A Good Starting Point on West African History

[@FromNothing]

If you want to give "Griots Tell No Lies" a try, you can check it out here: t.ly/Y7v3o

[@jorndebello7317]

I think video games could be a great way to get people interested. A game called total war: rome has a huge modding scene. Many people are making the map bigger, some going into West Africa. I'm sure some of the modders would love help with the research

[@kemisenpai9701]

Hey there just watched your video about the edo/Benin swords love the stuff you put out but they tend to be some misinformation about about the Benins in particular for instance: Ada and eben or ebe have no meaning in any edo or Benin dialects. The Ada and Ebe are items that represent: Justice and Mercy. The cutlass (Ada) representing justice and the fan (Eben) representing mercy. After inquiries to Edo, Yoruba, Igbo, Igala, Itsekiri, and Ijaw friends and reading up more on pre-colonial journals I’m inclined to believe that they Ada and Ebe diffused from the Yoruboid area and possibly spread across various tribal lines during the trade days with the European explorers. For instance, I learned that Ada is the word for cutlass in the Yoruba language. I also learned that Ebe means to beg or plea for mercy, or something in that sense. It is interesting because fans are a symbol of mercy across cultures. The word for fan in the Yoruba language is Abebe. To me, this explained the use of a fan and the name Ebe, or Eben as the Binis call it. On the other hand, I learned that cutlass is Opia in the Edo language while mercy is Itohan. Even when it came to sword it didn’t match up. The word given for sword was Umozo while fan was ezuzu. So, that they are ceremonial items still doesn’t explain the naming of the two items. The word is Ada(cutlass) in Yoruba language which is a sign of justice and authority. We all know cutlass is used to cut things. So it means if you offend me, I will deal with you cutting you off by clearing you away from my sight just as cutlass will do cutting down and clearing bushes and even big trees. Then the other one is Abebe(hand fan)/(Ebe, plead) which stands for mercy. This is the relationship between Abebe (hand fan) and Ebe (plead) When you fan someone it gives comfort to that person and it is because you are in good term with such person. Having accepted a person's plea(ebe) after a situation of anger, then you processed to show such person a sign of acceptance by waving your fan at the person like you are fanning the person demonstrating that you are/are now in good terms with such person. As royal insignias. It mean that after the incurring the wrath of either the king, or the community, a king is meant to do justice by the authority in his hands(Ada) then after restitution, remorse and repentance, the king is also expected to show mercy and love by the other insignia(Abebe) meaning the king has accepted the person's plea(Ebe) either to him or on behalf of the community. Ada and Ebe(n) are both Yoruba words corrupted as usual by the Binis.

[@nejahdproductions3707]

He finally remembered his password.

[@laquonl]

It’s about time 😂

[@ikeu6433]

😂

[@dejuargamble]

I was getting worried!

[@solarguy8875]

Lol

[@KenKwameWrites]

😂 Best comment!

[@AncientAmericas]

Our emperor has returned!!

[@Prodigi50]

It’s nice to see that you like African history too!

[@AncientAmericas]

​@@Prodigi50 African history is awesome!

[@admirekashiri9879]

I clicked so fast! Long time no see bro! Welcome back! 😁

[@WynnofThule]

Babe, wake up. New From Nothing just dropped

[@blackmcbain3145]

Watching with my 8 yr old daughter!

[@blackmcbain3145]

She told me they already started filling kids heads with europeans made everything propaganda. Smart girl. She can sniff bs

[@silentprince01]

Wow it seems like years since you appeared on my suggestions. I am happy you are still creating videos!

[@SubtleSalmon]

Excellent content as always! It’s really interesting thinking about how climate has such an effect on architecture

[@vvvddd3460]

Good to see you're back

[@tobilobaokorodudu9594]

Welcome back bro

[@jeffcupo4160]

Great video as always! I learned a ton, and it's just such solid, thought-provoking material. Thanks!

[@NoCapGod420]

An amazing video Well put together good job

[@tuumef1799]

Thank you for this. It's a nice reference for study. Great editing.

