Episode 2: Who is the outspoken black man?
Who are the Black people?
Prepared by: Dr. Alia Amer
There are social and cultural characteristics that must be mentioned at the outset of the discussion about the Black race.
Kingdoms ruled by hereditary kings arose in the Black regions. the throneThe kingdom includes tribes, and the tribal system may exist without being part of a kingdom. The tribe is divided into clans, and the clan is the basic unit of society.
It is customary for each clan to have a «totem,» which serves as a symbol for the clan. It is usually an animal that is not a domesticated animal, and it may be an animal of the land or water. It may also be a plant or a rock, but it is common for it to be an animal.
The totem symbolizes the clan, which sometimes claims him as its ancestor. Totemism follows the system of exogamy, so a man does not marry a woman from his clan, and if that were to happen, it would be a disaster for the whole clan. Some of them also avoid their mother's clan in addition to their original clan. Thus, exogamy prevails throughout the entire Negro society, whether in its Western homeland, which we are discussing here, or in all its other homelands.
Other characteristics of the western Negroid races include that they build a rectangular hut, and their traditional weapons include the pointed bow with plant strings. They also use woven swords and shields, but they do not use slingshots. Their clothing is made of fabric from tree bark and palm fiber, and they do not wear leather.
Secret societies have spread among them, which we will describe later. They use wooden drums, which they sometimes beat at their musical parties, but sometimes they use them as a means of communication. Some of them even said that there is a language of the drum. They also use masks, and they have skill in making them, in carving wood, and in imitating the human image.
Who are the Black people?
Horses and cattle are very rare in the coastal regions because of the prevalence of sleeping sickness. The animals they raise are limited to goats, sheep, chickens, and dogs. As for plant food, it was originally limited to beans, large pumpkins, bananas, and some peanuts. Due to contact with Portugal, the cultivation of yams, which are similar to potatoes, cassava, and corn was introduced.
One of the most important characteristics of the Black people of West Africa is their artistic skill, especially in matters of sculpture and plastic arts, and no group in any part of sub-Saharan Africa can rival them in this.
The pinnacle of artistic skill is found in the Benin and Ife regions and surrounding areas in the southwestern region of Nigeria. The inhabitants here have excelled for many centuries in the artistic carving of ivory, the making of masks, and bronze statues.
When the English captured Benin City in 1897, they found valuable collections of art masterpieces, and they transferred to the British Museum in London complete carved ivory tusks and bronze statues of great splendor and perfection.
secret societies
Secret societies are widespread in the regions of West Africa. They are organizations of multiple forms, and their function may vary from place to place. In some cases, the element of secrecy may not be available, and anyone can join them after paying the prescribed fees.
Some societies may have strict membership requirements and may have their own language. Some may engage in activities that displease government officials or harm certain segments of society, but most secret societies operate only within the bounds of what is in the best interest of society.
They are keen to uphold the common good. Among the most famous of these societies are the Igboni among the Yoruba, and in Dahomey there is a society called the Yewe, which adheres to specific religious rituals. Among the Imbeo tribes in southeastern Nigeria, the Igbo society is very influential, and its members are arranged in about six to ten classes. Some of these classes may have members who wear special masks when they meet. Some of these secret societies may be named after a trade, as if they were part of a guild; the most famous of these is the Blacksmiths' Society.
