Ra. Location of Cleopatra's needles (obelisks). henna: Reddish dye made from plants; used to decorate the hair and skin--especially hands. hierachical: Related to a ruling body that is organized into ranks, each answering to the one above it. hieroglyphics: Form of writing used in Ancient Egypt and Nubia that used symbols and pictures to represent sounds, concepts, and objects. Horus: The sky god of Ancient Egypt. The lord of heaven was shown as a man with a falcon's head. He was the son of Osiris and Isis. Hutu: Ethnic group of Rwanda & Burundi. In 1992, the Hutu began a massacre of Tutsi in Rwanda. This provoked a genocide of both people by each other that would last till 1996. |
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This site was created
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Revised: 08/23/06 |
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"Intolerance
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