THE WORLD - AFRICA

This page is divided into the following sections:

• Ajan
• The Ashanti Confederacy
• Basutoland
• Benguela
• Buganda
• The Central African Federation
• Cape Colony
• Corannaland
• Dahomey
• Darfur
• Dutch Congo
• Egypt
• French Congo
• Kanem-Bornu Empire
• Matabeleland
• Île de France [Mauritius]
• Inhambane
• Melinda
• Mozambique
• New Israel
• Portuguese Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• The Sokoto Caliphate
• La Somalie
• The Songhay Empire
• Tswanaland
• Wadai
• Zanj
• Zululand

Click on the country names to return to the top of the page.

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Much of Africa is divided up into a great many small tribal states, though there are also some larger African states. In some nations leaders have used Western knowledge and technology to carve out an empire. Many of the smaller African states are in a constant state of flux as politics, including war, causes changes of borders and regimes on a frequent basis. Some African states are ruled by European adventurers, or dynasties of the same. A large area of North Africa forms part of the French Empire. This is made up of the colonies of Morocco, Algeria, Tripoli, Tunis, Mauritania, Samori, Sefadu and Senegal.

Some (not all) African and other less developed states used the time of the Economic Collapse to learn and advance to a more (but usually not fully) equal footing with the Europeans. Some of them trade with Europe, which has lead to some of them being taken over when Europe strengthened again.

Many African colonies begin as coastal coaling or trading stations. Russia and the Northern System had colonies in Africa but lost them during the Russian UER regime. Denmark-Norway lost Danish Ghana to the Ashanti Confederacy during this time.

Ajan

An East African member of the Arabian Union.

The Ashanti Confederacy

The Ashanti Confederation is a grouping of nine originally autonomous chiefdoms, who founded the Confederation, and a number of subsequently incorporated areas. At the centre of the state is the wealthy and powerful Chiefdom of Kumasi, the capital city, whose hereditary ruler is the Asantehene, the King. The succession to this position is decided by a series of councils of local notables and other royal family members.

The Golden Stool (sika 'gua) is the symbol of Ashanti unity, and is believed to embody the spirit or soul of the Ashanti nation. It is very carefully protected. No-one has ever sat on it and it never touches the ground.

The Asantehene heads the Ashanti Confederacy Council, a group made of paramount chiefs which is renowned for its splendour and wealth. A paramount chief presides over district chiefs. A district chief presides over a District Council of Elders, which is made up of sub-chiefs. Villages are brought together by a sub-chief. Within every village there is a village head council made up of all the heads of households.

Marriage is very important to the Ashanti. Although women cannot marry without the consent of their parents and often do not meet their husbands until they are married, men are free to take more than one wife if they wish. This is often considered to be to express their willingness to be generous and support a large family.

The Ashanti are a matrilineal culture, with families tracing descent through the female line. However, succession and inheritance rules stress sex, generation, and age, with men having precedence over women, 'brothers' over 'sisters' sons', and senior over junior. However, there are also groups which trace their descent through the male line. In any case, children are considered to inherit the spirit of their father, but the flesh and blood of their mother. Men choose the profession of their sons.

The Ashanti state was created and maintained by war, and a military ideology remains a central feature of its cultural orientation. Because of this there are often minor wars and skirmishes with its neighbours.

Most Ashanti settlements are divided into sections along matrilineal lines. The houses of the lineage members are grouped closely together around the house of the lineage head. In many cases, particularly when recently married, husbands and wives live separately based on their mothers' line, though it is not uncommon for married couples to live together in later years. Various other family members often share a household in either case. The head of the household is usually the oldest brother that lives there, and is chosen by the elders of the settlement. He is referred to as either Father or Housefather.

Many elements make up the Ashanti religion. Their supreme being is Nyame. Under him are the higher gods, the ancestors, and the spirits of animals and plants. There is also belief in witchcraft, monsters and fairy-like forest beings. Many rites for marriage, death, puberty, and birth are practised, including rites of divination. The greatest and most frequent religious ceremonies are the Adae, which occur every twenty-one days and whose purpose is to recall the spirits of the departed rulers, offer them food and drink, and ask their favour for the good of all the people. There are also Christian and Muslim minorities among the Ashanti.

