African Heritage: A Beginner’s Guide to Being African (And Not Afraid to Show It!)
Introduction
I’m black, African, and proud. I love my people, culture and heritage. I’m not afraid to show it! That’s right—I’m a proud African-American woman who’s unapologetic about her deep connection with her homeland. And as much as we might like to think otherwise, there aren’t many of us out there. So this guide is meant for all those beautiful black women (and men) who want to know more about Africa’s rich history… but don’t know where to start!
What is the meaning of Africa?
Africa is a continent. It’s also a country. It’s also a culture, people and place. To be African is to have heritage that stretches back thousands of years; it’s history, music and food all bundled up into one big ball of identity that makes you who you are today.
Africans have been around since the beginning of time (and probably before). We’re not just “black,” either–there are more than 1 billion Africans worldwide!
Where is Africa?
Africa is a continent, and it’s the second largest in the world. It’s so big that it has been divided into several regions: North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. If you look at a map of Africa (and I highly recommend doing this), you’ll notice that the continent is surrounded by water on three sides: to its north by the Mediterranean Sea; on its east by Indian Ocean; and finally on its south by Atlantic Ocean.
When did humans first arrive in Africa?
The first humans are thought to have arrived in Africa 200,000 years ago. They were hunter-gatherers and their journey began in the Arabian Peninsula. The climate was very different then–it was much warmer and wetter than it is today.
The first humans migrated southwards through what we now call Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia before reaching South Africa about 130,000 years ago where they hunted animals like elephants for food (which would have been easy because there weren’t many predators around).
As time went on these early humans started using tools such as spears made from sharpened sticks or rocks tied together with rope made from animal skin which helped them catch bigger prey such as buffalo or antelope that lived farther away from water sources so could only be hunted if hunters had weapons like this one does today!
What is the history of African people and their culture?
The history of African people is a rich and diverse one. African culture has been around for thousands of years, contributing to the world in many ways. Africa is the birthplace of humanity, after all!
The continent has seen many empires rise and fall during its long history. One such empire was Ancient Egypt, which lasted from around 3100 BC until 30 BC. During this time period, Ancient Egyptians built pyramids out of stone blocks weighing up to 80 tons each! They also developed hieroglyphics–a form of writing using pictures rather than letters–that allowed them to communicate across long distances without having learned how speak another language first (because they didn’t).
How do you show your love for Africa as a person of color?
You can show your love for Africa by wearing African jewelry, clothing and accessories. You can take an African dance class or learn a traditional African dance. You can read books about the history of Africa, learn about the different tribes in Africa and attend an African festival.
The beauty of being black is that you don’t have to conform to one identity or image. You can be proud of your heritage and be yourself at the same time.
This is not a new concept, but it’s important nonetheless because it shows how much we’ve come as a community over time. In fact, this is something I learned from my family: my mother was born in Nigeria and raised in England; my father was born in Ghana and raised in New York City; their parents were immigrants who came here looking for better opportunities than they could find at home–and yet all four managed to maintain their cultural identities while integrating into American society as well!
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this guide to be helpful and informative. There’s no doubt that being African can be a complicated and confusing process, but we believe that with a little bit of knowledge and understanding of who you are as an individual, anything is possible!