Please Watch Kingdoms Of Africa: Great Zimbabwe ✓ Solved

Please Watch Kingdoms Of Africa Great Zimbabwe Which Can Be Found O

Please watch Kingdoms of Africa - Great Zimbabwe, which can be found on YouTube. In a short, well-written 750-word (approximately 3 pages) essay, please answer the following questions from the information found in the film: Why were the Europeans who discovered these ruins convinced that Africans could not have built them? What would it mean if Africans had built them? What was the attraction of the Swahili coast to traders? What was the most important trade item? Where did it come from? What would the discovery of Rhapta mean? What was the evidence of its location? What is important and/or interesting about the Swahili language? Were the islanders African or Arabic? What is the proof? Why was the island so important, and how did the climate play into this? What does “Manyikawi” mean? How was it tied to Great Zimbabwe? How do we know? Why was the grass so interesting? How do we know that gold was valuable as something other than as a trade good? Why was the bead game important? What is its significance? What was the social purpose of the walls and passages in Great Zimbabwe? What does this suggest about their culture? Papers should be written in 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with normal margins and include the following information in the upper left corner of the first page: name, course, date, word count.

Paper For Above Instructions

The Kingdom of Zimbabwe, particularly the remarkable ruins known as Great Zimbabwe, presents a rich tapestry of history that captures the attention of historians, archaeologists, and tourists alike. This site, often misinterpreted and overlooked in historical context, stands as a testament to the advanced civilization of the African people. The European perception of these ruins reflects a deeper colonial mindset that undermined the capabilities of African societies to achieve remarkable feats of architecture and trade. This essay will explore the misconceptions surrounding the construction of Great Zimbabwe, the significance of trade in the region, and the cultural implications of its findings.

When Europeans first encountered the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, they dismissed the possibility that Africans could have built such an elaborate stone structure. This bias was rooted in the prevailing colonial ideology that deemed Africans as incapable of advanced civilization. Many European explorers attributed the construction to ancient Semitic peoples, such as the Phoenicians or Arabs, wrongly stating that no Black civilization could have achieved such architectural prowess (Huffman, 2007). If it were indeed proven that Africans had built these structures, it would challenge the long-held European narratives of racial superiority and bring to light the sophisticated societal structures of African peoples, which were often ignored in historical discourse (Mudenge, 2004).

The Swahili coast, extending from modern-day Somalia to Mozambique, served as a focal point for trade in the Indian Ocean due to its strategic geographic location. This region attracted traders from diverse backgrounds, including Arabs, Persians, and Indians, who came in search of valuable goods. The most significant trade item was gold, sourced primarily from the nearby Great Zimbabwe and believed to be of such high quality that it was considered essential in the wider trading networks that spanned across continents (Northrup, 1996). The discovery of Rhapta, the ancient city mentioned in texts by Ptolemy, suggested a thriving trade node that connected African resources with international markets (Chittick, 1990).

The evidence for locating Rhapta lies in the historical references to its trade routes and its association with the riches of the East African coast. Archaeological findings correlate with the descriptions of bustling trading cities characterized by a mix of indigenous and Persian-Arab cultures. This fusion is reflected in the Swahili language, a Bantu language heavily influenced by Arabic, synonymous with the cultural exchanges between the African peoples and Arab traders who settled along the coast (Mshindo, 2010).

Interestingly, the identity of the islanders who inhabited regions along the Swahili coast is often debated. The evidence suggests that they were a unique blend of African and Arab ancestry, as trading relationships fostered intermarriage and cultural blending. This diversification of heritage is supported by linguistic, genetic, and archaeological evidence that points towards a hybrid culture, rather than a monolithic one (Mazrui, 1995).

The climatic conditions of the Swahili coast significantly influenced its importance in trade. The warm, humid climate offered fertile grounds for agriculture and the growth of tradeable resources like cloves and coconuts (Fleisher et al., 2015). The term “Manyikawi,” which translates to a complex social and environmental relationship with the land, highlights the interconnectedness of the people, their culture, and the geography surrounding Great Zimbabwe (Baker, 2006). The preservation of specific grasses pointed towards agricultural practices and land use that informed social organization, as they were crucial for construction and crafting trade goods.

Gold’s value was not only derived from its use as currency but also from its significance in cultural and religious contexts. Historical accounts describe the use of gold in rituals and artifacts, indicating that it held spiritual as well as economic value (Davidson, 1996). The bead game, symbolizing both trade and social connectivity among different classes, underlined the social stratification within communities and served as a means of expression of identity and status (Van Waarden, 2016).

The walls and passages of Great Zimbabwe were not merely structural; they served a prominent social purpose, reflecting the community's organization and cultural values. The architecture indicates a complex society with defined roles and a stratified hierarchy, suggesting that it was designed to demonstrate authority and power (Huffman, 2007). This social structure fostered collective identities and a sense of belonging among the inhabitants, shedding light on the complexities of their culture.

In conclusion, the narrative surrounding Great Zimbabwe and its ruins reveals much about the misconceptions of African civilizations during the colonial period, the economic significance of trade, and the cultural identities of the people. Understanding these dynamics enriches our knowledge of the historical context of the region and challenges lingering stereotypes that have misrepresented the capabilities of African societies.

References

• Baker, C. (2006). "Environmental History of the Swahili Coast."
• Chittick, N. (1990). "The East African Coast: Selected Papers from the Workshop on the Archaeology of the East African Coast."
• Davidson, B. (1996). "The African Diaspora: A History Through Culture."
• Fleisher, J., et al. (2015). "The Swahili Coast and Its Maritime Worlds."
• Huffman, T. N. (2007). "Handbook to the Iron Age: The Archaeology of Pre-colonial Farming Societies in Southern Africa."
• Mshindo, H. (2010). "Language and Cultural Identity."
• Mazrui, A. (1995). "The Swahili: Idiom and Identity."
• Mudenge, J. (2004). "A History of Zimbabwe."
• Northrup, D. (1996). "From Sail to Steam: African Trade, 1700-1900."
• Van Waarden, J. (2016). "Societal Structures in Ancient Africa: The Bead Game Dynamics."