[@TheDanEdwards]

About that horse thing: is there *any* paleontological or archeological evidence of horses in Africa before the empires of antiquity? Before domestication, the common horse roamed in the grasslands of central Asia, quite a ways away from the Sahara. However, _Equus asinus_ , the common donkey, was native to the dry regions of SW Asia and possibly north Africa. Perhaps African had used donkeys long before the horse arrived?

[@DataBeingCollected]

Glad to see you posting again. What are your thoughts on doing a video on the history of the East African-Indian Ocean trade, and some information on the various people that would have been or hypothetically involved with it? Groups like the Oromo, Issa, Afar, Harari, Somali, etc. Somali mythology would be an interesting one too.

[@takshashila2995]

Long time! You are finally back! Great to see you active!

[@TOKIO_HUSTLE]

Welcome back bro

[@wagadou9854]

Thanks for making this video! I read the author's biography on Amazon and he seems like a genuinely wonderful person who is invested in West African history. I hope he is able to write more books on the rich history of West Africa!

[@ChrisWillem-vl9nv]

Excellent video Jabar! I do plan on one day(if I could finish secondary school and beyond)making a game based on the tuba warriors meme I saw on KZbin, the game would be about two twin brothers of mixed Tuareg & Fulani decent who live in Al-andalus both wanting an artifact from China but end becoming outcasts and so they escape through the trans-sahara trade networks, through the sahel, across the indian ocean, all the way to China.

[@redspiritmask]

Nice, good to see a new video from you. Funny you should mention ancient Ghana, I was just looking at artifacts from the region right before I clicked this video. Interesting tidbit that I was reading on a MET museum page was saying "Despite the Méma’s historical importance as an imperial and trading crossroad linking ancient Ghana, Mali, and Songhay, archaeological research there has been sporadic and, at best, superficial." There really needs to be way more archeological digging in Africa.

[@theafricantriforce8878]

Another great video! People have so many misunderstandings about africa. Which is why people like you are very important. I would also like to add, that even though our ancestors did practice slavery (like most of the world at the time) they had to rely on it more, because of the tetse fly. Unfortunately our ancestors couldn't use animals for work, because of the sleeping sickness like most Eurasian people and the savannah regions wasn't much better, because of the encroachment of the desert. With that said, our ancestors did make laws protecting domestic slaves, which is probably why you don't hear of many slave revolts in subsuharan african history. Anyway, thanks for keep doing what you do.

[@FromNothing]

That's a good point. I've never heard of a slave revolt in Africa either. As usual, thanks for the thought provoking comment and the monetary support!

[@terrencewalker8219]

It is a wonder that there were enslavers at all. People must have been lining up to be enslaved since it was such a wonderful life. I am sure that the Arabs only had to offer free transport to attract voluntary labour and concubines. It was all rainbows and unicorns before the wicked Europeans arrived.

[@nuqjatrh]

The only revolt and rebellion I can think of is the Kingdom of Dahomey and that was near & during the transatlantic slave trade

[@noguera30]

You are doing a great job. Best regards!

[@GallowglassAxe]

Great video as always! I already got the book and though I haven't read much of it Its really good so far.

[@nicholasmills3674]

Welcome back another great video

[@marcof6235]

He's back baby!

[@user-yp4of7zl7f]

Missed you!

[@sipp5657]

A much needed video! good to have you back!

[@caioalmeida4139]

Any chance of a video about Bantu expansion, or Iron working origin in Africa?

[@HebrewsandGentilesalikei-sc9dq]

I'd too love his view on Bantus as well its worth a dive.

[@abthedragon4921]

Wow, long time no see!

[@vivianbloomfield3624]

Thank you for teaching about an unfairly excluded area of history

[@shanceeaton9508]

I wouldn’t say unfairly , I mean it’s not like we cared to write down most of it

[@major_kukri2430]

​@@shanceeaton9508africans preferred to keep their traditions alive through oral recitition. Its not a matter of apathy.

[@allanluis3696]

@@major_kukri2430 right, this.

[@shanceeaton9508]

@@major_kukri2430 naw it’s just a lot easier to be lazy and make excuses for why you chose to be lazy. Eventually we gotta call a spade a spade and stop making excuses for our bs and just accept reality.

