Africans Back in the Day: Photos & Pictures Collection

[MischievousMonkey]

Alright, so there we go… I hesitated between doing this here, in the Locker Room, or in the Root. But since the Root is dead because of yall non-intellectual fukkery-addicted brehs ( I’m just playing I’m the same), I thought why not post it where it will get the more traffic? If it turns out to be a bad decision, I’ll ask the mods to move it. (EDIT 30/11/2019: I did... Welcome to the Root)

Basically, what this thread aspires to be is a collection of historic photographs and drawings of Africans back in the day. I insist on the word historic because I know there are a lot of fantasy depictions of the continent going around on the internet, which are fine, but often not accurate since imagination plays a significant role in the representations they show.

What I’d like for this thread is for it to be to be as close as possible to what reality was back then, meaning photographs are obviously cool, but also drawings by people who were there physically.

But what is “back then” you may ask? Quite frankly, the timeframe should not be restrictive as it is already limited by the historic material we have at our disposal. Egyptian’s pictures are the oldest accurate representations of African people that I know of, and we should go as far as that. What is considered the “most recent back in the day” on the opposite side of the spectrum? It can be subject to discussion. I wouldn’t consider the 80s “back in the day” for example, while the early XXth century is absolutely “back in the day” to me. You see, it’s pretty subjective; so I’ll let yall decide what that means to you.

Share any picture you want fitting these criteria.

The only format requirement I want is for you to describe at least briefly the content of the picture you post. That means that the region, ethnicity of the people represented and if possible (very much appreciated), the period, are all important elements of a good description. No need to write extensive paragraphs, but it goes without saying that I would love it if you did. Posting a picture can also be an opportunity to present a particular cultural fact or a piece of history echoing what is shown, or just comment whatever you feel about it. Don’t restrain yourself!

Feel free to contribute!!

 

[MischievousMonkey]

I’ll set the ball rolling with Senegalese people back in the day

There is a lot of material since Senegal has been a trading post and a door to the rest of Africa, at least for Frenchs; explorers, missionaries, soldiers and plenty others went through it. They sometimes drew what they saw or sent pictures of locals as postcards or to publish it in journals.

Let’s start with royalty and chiefs.

The intro picture I posted is one of a Senegalese provincial chief in the early 1900s dripping in swag :sheesh: Not only his clothes look dope, he got the golden sword ready too

On other postcards, he is actually described as the son of chief

Spoiler

, so I don’t know if he was ruling shyt or stunting with pops’ money… In any case

This is an actual photograph of Alboury Ndiaye (1842-1898), King of Jolof, the untameable Bourba Ndiaye, who fought french colonizers all his life and along Lat Dior for a good moment. His story is dope as hell and could be made into crazy movies, but unfortunately his very detailed Wikipedia page is only in French. If some of yall are interested by it I could attempt to translate it someday.

Here’s a Jolof/Wolof (same word) chief posing with his griot in what could be Dakar.

This is a depiction of the Apartement of the King of Salum (bourba or bour means king). Couldn’t find a date.

This is Canar Fall, superior chief of Occidental Baol, at the origin of the Thiès rebellion in 1904 against colonists. Some other pictures:

On the right, Canar Fall, on the left, what I assume to be one of his courtier, and behind them, a spy.

 

[MischievousMonkey]

Now, some drawings of scenes from everyday life.

An illustration of Senegalese Wolof and Fula people published in 1861 in le Tour du Monde. So that’s before colonization. You can see the warriors strapped with rifles and spears.

Another one from the exact same year and periodical, this time with Fula and Mandinka people. Dude holding the bowl got very interesting jewelry, and breh on the left in the background seems to be blowing in (or drinking from?) some kind of horn. I wonder what’s going on here.

Senegalese people and a chief chilling under the tree, as you can still see today in plenty parts of Africa after a meal. Discussing and chilling under the big village tree after eating is actually a tradition, to the point the tree is name something like “the tree of endless discussions”. You can see they still got the strap laying nearby

Described as Senegalese berbers. Sadly no date. Seems significantly older than the XIXth century; the style of drawing reminds me of heraldry art depicting Moors which would be centuries earlier than that.
27/09/19 edit: this is actually the 17th century and the people depicted are the Zenega people, a berber group living in Mauritania and Northern Senegal. The Zenega language is spoken by a couple hundreds of people today.

