Western Africa

Countries of Western Africa -Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Goreé Island -Located off the coast of Senegal -Served as a slave export post -From mid-1500s to mid-1800s, 20 million Africans were transported through the island -20% of all Africans died on the Transatlantic voyage

Ancient Western Africa -Three major trading empires of Western Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai -Gold and salt were the main products that were traded

-Ghana: in power from 800- late 1000s CE -Mali: leaders conquered Ghana in 1235, declined in power by 1400 -Songhai: emerged around 1400, defeated by the Moroccan Army in 1591

-stateless society: reliance on family lineage to govern themselves instead of government officials -Example: Igbo people of Nigeria

Economy of Western Africa -Trade is crucial to economic success -Raw materials like gold, diamonds, and bauxite are mined and then shipped to Europe, North America, and Asia for production

Culture of Western Africa -The Ashanti people of Ghana are known for producing kente cloth -Worn historically by royalty -Music is extremely important, especially jazz, blues, and reggae

Black—maturation, intensified spiritual energy Blue—peacefulness, harmony and love Green—vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal Gold—royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity Grey—healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash Maroon—the color of mother earth; associated with healing Pink—assoc. with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red Purple—assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by women Red—political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and death. Silver—serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon White—purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions Yellow—preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility, beauty