Long-distance communication in the Ashanti Confederation was originally carried out by means of drum signals. However, this has mostly been replaced by the use of radio or telegraph signals, although in most cases the codes used on these are based on the older drum signals.

Particularly known for their metalwork, the Ashanti were one of the African nations to benefit from the iron bust during the Economic Collapse, developing their own iron and steel industries. The Ashanti military is quite strong, but has only a limited navy concerned mainly with coastal defence, and they are not capable of much projection of force beyond their immediate area.

The Ashanti flag consists of a black field with a thick horizontal red band across the middle, in the centre of which is an image of the Golden Stool.

Basutoland

An African state bordering Zululand and Cape Colony.

Benguela

A Portuguese colony on the west coast of southern Africa, now part of the Comunidade Portuguese.

Buganda

An independent state inland of the east African coast. It was under French rule, as part of the French domains in Africa, but with the rise of the OSU, although still independent, it now falls within their sphere of influence.

The Central African Federation

A community of a few minor states, banded together for trade and mutual defence.

Cape Colony

The strongest Dutch colony, a largely self-ruling dominion within the Dutch Empire, with its capital in the city of Cape Town.

There is a Cape Colony-Zululand-New Israel defensive alliance; they do not like each other much, but like others even less.

Corannaland

A Swedish colony on the coast of south-west Africa.

Dahomey

The west African nation from which the Voudou religion originated; it remains the most widespread religion there. They are also known for the Dahomey Amazons, highly effective female front-line troops.

Darfur

A Muslim nation in East Africa which is part of the Arabian Union.

Dutch Congo

A Dutch colony in Western Africa, a largely self-ruling dominion within the Dutch Empire.

Egypt

Egypt is part of the Arabian Union, but is also strongly linked to France through the existence of the Suez Canal there. As such there is a strong French military presence in the country.

French Congo

A French colony on the coast of West Africa.

Kanem-Bornu Empire

A large Islamic Kingdom centred on Lake Chad. It has rejected several invitations to join the Arabian Union.

Matabeleland

A nation mainly formed from tribes driven out of their ancestral lands by the Zulus, and who have had to become as militarised as the Zulu in order to survive, fighting a number of wars with them over the years. They are closely allied with Tswanaland.

Île de France [Mauritius]

The island of Île de France is French, and an important military base for them.

Inhambane

A Swedish colony on the coast of south-east Africa.

Melinda

A small French colony on the East African coast.

Mozambique

A Portuguese colony on the east coast of southern Africa, now part of the Comunidade Portuguese.

New Israel

Formerly the island of Madagascar, it was established in 1875, after the First Pogrom War nearly destroyed Israel. Despite problems with native unrest the Israeli settlers have come to dominate the island, industrialise it, and create a strong navy. Although it has a strong military for its size, New Israel is not a highly militaristic society.

Since the Second Pogrom War there has been an increasing friendliness between Israel and New Israel, and also increasing emigration from Israel to New Israel, which is perceived to be a safer nation.

The capital of New Israel is the city of New Hebron [real world Antananarivo].

The flag of New Israel is a royal blue field with white horizontal stripes at top and bottom and in the centre a golden crescent moon on the left and a golden Star of David on the right, symbolising Madagascar and Judaism respectively.

Portuguese Guinea

A Portuguese colony in West Africa, now part of the Comunidade Portuguese.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone was founded by Britain as a penal colony, then as a place for freed slaves after the Economic Collapse. It became strong and powerful based upon mining of its rich mineral and other resources, and is a full member of the Union. It is a corporate state with its capital in the city of Freetown, and is the site of the main Union space launch facility.

The Sokoto Caliphate

The Sokoto Caliphate is the major nation of the Fulani people, though there are Fulani minorities in the surrounding nations too.

La Somalie

French colony in East Africa guarding the mouth of the Red Sea and thus access to the (French) Suez Canal. France has several naval bases there.