[@major_kukri2430]

@@shanceeaton9508 tf are you on about?

[@hazenoki628]

Regarding African cavalry: I think it's more likely that one cavalry tradition stemmed from the early Iron Age and was what led to the famed Numidian cavalry, while the second was a later early Medieval tradition, that favoured by the Arabs. Ancient Egypt was unfamiliar with the horse until chariots were introduced from Asia by the Hyksos between the Middle and New Kingdom, and even then people didn't ride horses, they used horse-drawn chariots. It took a very long time of breeding to get horses big and strong enough to carry riders for extended periods of time, but once cavalry did appear in the early Iron Age it spread quickly and widely. If there had been a cavalry tradition in Africa already during the Bronze Age or earlier, I think we'd see plenty of evidence of it, not least archaeological. I also think it would have spread to the Middle East either through conquests or diffusion the way chariots, and then cavalry proper, historically did. The cavalry of Mediterranean Antiquity such as the Numidians didn't use stirrups, this likely being a Chinese invention that eventually travelled west and was adopted by the by then already horse-mounted warriors of western Asia, Europe and Africa. It makes perfect sense that you'd have both older and newer traditions exist side by side in all of these regions.

[@staxstirner]

The return of the Slayer of Kangz

[@magimon91834]

We're back boys

[@knotzed]

Love this channel!!

[@KenKwameWrites]

Welcome back, Jabari!

[@HebrewsandGentilesalikei-sc9dq]

also welcome back.

[@benzoyage7895]

Good job!

[@joshuamelton9148]

Welcome back

[@afro_souledits2382]

I love this channel

[@fetusbuddha3908]

spun a U-ey, lost a hubcap It's back to the shack, came back in a, "What's that?"

[@Zoltar69]

The Emperor Returns!🎉

[@Ishango..]

Its good you talked about this, where i come from (Rwanda) drums had an added duty of royal regalia. I talked about it in a recent video, basically we had no flags instead we used drums.

[@FromNothing]

I recommend you watch my most recent video.

[@steinarvilnes3954]

I think it is quite tragic that a city like Rhapta have not gottten properly studied and nobody have catalogued all the available written sources in West Africa like the Timbukte manuscript. Africa except the North African coast seem to be the only place in the world where a lot of its history is unknown because nobody with the resources bother to analyze it.

[@FromNothing]

Yeah it's kind of frustrating. Like southern Africa is littered with hundreds of massive stone ruins but there has been virutualy no archaeological work done on them all aside from Zimbabwe and it's related sites.

[@steinarvilnes3954]

@@FromNothing If I am not mistaken, we really have several civilizations in a row, where it seems that one fell, but the survivors moved somewhere else and started a new similar civilization? It somehow feel like a civilization under siege, that constantly struggled to survive?

[@fetusbuddha3908]

@@steinarvilnes3954 the trade routes. The trade routes.

[@fetusbuddha3908]

@@steinarvilnes3954 trade routes. It's the having

[@Ethereum1789]

Any books you would recommend for west african history and cultures?

[@jordan.w241]

New video lets go!

[@kozed130]

1:55 kankan 🔥

[@ZXNTV]

Comment for the algorithm.

[@Vigoda.d]

say Could you also make a video about North African Jews and Jews in Africa in general?

[@mattiegardner8973]

It is called. Planting seeds. We spouted all around the world.

[@ngumzakwanza8495]

HAS WEST AFRICANS MADE IT TO AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS?

[@FromNothing]

As of yet, there is no reliable evidence that they did. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen, it just hasn't been conclusively proven as of yet.

[@CrowdPleeza]

Consider doing a video on whether or not there is any evidence of ancient Egyptians migrating to west Africa? There are many people who believe this. They believe many ancient Egyptians left Egypt because of invasions during Egypt's history.

[@Speedofdark339]

Do you think people have a hate boner for West africans?.

[@admirekashiri9879]

No evidence exists for a mass migration west or south. I’d rather see videos exploring actual history not these speculations. I’m tired of Egypt this Egypt that. Let the Egyptians rest and let’s learn about the rest of the continent.

