Page 74 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 13

History
MY AFRIKA

Mawuna

Remarque

KOUTONIN

African Cities That Were

Ruined By Europeans

When tourists visit sub-Sa- Most of those cities lie hidden. In destruction. You can get more info about
haran Africa, they often fact the biggest part of Africa histo- PD Lawton work by visiting her blog:
wonder “Why there are no ry is still under the ground. AfricanAgenda.net. Robin Walter and
historical buildings or mon- (Please note – the research supporting this PD Lawton have quoted quite heavily
another great panafricanist Walter Rodney
uments?” post is mostly derived from Robin Walker, who wrote the book ‘How Europe Under-
a distinguished panafricanist and histori- developed Africa‘. Additional information
The reason is simple. Europeans an who has written the book ‘When We came from YouTube channel ‘dogons2k12
destroyed most of them. We only Ruled’, and by PD Lawton, another great : African Historical Ruins’, and The Ta
have a few drawings and descrip- panafricanist, who has an upcoming book Neter Foundation work. Most drawings
tions by travelers who visited the titled “The Invisible Empire”. All quotes are from the book African Cities and
places before their destruction. In and excerpts below are from the books of Towns Before the European Conquest by
some places, ruins are still visible. Robin Walker and PD Lawton. I highly Richard W. Hull, published in 1976.
Many cities were abandoned when recommend you to read Walker’s book That book alone dispels the stereotypical
Europeans brought exotic diseas- ‘When We Ruled’ to get a full account view of Africans living in simple, primi-
es (smallpox and influenza) which of the beauty of the continent before its tive, look-alike agglomerations, scattered
started spreading and killing people.

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