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Abstract
This article examines the myths and the truth of the ancient African civilization. It also sheds some sociological light on the second great Sahelian kingdom of Mali as an example of the ancient West African kingdoms. It demonstrates the level of civilization, wealth, and power this empire had during the Middle Ages. Also, the ambitiousness of its kings through the discovery of trade routes via the high seas, its level of importance as a cultural, learning and trade centre, the influence of its cities and the development of its urban centres, and its socioeconomic relationships with other African and non-African peoples. It concludes with a discussion of the influence of the Arabic-Islamic culture on the Mali Empire and illustrates its points with the advanced culture, and the use of the Dogo people and their exploration of outer space.
Forward
"When Asia overwhehmed Egypt, Egypt sought refuge in Ethiopia [Nubia] as a child returns to its mother, and Ethiopia then.for centuries dominated Egypt and successfully invaded Asia"
W.E.B. DuBois (Clegg, 1981:79)
Africa is the second largest of the Earth's seven continents, covering 23 per cent of the world's total land area and containing 13 per cent of the world's population. The continent of Africa has been neglected, and its history has been distorted and misunderstood (Thinkquest, 2002; Encarta, 2003). It stayed through history as a fascinating, mysterious and attracting place for mankind. Very few people know anything about it. There are few records left, and these few records were misused by the European colonization so as to show their superiority and prove that they were bringing civilization to Africa, as if the continent had no civilization of its own (Clarke, 1987; Thinkquest, Oct. 2002).
Today is not different from yesterday, except for one major difference. Today, the sons and daughters of the continent, have started to review previous old literature of the continent and come up with new facts, which have been purposely neglected for so long.
"It is clear to us that Western authority, as a whole, has conspired to suppress, distort or ignore African history with the intent of perpetuating white historical supremacy; and that this deeply entrenched practice will not give way to the truth simply because the...