The Songhay Empire

An Islamic kingdom in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been rebuilt from a shattered state by the current dynasty of rulers. Strong and quite highly militarised, they maintain their independence against both the French and the Ashanti.

Tswanaland

A nation mainly formed from tribes driven out of their ancestral lands by the Zulus, and who have had to become as militarised as the Zulu in order to survive, fighting a number of wars with them over the years. They are closely allied with Matabeleland.

Wadai

A Muslim sultanate in a strategic position on the trans-Saharan trade routes, it was formerly part of the Kanem-Bornu Empire.

Zanj

A nation on the East African coast centred on and ruled from Zanzibar by the Sultan of Zanzibar. Closely linked to Oman, it is part of the Arabian Union.

Zululand

King Shaka of the Zulu learnt from Europeans, and saw that they were a threat. Because he avoided assassination in 1828 and had the plotters impaled, he was able to being to process of modernising, strengthening and industrialising the Zulus into a nation in their own right.

He had blacksmiths go abroad to learn, so that they become important masters of technology in Zululand. Treaties with the Dutch settlers of Cape Colony led to two adjacent nations, one Zulu, one Afrikaner, covering quite a lot of southern Africa. The Economic Collapse allowed the Zulus to cheaply acquire a significant industrial capacity. Zululand also adopted European crops and farming methods adapted to their climate, allowing a large population to be supported.

From several defeats at the hands of Europeans with guns, Shaka developed tactics against them, and to use them effectively. Ambushes, and tactics like diving to the ground when they fire, to avoid their bullets, then jumping up and running at the enemy while they reload, repeating as necessary to avoid further volleys. He also developed guerrilla tactics, sniping and so on. Though he was never too bothered by some losses, as a tutelary example.

With help from the Dutch Shaka obtained guns for the Zulus, and more importantly for the Smiths the knowledge of how to build them.

Shaka became more extreme in his actions as time passed, and he was eventually assassinated in 1841, to be succeeded by one of his closest political advisors. There was more freedom and liberalisation during the reign of his successor, but no end to the modernisation of the Zulu people. Because of this Zululand holds the distinction of being the fastest-developing nation in history.

After several strong Kings, from Shaka onwards, their dependence on the smiths brought the smiths greater and greater power, leading to their coming to effectively rule the nation. Since then Zululand has become a technocracy, ruled by a Council of Smiths, with a figurehead King, and with the Sangoma (spiritual healers, charged with ascertaining the cause of bad events, protecting the clan against evil spirits and exposing antisocial individuals) as honorary members of the Council.

Zululand is very militarised. They have full national service, for all, from a very young age (normally six) and for long periods. Men go into the military, women into the bureaucracy, the practise of European-type medicine and similar non-military occupations. The country is very industrialised. It has a slightly lower level of technology than the highest in the world, but it is all very robust and well built.

Zululand has a powerful military and quite a powerful second-rank navy, capable of force projection anywhere in the world. They also have a large merchant marine, particularly focussed on transporting their mercenary troops and the equipment to support them to wherever they are needed.

Normal dress for Zululand troops (including mercenaries) varies with climate. In hot environments (such as Zululand itself) their uniform consists of shorts, with no shoes, a belt and bandoliers for equipment, and a helmet. Armbands are used to hold insignia of position and rank. If camouflage is required a suitably patterned suit of light breathable mesh is used, onto which loose strips of cloth or twine can be added for extra camouflage effect, forming a lightweight Ghillie suit. In colder climates trousers, jackets and camouflage more like those used by the European militaries are used for much the same reasons as them.

Zululand has been militaristic for a long time. Their (non-Boer) neighbours have to defend all of their borders heavily, and there are near-constant skirmishes along them. Many of their African-ruled neighbours such as Tswanaland and Matabeleland have been forced to adopt societies very much like that of the Zulus simply to survive. The Zulus have sent out a number of expeditions of conquest in the past, which have resulted in there being several small Zulu colonies in Africa and on mid-ocean islands elsewhere. They also purchased a settlement on the western coast of Terra Australis, and have claimed and settled a large part of Antarctica as the colony of Shakaland.

