Sub-Saharan Trade In West Africa Case Study

From the seventh to fifteenth centuries, Africa rightfully claimed its name as the most powerful continent. Globetrotters from all over the world were captivated by Africa’s possession of rich resources such as gold and ivory. African leaders and emperors realized this attraction and the profit that could be assumed from “sharing” their secret resources. Considering this, they set up Sub-Saharan trading operations. According to Michael Gomez, these trading posts posed as “global crossroad[s] for various populations and cultures”. Trading operations proved extremely beneficial to African kingdoms because Africa gained prized resources that were not as widely present (such as salt), Islamic culture and religion was spread (promoting governmental

Africans though hesitant, acquiescently submitted into the insistent requests of Arabians for Islamic conversion for several reasons. One reason is because Sundiata, ruler of Mali, practiced Islam. Sundiata practiced Islam intermixed with the traditional western African religions. This is known as syncretism, or combining two starkly different cultures or religions into one. The second reason was because during the fifteenth century, the Muslims took over the institution of trade and commerce. The spread of Islam was beneficial to the development of West Africa because it helped to unify the people. Most people are unified by religion, language, or excogitation. It was understood that power most gracefully exists when there is (one) central idea. Furthermore, they also believed that converting to Islam would bring them closer to the Arabian traders to get better deals on the goods. This proved to be true considering that in Sundiata, his adherence to Islam allowed him to network, negotiate policies, and form global

Those spiritual powers were generally known as “magic”. Magic was often times used by the African communities to access their ancestors. Belief in God and the belief fact that there is being a higher realm than that which lies in a living human being, was a big deal in the African community. When individuals needed blessings or curses, they called on the power of their ancestors and they requested intervention with God. In Sundiata, one example of this magic at work in “Sundiata” is how Sundiata, a crippled man, defeated Soumaoro in the Battle of Kirina by roaring like a lion and scaring Soumaoro’s troops. He then shot a specially prepared arrow hitting Soumaoro causing him to flee. Not only did Sundiata’s upper hand get Soumaoro to leave the battlegrounds, but later on he burned the town in which Soumaoro was located. Sundiata was self-aware and he realized that he possessed great strength, he called on a higher being because he wanted to play fair and he had planned not to harm Soumaoro with his bare hands. However, Soumaro looked down on Sundiata regardless. Readers can infer that the benefits of syncretism are very much prevalent. To explain, Sundiata employed these super powers, or magic to overthrow a bad situation. However, on a day to day basis he also uses Islam to his benefit by building great relationships with people as moved from city to