AFRICAN IMAGES IN THE WESTERN MEDIA

African Images in the Western Media



African Images in the Western Media

History

The origin and significance of the title of the continent are discussed in another place. The phrase Africa was directed originally to the country in the direct district of Carthage, that part of the country's first renowned to the Romans, and it was subsequently extended with their increasing knowledge, till it came at last to encompass all that they knew of the continent. The Arabs still restrict the title Ifrikia to the territory of Tunisia.

The nations bordering the Mediterranean were first exploited by the Phoenicians, whose soonest towns were made before 1000 B.C. Carthage, founded about 800 B.C., speedily increased into a city without rival in the Mediterranean, and the Phoenicians, subduing the Berber tribes, who then as now formed the bulk of the community, became experts of all the habitable district of North Africa west of the large Syrtis, and found in commerce a source of immense prosperity. Both Egyptians and Carthaginians made endeavors to come to the unknown components of the countries by sea. Herodotus interacts that an expedition under Phoenician navigators, engaged by Necho, monarch of Egypt,c. 600 B.C., circumnavigated Africa from the Red ocean to the Mediterranean, a voyage asserted to have been carried out in three years. Apart from the described circumnavigation of the countries, the west seaboard area was well known to the Phoenicians as far as Cape Nun, andc. 520 B.C. Hanno, a Carthaginian, explored the seaboard area as far, possibly, as the Bight of Benin, absolutely as far as Sierra Leone. Vague information of the Niger districts was also possessed by the Phoenicians.(Jochannan 1988)

The colonization of Africa coincided with the expansion of Christian missionary undertaking in Africa. You will recall from the last module that components of Africa, such as Ethiopia and Egypt, were dwelling to Christian's right from the starting of Christianity as a region. However, Christianity was introduced to the rest of Africa only in the up to date era. Christian missionary undertaking began in earnest in the 19th century throughout the same time span of time that European nations were becoming more committed in Africa. Historians do not all acquiesce on what the connection was between Christian missionary undertaking and colonialism. However, evidence suggests that while numerous missionaries are against the harsher aspects of colonialism, they were supportive the colonization of African countries. Missionaries who sustained colonialism accepted that European command would provide a political natural environment that would facilitate missionary activity in Africa. This support for colonialism played a significant function in legitimizing the colonial endeavor among the people of the colonizing powers in Europe. (Dowden 2009)

Colonialism Brings New boundaries for Africa

It is significant to notice how boundaries have shifted as an outcome of colonialism. The boundaries of African countries today were enforced from the out of doors by European nations. Often the persons who drew these borders paid no attention to ethno linguistic groups or living political association at the time ...