To channel the militarism of their society, the Council of Smiths do two things. First, they export Zulu mercenary troops, to fight, and to train others, around the world. They are very good. The only thing they will not do is fight other Zulus. They played a particular role in the taking of the Dutch holdings in Japan, and first worked as mercenaries with the Dutch in the Dutch East Indies. Secondly, much resources are directed at the conquest of the Antarctic. This is the Zulu New Frontier.

The capital of Zululand is at KwaDukuza.

There are two main political factions in Zululand, the Modernists and the Traditionalists. In no way is the nation a free one.

Zulu religion still follows most of its old ways from before the arrival of the Europeans. However, there has been some adoption of Christian elements, and the merging of them with traditional Zulu figures such as uKqili, the highest god. Their religion has spread beyond Zululand; people follow it in all sorts of places where Zulus have settled or been. They have also had converts from other faiths of all kinds as they are more visible.

Zulu religion includes belief in a creator god (Nkulunkulu), who is above interacting in day-to-day human affairs. It is possible to appeal to the spirit world only by invoking the ancestors (AmaDlozi) through divination processes; the ancestors act as intermediaries. As such, the diviner, who is almost always a woman, plays an important part in the daily lives of the Zulu. Ancestors are thought to live in the spirit world of unkulunkulu. It is believed that all ancestors must be kept in the memory of the family as, if forgotten, they may seek to be remembered by visiting trouble on them.

Another important aspect of Zulu religion is cleanliness. Separate utensils and plates are used for different foods, and bathing often occurs up to three times a day. Christianity had difficulty gaining a foothold among the Zulu, and when it did it was in a syncretic fashion. To the Zulu, syncretising others beliefs into the Zulu religion is sometimes acceptable. Converting to a non-Zulu religion is not and makes the person who does so an apostate, and not a Zulu any more. There have been religious conflicts within the Zulu over the incorporation of Christian elements into their faith.

It is believed that all bad things, including death, are the result of evil sorcery or offended spirits. No misfortune is ever seen as the result of natural causes. The Zulu people do not believe in fate and every event occurs for a reason. Should something untoward occur, a Sangoma is consulted to determine its cause, whether the event has been caused by witchcraft (in which case there is a witch-hunt) or by a failure to appease the spirits.

In the latter case, a sacrifice is made whilst complaining at the apparent attitude of the spirit.

In the former the witch must be exposed and suffer an agonising death for the good of the clan. Impaling is the most common means of execution in this case. Those accused rarely object as it is thought that their spirit can be taken over without their knowledge. Not only they but also their families are often put to death, with their belongings passing to the chief. Excessive wealth can therefore result in a person being high on the 'hit list' for the next exposure, and poverty thus ensures a longer life. Many of Shaka's opponents, or even those he thought were his opponents, suffered from this during his later life.

However, social changes have meant that one person being responsible for one untoward event and so having to die for it has become an increasingly impractical system, which has resulted in mass witch hunts and unrest in the Zulu state. For this reason it has become the generally accepted opinion that one witch can be responsible for manyuntoward events, rather than one witch per event. And that their families canbe innocent of the sins of the witch. On the other hand untoward events affecting important people or great numbers of people, such as train or air crashes, are usually found to have been the only target of a witch, and the family of the witch is often responsible too. It is quite common, even so, for a witch who has been executed for one thing to also be responsible for others and also die for them.

Also, as the population of Zululand has grown, more and more untoward events have been found to be caused by a failure to appease the spirits. There being more Zulus means there are also more spirits, more than there have ever been. and so it is easier to fail to appease them, leading to their causing trouble for the living.

The inyanga is the doctor of the tribe - more correctly, the naturopath. Whereas the Sangoma is concerned with the psychic world, the Inyanga treats physical disease, but may use similar media. Each inyanga trains his son and the information is thus passed on from generation to generation. Both plant and animal parts are used in the remedies and Zulu people will travel long distance to see an inyanga. Remedies for an unsatisfactory love life and for such things as protection against lightning are also dispensed.

The Zululand flag is a Zulu cowhide shield with spears, on a dark red background with blood-red vertical borders.

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