[@ajgraves8016]

Tribes literally say in their oral history that they migrated from there so why not believe them? Are you waiting for a European to confirm it? Why is everyone else on this planet taken seriously except for us? What evidence do you need exactly?

[@admirekashiri9879]

@@ajgraves8016 We need evidence mate hearsay doesn’t help. My ancestors mention a migration from Tanzania to Zimbabwe our language and DNA prove this. When it comes to Egypt there is very little showing mass exodus no genetic, linguistic or cultural links.

[@Speedofdark339]

@admirekashiri9879 The population in Egypt and North Africa now isn't the same as it was 2000+ years ago. I believe that there is some linguistic evidence and even cultural evidence. I'll have to look it up.

[@eyepain4992]

Wow Im early

[@raphdaily9546]

Hello Jabari, good stuff however on the issue of African slavery I am don’t agree with your conclusion on the idea that there wasn’t an African identity so at that time capturing and selling another African belonging to another ethnic group didn’t seem wrong to those people. That doesn’t make sense to me, because I would expect that the African elites of that time period should have been wise in seeing that they (Subsaharan Africans) of a darker hue are being sold in large numbers to a people of a different hue and a different look from a different continental mass and there would be a problem later on (whether they realized what that problem would be or not). Any wise leader would have reached that conclusion early on, doesn’t matter how ignorant they could have been of the broader world.

[@ugwuanyicollins6136]

You do realize that different ethnicities has different facial structure and body proportions Right??

[@raphdaily9546]

@@ugwuanyicollins6136 Yes and what’s your point? That doesn’t negate the fact that to people outside removed from that continent mass with its people, as history has shown, they didn’t see the differences nor did they care to know them. All they saw was an African person with a distinct African phenotypical look separate from them.

[@beepboop204]

🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@Stick3x]

The term "Subsaharan" was not used until 1979. Do more research.

[@FromNothing]

I don't care when it was used and frankly I'm sick of people crying about a term that has nothing negative about it. I'm gonna keep using it regardless so you're wasting your time.

[@Stick3x]

@@FromNothing Nobody is crying bro but you sure are parroting a racist theory spawned by Darwin. The original name of Charles Darwin's famous book is: "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life." This is what the out of Africa theory is based on, so you are either willingly or unwillingly pushing racist, outdated out of Africa theories. You are one of those gatekeepers that look like us but work for the other side. I encourage you to study more, your sources are very limited. Sub Saharan is a racist term.

[@Stick3x]

@@FromNothing Truth by consensus is not and can never be the actual truth. Stop pushing gate keepers truths.

[@Stick3x]

@@FromNothing "Sub-Saharan" perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reinforces colonial-era ideas about race and geography. The term creates a false dichotomy between the north and south of the continent, ignoring the rich cultural and historical connections between different parts of Africa.

[@tompossessed1729]

​@@Stick3xYou are literally cry about it now by making 3 convective replys

[@domenstrmsek5625]

Can please you agree that slavery is bad even that europeans and africans both practice it

[@FromNothing]

I literally already said that in this video. "Slavery is a lamentable and regrettable part of human history." In my previous video I literally covered it in depth from both perspectives. I'm not sure how you could have missed that.

[@Mik3xcellence]

@@FromNothingyea you say that then go on to cry about “chattle” slavery being worse. How about you talk about the Islamic slave trade being worse, which it objectively was

[@FromNothing]

@@Mik3xcellence First of all, I made it very clear in the video TWICE that I didn't write this. Secondly maybe I "cried" about chattel slavery being worse because hmmm.... idk... because it IS???? Please go somewhere else with your white guilt. I'm here to educate people. Not argue.

[@kufre4493]

@@Mik3xcellence well yeah cuz chattel slavery is worse

[@BigCahokiaOfficial]

@@Mik3xcellenceI don’t like Islam but no it was bad but not worse than Chattel Slavery.

[@survivortechharold6575]

the middle is a good 'starting' point??????????????

[@FromNothing]

That's only an issue if you take the word "starting" in a literal chronological sense. I also think it's fair to say that most people interested in African history don't want to learn about cavemen hundreds of thousands of years ago.

[@elshebactm6769]

🗿👍

[@vvvddd3460]

yes make Jews in Africa video

[@major_kukri2430]

Do you mean beta Israel?

