Skip to main content

Pinned Post

Ghana's contribution to ECOWAS

 Ghana, as one of the founding and active members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has made significant contributions to the organization's objectives and activities. Some of Ghana's key contributions to ECOWAS are as follows: Commitment to Regional Integration: Ghana has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to regional integration within ECOWAS. It actively participates in regional meetings, summits, and conferences, contributing to the decision-making processes and policy formulations of the organization. Promotion of Democracy and Good Governance: Ghana is known for its stable democracy and good governance practices. As a member of ECOWAS, Ghana has been actively involved in promoting democratic principles, conducting free and fair elections, and supporting democratic transitions in other member states. Advocacy for Peace and Security: Ghana has played an important role in advocating for peace and security in the West African region. It has...

Qn. Who were the khoi khoi? Qn. Describe the origin, migration and settlement of the khoi khoi into south Africa

 ➢ Like the san these were also brown skinned people but taller than the san. ➢ The khoi khoi were also called the hottentoes or the herders. ➢ They had a click sound in their language, which was even richer in vocabulary than that of the san. ➢ They were also called men of men because they felt stronger than the other men. ➢ They were also divided into groups e.g. the western Khoikhoi. ➢ By the time the Portuguese arrived in South Africa the khoi khoi were living in the surrounding bays. ➢ Like the san the khoi khoi are also believed to have been in east or central Africa before they had migrated in South Africa. ➢ Because of various factors they were forced to head/ face south wards up to South Africa were they reached at around 13th and 14th… ➢ They occupied in South African areas around Atlantic Ocean coast up to buffalo coast on Indian Ocean. ➢ However, some khoi khoi settled far away from the coast in an attempt to search for fresh water. ➢ At around 14487 during the Portuguese invasion in South Africa, the khoi khoi were living at saladanh bay, Table Bay mossel bay. ➢ By 1650 some khoi khoi were living at the cape along the banks of river orange, the coast of natal, Zulu land and coast of Namibia. ➢ Today the khoi khoi are living in present day republic of South Africa and Namibia. THE ORGANISATION OF THE KHOI KHOI ➢ The khoi khoi were also organized socially, politically and economically. ➢ However, politically the khoi khoi were much stronger than the san as below. ➢ They lived in lager groups of about 500 and above people. Summarized notes of the History of South Africa, July 2019 Page | 6 ➢ Each group were the khoi khoi consisted so many clans. ➢ Each group made up a village which operated independently as a political unity. ➢ The elders in each clan were responsible to settle the group disputes. ➢ In settling disputes, political meetings were held in publics and all people were free to make suggestions. ➢ During meetings a chief was to take over the control. ➢ The chiefs were also responsible for the safeness of their groups. ➢ After the meetings, common suggestions were implemented. Economic organization ➢ They had sheep of long and big tails. ➢ They were herders and kept cattle of long horns. ➢ The dogs were also kept as domestic animals. ➢ They were fishermen and carried out fishing especially in seasons of famine. ➢ They slaughtered their animals during important days e.g. for celebration. ➢ They practiced iron working and pottery. ➢ The khoi khoi had a lot of minerals than the sans. ➢ Milk constituted and dominated their diet. ➢ Their was division of labour between the khoi khoi e.g. men were hunters and women were food gatherers. ➢ They hunted using oxen and used them as mode of transport. ➢ They carried out trade especially with the Bantu. Socially ➢ The khoi khoi lived in simple homesteads each consisting of bee hives shaped like huts made out of reed mats. ➢ Initiation ceremonies were held done on boys as a preparatory stage to child hood. ➢ Marriage was done after initiation. ➢ It was a taboo to marry from the same clan or tribe. ➢ The bride and groom were required to stay with the boy’s family till the birth of the first born. ➢ After the first born, they were set free to establish their own families. ➢ They practiced polygamy. ➢ They encouraged many children. Summarized notes of the History of South Africa, July 2019 Page | 7 ➢ Several important ceremonies were practiced like birth, puberty, marriage and death. ➢ Cerebrating people were sprinkled with blood of sacrificed animals and wore animal intestine. ➢ Magicians were highly valued for their advice in times of crisis e.g. wars, death, earth quakes e.t.c. ➢ They believed in power of ancestral e.g. ghosts. ➢ Ghosts would create danger in case they were annoyed. ➢ They used healing herbs as medicine and they taught them to young ones. ➢ The boys were circumcised. ➢ They sacrificed for rain because they lived in dry areas.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Reasons for the Coming of Christian Missionaries in East Africa

Missionaries came to East Africa for various reasons. These were economic, social, and humanitarian in nature.  The missionaries had the ambition to spread Christianity to the people of East Africa. This would be through preaching and teaching the holy gospel so that many would get converted to Christianity  They wanted to fight against slave trade in East Africa. Earlier travelers like John Speke and James Grant, H.M. Stanley, Dr. David Livingstone and others had reported about the evils of slave trade in East Africa. Christian missionaries therefore came with an intention of putting an end to end introducing or replacing it with legitimate trade.  Missionaries wanted to resettle the freed slaves in East Africa by setting up resettlement centers both in the interior and at the coast for example at Bagamoyo and Free town near Mombasa.  They wanted to check on the spread of Islam in East Africa from the coast with intentions of converting many to Christian...

TERMS OF THE DEVONSHIRE WHITE PAPER

THE FOLLOWING WERE THE TERMS OF DEVONSHIRE WHITE PAPER: The terms of the Devonshire white paper were to raise solutions to the racial conflicts in Kenya.  It was declared that Kenya was primarily an African territory and as such, the interests of Africans were to be important.  Kenyan highlands were to be reserved for only the whites’ settlement.  The document declared policies of racial discrimination in residential areas null and void.  The Asians were to move freely into Kenya.  The Asians were to elect five members to the Legislative council. A missionary was to be elected on the Legislative council to represent the interests of the Africans; Dr. Arthur was elected to this effect. The document was to recognize the contribution of the European community in the development of Kenya  It declared that there was not to be any further advance towards self-government in the near future. That Kenya was to be under Europeans. It declared that the British c...

PROBLEMS THAT NATIONALISTS FACED IN EAST AFRICA DURING THEIR STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE

 The following are problems that nationalist faced during the struggle for independence in East Africa Lack of enough funds to carry out their activities in their respective countries.  Ethnicity was still strong in some countries, for example Uganda. this made it difficult to mobilize for a national cause.  The natives of East Africa were still too poor and therefore were pre-occupied with the need for money than political work.  Too many people were illiterate hence they could not easily understand the work of nationalists.  Inadequate communication networks in most East African countries.  Most of the natives of East Africa were rural dwellers who were less concerned with nationalistic struggles.  Malice and sabotage from colonial governments. They would ban trade unions and political parties.   The inferiority complex was still high among the East African people. They feared the whites greatly.  Leadership wrangles were too common am...