 G2: "Africa, The Sleeping Giant"
January 26, 2018 | 1:00-3:00 pm
Description: Heralded by scientists as the birthplace of the human species, Africa is home to a great number of ethnic cultures. Victorian missionaries liked to think they were bringing the beacon of “civilization” to the ‘savages’ of Africa, but the truth is that Africans were developing commercial empires and complex urban societies while Europeans were still running after wildlife with clubs. Many of these civilizations were small and short-lived, but others were truly great, with influence that reached far beyond Africa and into Asia and Europe. But by the early twentieth century, much of Africa, except Ethiopia and Liberia, had been colonized by European powers. To prevent conflicts and wars, European powers convened at the Berlin
Conference to compose a code of conduct for imperialist competition in Africa. The resulting Berlin Act, drawn up without African participation, provided the basis for the subsequent partition, invasion and colonization of Africa by various European powers. African independence movements have existed as long as the foreign overlords, but after the World Wars, Africans really began dreaming of an “Africa for the Africans.” Some realised this dream peacefully, others only after decades of bloodshed and struggle. From the early men and women who left their footsteps in volcanic ash to the liberation of Nelson Mandela, the history of Africa is a massive and intricate subject. What is Africa’s role in today’s world and what possibilities lie ahead for its culturally diverse peoples?
Designed for: Anyone interested in learning more about Africa, its people, its history and its future
Facilitator: Ruthmarie Mitsch (Guest Presenter - Lighthouse Bay)
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