[@vvvddd3460]

@@major_kukri2430 Yes, but also about other Jews in African such as North African Jews and more

[@estevao167]

First

[@tomosjackson4760]

Min 4:58 - 7:25 I'm not sure what you mean by Eurocentric. In the context of this section though it sounds like a Eurocentric is someone who highlights that the African slave trade was not just a European endeavour, but one that shares the blame equally with, or lays it heavier on, Africa. Its a response which justifiably seeks to put to rest this fairly common idea that Europe has some special debt and/or apology to offer the rest of the world. That being the case, there is no gaslighting. You did not deny that African's sold slaves of their neighbours. It does not make it ok to say these were different nations. The fact of the matter is African nations facilitated the enslavement of neighbouring African nations to Europeans and then did nothing to help them either then nor now. Instead it fell to the Europeans to help them. And yet to this day Europeans are held solely responsible and demands are made for apologies and repayment. Its insanity. The irony is that if there wasn't such violent opposition and hatred towards European's and the history of Europe, there is no reason why African history would be viewed through a more neutral lense. However, the constant comparison war and low key accusations that are leveled at Europeans makes any kind of mutual respect difficult.

[@tompossessed1729]

Oh shut the hell up

[@None11358]

@@tompossessed1729 I love telling people about the mail empire Then they instantly start defending slavery…

[@FromNothing]

@Sung0nmuhnuts Well those people are idiots. Slavery existed in nearly every world empire, including the glorious Roman Empire yet people like you seem to hyperfixate on African kingdoms that did the same thing. The difference rests in the scope, scale, and brutality of slavery of the transatlantic slave. It was much bigger.

[@tompossessed1729]

​​@@None11358No body cared about the countless Media around Vikings that over glorify them as badasses who enslaved people so why I should care about Mali having slaves when literally most empires in history had slavery, secondly It honestly debatable if Mali had slavery in the traditional sense given it slaves were given protection and usually can earn their freedom kinda like surfs in Europe

[@None11358]

@@FromNothing yea I agree with you but I would say the Muslims treated slaves the worst in history They would cut 🍆 off them so they can’t have kids.

[@DescryMirare]

81 comment

[@KarlKarsnark]

Yes, "The Great MOSQU of Jenne". Not native. What you see today was built by the French and is maintained by literal mud as a two-bit tourist attraction. LOL! Go ahead, show the "lavish and sophisticated" interior. Funny how folks all over the world in equally harsh climates have managed to so very much more.....but I'm sure you have an excuse for that too.

[@tompossessed1729]

That literally a lie because the French never rebuilt it other then funding the locals to rebuild it their involvement was literally hands off . Dear God your dumb

[@AdamWood-dx7xm]

@@KarlKarsnark This is the second iteration, built on the site of the original. The mosque was also not solely built by the French, utilizing local masons in its construction. And it’s not secret knowledge that the exterior has mud plaster. The place also isn’t much of a tourist attraction either, as non-Muslims aren’t allowed inside.

[@KarlKarsnark]

Ethiopia is in EAST Africa ;) They are entirely distinct genetically, linguistically and culturally from the "West Africans" you're trying to conflate them with. That might explain why they're Christian, use the swastika (Indo-European symbol) on the very church you showed and were still owning their fellow Black Africans up to the time of Hailee Selassie who had hundreds of Black slaves himself.

[@inquire86]

west africans also some speak afro asiatic languages like Hausa (which is a lingua franca in many areas) and ethiopians also enslaved eachother.

[@Speedofdark339]

​@inquire86 Why are people using linguistics to divide people more than they are already divided. Seems disingenuous to me. Most ethiopians aren't semitic, only habeshas are.

[@BigCahokiaOfficial]

People in the Congo and the Ashanti Empire also used the Swastika.

[@tompossessed1729]

​@@inquire86Europeans have enslaved each other since the beginning of their history yet somehow you try to make it a African thing only

[@ronn3988]

How many indigenous tribes r in Ethiopia and go look at thier features and stop spewing ur white supremacy propaganda nonsense trying to carve up as if ancient Africans did not migrate back and forth across Africa.