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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Doug M: [QB] Quote from Marcus Garvey on the Moroccans and Algerians being called "negroes": [QUOTE] The New York World under date of January 15, 1923, published a statement of Drs. Clark Wissler and Franz Boaz (the latter a professor of anthropology at Columbia University), confirming the statement of the French that Moroccan and Algerian troops used in the invasion of Germany were not to be classified as Negroes, because they were not of that race. How the French and these gentlemen arrive at such a conclusion is marvelous to understand, but I feel it is the old—time method of depriving the Negro of anything that would tend to make him recognized in any useful occupation or activity. The—custom of these anthropologists is whenever a black man, whether he be Moroccan, Algerian, Senegalese or what not, accomplishes anything of importance, he is no longer a Negro. The question, therefore, suggests itself, "Who and what is a Negro?" [/QUOTE]From: http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=737 Which begs the question, why would Mr. Garvey go out on such a limb if most Algerian or Moroccan troops of this time were "white"? Is it true that many of these troops were black? This is where it is necessary to go back and understand the history of places like Morocco and Algeria and the impact of Europe on these countries. Morocco very certainly seemed to side itself with European countries at various points in its history. The ruling line has also intermarried with those from royal families in the Levant, like Syria and Jordan in order to reinforce its ties with the Arab world. The existance of black Africans on the margins of society in modern North Africa is a testament to the ancient history of racism and oppression against blacks found throughout the world. But the truth is there and we have to find that truth and seek out those Africans, blacks and otherwise who are willing to reveal the truth about the history of North Africa and black Africans. By reaching out to the ancient black African communities in North Africa we can get a valuable insight onto the history of the region which is not possible from the position of being on the outside looking in. Good books like this one on Leo Africanus, would also be an important step, along with those of Ibn Kaldun: http://www.amazon.com/Leo-Africanus-Amin-Maalouf/dp/1561310220/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prodimg_1/102-6148553-5322518 Another important old trading souk from ancient times now lost, Goulimme: http://lexicorient.com/e.o/goulimim.htm [QUOTE] [b]Goulimime is often referred to as the gate to the Sahara, largely because it earlier was an important market place for the Tuaregs of the region, who sold jewellery and camels. In the period from the 10th to the 19th century, Goulimime was on the caravan route from Niger, Mali and Senegal. [/b]Items traded included gold, spices, cloth and slaves. [b]Earlier in the 20th century, the camel market of Goulimime was the largest in Morocco, when tens of thousands of camels were sold here annually. [/b]Today very little remains of this, and what is left is often staged for tourists. [/QUOTE]Keep in mind that black African groups were a major force in the camel trade in Africa and still are to a degree throughout Northern Africa from East to West. With the modern trade networks based on truck, boat and air, Moroccan traders do not rely on the Saharan trade networks, and the black Africans who controlled them, as much as they used to. It is these ancient networks, and the wealth that it spread among black Africans both North and South that was a vital component of the black African popuolations in North Africa. Marrakesch was founded by black Africans from Mauretania and was named after them, as the "land of the kouch men". Some traditions on the web say that the term kouch refers to the black complexion of the men from modern day Mauretania. However, while I agree that the term was partly a reference to the black skin of the people, I dont agree that the word was kouch. Maure or Marr or Morr is the root of the term which means black and kouch probably is referring to something other than skin color. Either way, the fact that these people were black is a signifigant factor in the name of the three countries: Morrocco, which is named from Marrakesch and Mauretania, all three of which have the root maure, referring to the black populations there. Once again, to see the connections between these black Africans and other black Africans to the south and west, you have to go by the ancient trade outposts that were part of the ancient saharan trade network. Marrakesch was a principle trade outpost, but it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times by succeeding waves of arab and berber groups and today does not have the black African presence it would have had in the time of the Almoravids who founded it. Likewise, the many old souks like Rissam, goulimime and sijilmasa. Sijilmasa is an important spot if one wants to try and ressurect the black African presence in ancient Morocco and understand how it has been overtaken by modern arab culture. Sijilmasa now only exists in ruins, but once was the ancient city and souk founded by the berbers called Miknasa and currently can be found in Tafilalt. Photo from tafilalt: http://www.fotoaleph.com/Colecciones/MasAllaDelAtlas/Atlas-foto05.html However modern tifilalt was founded by the Alouites and became the basis of their wealth, based on the cultivation of dates in the oasis there. The tifilalt oasis is called the largest oasis in the world. Prior to the Alouites founding the city of Tifilalt, it was home to the Miknasa who built Sijilmasa. Sijilmasa was part of the caravan route that brought gold from Africa to the Islamic kingdoms of North Africa and was therefore extremely important to the wealth of these kingdoms. Hence, it was a contested city, which was fought over by many of the suceeding dynasties that came into prominence, the Umayyads, the Almoravids, the Almohads, the Merinids and the Fatimids. In a sense the Miknasa were probably middlemen at the time of its founding, growing wealthy from trade on the caravan routes and providing the forces to protect the city as vassals to the Ummayads. Either way, black Africans were among these wealthy Islamic traders, and the extent this wealth in trade extended deep into West Africa under the Almohads, who controlled a territory as far South as Timbuktu. Of course, many "Arab" historians wrote of their journeys from Sijilmasa to the South, but of course you must remember that their writings were tinged with a bit of arrogance and are not always considered 100% trustworthy. The point here is to uncover the black African presence among the ruling powers of Sijilmasa, the wealth and power of the black Africans on the caravan routes, the presence of black Africans as part of the caravans and the various Berber (tuareg ancestors) groups mentioned as inhabiting the Sahara. [/QB][/QUOTE]
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