Explore the Culture and History of Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is the cradle of humanity and we are all the descendants of its peoples. This region of more than 45 countries is home to a population of over a billion, who speak around a third of the world’s languages.

From Kenya to Ethiopia to Mozambique, Sub-Saharan Africa has an incredibly rich history. Yet our understanding of its diverse communities and cultures is still very limited.

In the words of Zainab Badawi, president of The School of Oriental and African Studies in London, ”...Africa…is a fundamental part of our global story, and one that is worthy of greater attention and respect than it has so far received.”

In celebration of City Lit’s Sub-Saharan Africa Season, here’s an overview of the region and its history, from the ancient world to the present day.

How ancient and medieval Sub-Saharan Africa shaped the world

So much of our understanding of global history is Euro-centric, meaning that most of the world understands Africa’s story through European colonial narratives. Yet this is only a fraction of the full story.

For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa didn’t exist in isolation in the ancient and medieval periods. The region was home to complex civilisations that developed trading partnerships stretching into Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Mediterranean world. 

Southeast Asian crops made their way to Africa, including taro, yam, sugarcane and banana.

Europeans were fascinated by the Orthodox Church in Aksum (in what is now Ethiopia), while in late medieval times, Ethiopian and Kikongo emissaries visited Europe. And, as suggested by historian Toby Green, the 13th to 17th century Mali Empire may have had global connections “equal of, or ahead of, much of Europe at that date”.

The kingdoms and empires of Sub-Saharan Africa were a culturally diverse and complex tapestry. In present times, archaeologists, historians and museologists are still trying to piece together the bigger historical puzzle.

Many important cultural artefacts also came out of this vast and rich cultural landscape, for instance, the Benin Bronzes and the Timbuktu manuscripts.

Additionally, Europe’s wealth acquisition and colonial activities were partly reliant on its relationship with Sub-Saharan Africa.

The rich resources of West Africa and its emerging trade with Europe became central to the European buildup of wealth. This enabled the funding of European expeditions to the Americas from around 1500 onwards.

Africa shaped the world in ways that many of us have barely begun to understand.

Colonial era Sub-Saharan Africa—a history of resistance to imperialism and slavery

Although Euro-centric narratives on Sub-Saharan Africa have been debunked and discredited, they still cast long shadows.

Colonial era European narratives on enslavement and empire served to legitimise white supremacy. By simplifying cultures and states, the colonisers served to justify the socio-economic exploitation of people, land and resources. These narratives framed Africans and ‘locals’ as ‘uncivilised’ and ‘primitive’.

Over the 19th century, as colonisation expanded, Europeans forced people into wage or coercive labour in mines and plantations. Often, these workers were dubbed ‘lazy’, when in fact, working slowly was one of their ways of reclaiming agency and resisting colonialism.

People resisted in ways that were meaningful to them and, as a result, imperial rule was always being opposed and never absolute.

When millions of individuals were taken captive and transported across the Atlantic to be enslaved, some revolted before getting to the slaver ships.

On the ships, people also revolted or chose to end their lives.

Once in the Americas, many survivors enacted resistance, while others fled and set up maroon communities. We can even trace this resistance through the different genres of African music that came to the Americas.

Although it is not yet fully acknowledged, the many different forms of resistance shown by African peoples—in everyday life, military actions and transnational diplomacy—were central to the end of European colonialism.

This includes anticolonial efforts in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) against the Italians, in Portuguese Guinea (Guinea-Bissau) against the Portuguese, and in both Kenya and Mozambique against the British.

Other aspects of history have been erased.

For instance, in the colonial territories and Americas, the agricultural and medical knowledge of Sub-Saharan people was crucial in reconfiguring plants and landscapes. Yet these contributions are still largely unacknowledged.

The long-lasting destructive power of European slavery and later colonialism across Africa and the Americas cannot be minimised. That is why it’s crucial to foreground the histories of African experiences and resistance, as well as highlight European dependences on African resources.

Only then will we understand and appreciate the global impact of early modern and colonial era Sub-Saharan Africa.

Post-colonial era—the global influence of Sub-Saharan Africa

The end of European colonialism in Sub-Saharan Africa did not bring an end to the issues of unbalanced economic relationships, looted cultural heritage and racist historical narratives. To this day, European companies still hold significant sway in many former colonial territories. Mining industries, infrastructure projects, ports and other maritime sites, energy projects and trade agreements are all means to seek influence and wealth in the 21st century. 

In this sense, the rich resources of Sub-Saharan Africa still draw in external actors who seek only their own gain in ways that impact the livelihoods of millions. Conversely, several African countries are now also members of the G20 and looking to boost regional and international ties.

Additionally, the issue of stolen art and historical artefacts remains. Museums and private collectors in Britain, France, Belgium and the US still hold hundreds of thousands of Sub-Saharan African sculptures and artefacts. Until 2005, Italy held onto the 5th century Ethiopian Obelisk of Aksum that fascist military forces stole in WWII. And it was only in 2022 that the Horniman Museum in London returned over six looted items—including a Benin Bronze— to Nigeria. 

Similarly, narratives about Africans and Black people of African descent in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas are still deeply informed by European racist discourses rooted in colonialism. Intersectional inequalities anchored in structural racism are for all of us to see and act upon.

Expanding our awareness of Sub-Saharan culture and art

It’s time to celebrate the vast and diverse cultural significance of Sub-Saharan Africa. This includes exploring musical genres and artistic forms that have influenced European and American creators. 

For example, the deeper musical histories of Sub-Saharan Africa defined jazz and blues (and later hip-hop, rock and roll, and beyond). Much of the music that shaped the modern age is rooted in this region, yet we still have a long way to go in recognising this contribution.

Many may also be familiar with artists from South Africa, like Miriam Makeba, Salif Keita, Ali Farka Touré, Oumou Sangaré and, more recently, Fatoumata Diawara. But there is much more to explore and appreciate in music, art and dance. This includes highlife music from Ghana and the rumba styles of Kenya and Senegal, as well as more recent genres.

Similarly, with film, many titans of Sub-Saharan African cinema are still largely unknown in the West, with Senegal’s Ousmane Sembéne being just one example.

From art to music to philosophy, there are so many cultural treasures ready to be discovered in Sub-Saharan Africa. Why not start learning about this incredible region today? We’re offering a range of courses for City Lit’s Sub-Saharan Africa Season. Browse website for more information.