All 11 entries tagged Africa

Berber

Berber (see Gryphon).

The Berbers are one of the indigenous peoples of North Africa. Whilst they make up the majority of the population, they represent another culture in search of an identity, since the Arabization of North Africa has left many of its inhabitants claiming Arab descendancy, far too many than is feasibly conceivable considering the small trickle of Arab people that have historically gone to North Africa.

Amanda Hopkins : 06 Jun 2008 16:24 |  Tags: Africa Berber Dispossession Glossary Gryphon Identity & Naming Peoples |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

griot

griot (3.XXVII.ii).

Pronounced gri-oh: West African travelling musician, poet and storyteller (Bib:COD), thus an equivalent of the bard. 'A member of a class of travelling poets, musicians, and entertainers in North and West Africa, whose duties include the recitation of tribal and family histories; an oral folk-historian or village story-teller, a praise-singer' (Bib:OED).

Amanda Hopkins : 06 Jul 2007 15:25 |  Tags: Africa Context Epic Tradition Glossary Griot Poetics Religion |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Buffalo Soldier

"Buffalo Soldier." […] the black soldier […] it was Achille's (3.XXXI.i). Lines from Buffalo Soldier, a song by reggae artist Bob Marley from the album Legend (1984). Extract from the lyrics:

Buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta:
There was a buffalo soldier in the heart of america,
Stolen from africa, brought to america,
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival.

I mean it, when I analyze the stench –
To me it makes a lot of sense:
How the dreadlock rasta was the buffalo soldier,
And he was taken from africa, brought to america,
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival.

Said he was a buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta -
Buffalo soldier in the heart of america.

If you know your history,
Then you would know where you coming from,
Then you wouldnt have to ask me,
Who the eck do I think I am.

Im just a buffalo soldier in the heart of america,
Stolen from africa, brought to america,
Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival;
Said he was a buffalo soldier win the war for america.

Walcott uses the lyrics of the song to illustrate the situation and history of most blacks in the Carribean: where they came from, what they were brought for, &c. This fits with the theme of displacement and searching for home and history which is a common thread through the entire poem.

Amanda Hopkins : 06 Jul 2007 15:17 |  Tags: Africa Buffalo Soldier Colonialism Context History Identity & Naming Poetics Usa |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Edens Suez

Eden's Suez (2.XXII.ii). 'Suez' refers to the Suez Canal, which links Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea, thus allowing trade between Europe and Asia without the need to navigate around Africa. The canal was built (1859-69) by the Suez Canal Company, in which the British government became the major shareholder in 1875, and led to Egypt becoming an important centre for trade (Bib:PWE). Eden here refers to Anthony Eden (1897–1977), First earl of Avon, who was Prime Minister of Great Britain during the Suez Crisis, an ill-advised attack on Egypt by Israel, Britain and France following President Nasser's nationalisation the Suez Canal in 1956 (Bib:PWE).

Amanda Hopkins : 28 Jun 2007 16:15 |  Tags: Africa Asia Colonialism Context Edens Suez Europe History Places |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Carthage Pompeii Troy

Carthage ]…] Pompeii […] Troy (2.XVIII.iii).

All ancient cities destroyed and rebuilt. Pompeii: a Roman city near modern-day Naples which was preserved in ash from a volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and not rediscovered until 1748.

Amanda Hopkins : 28 Jun 2007 15:29 |  Tags: Aeneid Africa Carthage Pompeii Troy Context Epic Tradition Europe History Trojan War |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Caribbean side

On its Caribbean side (2.XVIII.iii).

The west side of the island. St Lucia is one of the most easterly of the Windward Islands. The east side of the island faces Africa.

Amanda Hopkins : 28 Jun 2007 15:21 |  Tags: Africa Caribbean Caribbean Side Context Places St Lucia |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Afolabe

Afolabe (2.XIV.iii).

Creole spelling of Afolabi, an African name of the Yoruba tribe name meaning 'One born of high status'.

Amanda Hopkins : 28 Jun 2007 13:30 |  Tags: Afolabe Africa Characters Context Identity & Naming Languages Peoples Yoruba |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Ogun

Ogun (1.IX.iii).

Name of Yoruba god of iron and war; sometimes referred to as a blacksmith, and a close equivalent of Greek Hephaistos/Roman Vulcan. The Yoruba are a tribe/kingdom which originated in south west of Nigeria, but with pockets of offshoot tribespeople in Togo and the Republic of Benin. The language of the Yoruba people is also called Yoruba.

Amanda Hopkins : 28 Jun 2007 13:04 |  Tags: Africa Context Glossary Languages Ogun Peoples Religion |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Africa

Amanda Hopkins : 23 Jun 2007 11:55 |  Tags: Africa Context |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Pro Rommel

Pro Rommel, pro mori (1.V.i).

Latin, meaning 'For Rommel, for death'. Walcott's use of Latin carries echoes of the Aeneid and the foundation of Latin Italy. Erwin Rommel, a German general, led the Afrika Korps in North Africa and was defeated by the British at El Alamein in 1942 (Bib:PWE).

Amanda Hopkins : 22 Jun 2007 11:38 |  Tags: Africa Context Glossary History Pro Rommel Second World War |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem