In viewing this video, I learned about the Yoruba people and saw an example of how acting is used to tell stories of everyday life. I saw how the Igbo people are more focused on communal farming. I saw how the Hausa people use the natural resource of indigo to dye fabrics. What is most interesting to me is how unique the cultures are and how rooted their ways of life in centuries old traditions. I found it very interesting also that the Bronze art of Benin is used more for storytelling than singularly for expression. Whether through acting, food, the dyeing of fabrics, or making of bronze art, all connect to the past, are used in the present day to sustain the culture of the people either through money madeor sharing with the next generation and other cultures.
Thanks for sharing. I love that you mention how among their differences all were still very rooted in their traditions.
Hi Tara,
What strikes me most about this history is how much of it I was never taught. When I think about my own educational experiences, I realize that much of what I learned about Africa centered on slavery, colonization, and the struggles of African people. There was very little emphasis on the civilizations, political systems, artistic achievements, and intellectual traditions that existed long before European involvement.
What I find especially powerful about the documentary is that African history is being discussed through the voices of Africans themselves. There is something significant about people having the opportunity to tell their own stories rather than having their histories interpreted exclusively by outsiders.