Senegalese natives. No idea of the date, but I’d guess 1830s-1840s.

 

[johnedwarduado]

Kings and queens

 

[MischievousMonkey]

Let’s get some warriors up in this bih

A warrior from Cayor on his horse (Senegalese kingdom), circa 1910. Wolof warriors and horses were not a new story back in the day. European observers noted that the King of Jolof back in the beginning of the XVIth century hung out with a company of 8 000 to 10 000 mounted men.

Actually it was mainly the Wolofs who were responsible for the anti-Muslim and anti-Wolof slave laws that were passed by Spanish and Portuguese enslavers, due to the fact that not only Islam and their temper made them prone to revolt, they were also trained warriors with expertise in cavalry warfare. It made their rebellions very efficient against Portuguese that used horses to suppress slaves.

Encyclopedia of Slave Resistance and Rebellion

Escort of Senegalese warriors in Niger from what I caught. Could also be Nigerien.

A Wolof warrior ? from another age. No idea of the date.

Wolof/Fula crew. Strapped with bows, rifles, horns and what could be staffs. Edit 03/10/19: Breh on the left is Mandingo from "Wolli" (?). Dude in the middle is Bambaraa. Homie on the right is Wolof. The date is 1847!

Old Fula warrior. 1847

Tiedo Warrior. Now I got to say some things about the Tiedos.

They were the warriors of the Ancient Senegalese kingdoms who opposed altogether colonization, Christianization and Islamization of the kingdoms. Adepts and defenders of traditional African religions, they were known for intrepidity, pride and not being afraid of death.

They could sport braids decorated with gold or dreadlocks, earrings, all kinds of amulets and jewelry, and were feared for their strength and cruel brutality during wars.

Their continued resistance throughout the ages got them a lot of enemies, that denounced them and painted them as violent heretic alcoholics. You can still find propaganda pieces of them (such as this

Spoiler

).

Honor was crazy important to them, to the point that it was a terrible shame to go to war with a friend or a brother and come back without him; they’d much rather get killed or kill themselves than being accused to run from an enemy.

What is true, what is false… Don’t know. Maybe I’ll tell another story about them someday, because they have plenty.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Dan Tribe #MandeSet

 

[MischievousMonkey]

I'll post more later

Don't hesitate to contribute

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

This post is for swag purposes only

Kigeli IV Rwabugiri was the king (mwami) of the Kingdom of Rwanda in the late 19th century. He was among the last Nyiginya kings

Nyiginya Kings

Mutara III Rudahigwa (29 June 1911[1] – 25 July 1959) was King (mwami) of Rwanda between 1931 and 1959.

Princess Emma Bakayishonga, daughter of King (Mwami) Yuhi wa V Musinga and sister of King Mutara III Rudahigwa

Bonus non Rwanda Styles

Fulani hairstyles.

Burkina Faso

(circa 1930s-1940s)

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

Africa: people from the West African coast - Gabon, Guinea, Senegal… Auguste racinet, from Le costume historique (The costume history) vol. 2, under the direction of A. Racinet, Paris, six volumes published between 1877 and 1886.

 

[Cat piss martini]

 

[Diondon]

Dope stuff, bruh

 

[MikelArteta]

Dope

 

[MischievousMonkey]

Nice contributions everybody

To continue on the theme of my previous posts, I’ll now share a range of pictures of Senegalese people back in the day

First a couple of working people:

A merchant from the Cayor, circa 1910. His hat is fire

A griot couple, c.1904

A Kissar player, 1859. Instrument looks very cool.

Another griot, with his guitar. Hanging in Dakar.

Cotton spinner, from Cayor.

A man from Dakar, with the classy shoes and fit

A “Fulab” chef. Don’t know what that meant.

Senegalese man stunting in his party outfit. You can see he knew he was killing it and didn't forget to let you see the ring

Wolof man styling in Dakar with the umbrella He looks like Omar Sy too!

Senegalese man circa 1900-1920.

A Moor in what may be Dakar.

 

[MischievousMonkey]

A couple of group pictures:

3 brehs stunting in Dakar, ca 1900-1910. Described as “Senefous”. Don’t know what that means. Probably nothing really.

Family of a Lebou chief.

Three teenagers in Thiès, circa 1900.

 

[MischievousMonkey]

I had to make a dedicated post to the Senegalese women I found

A young girl from Cayor. No date, but she’s beautiful, as her hairstyle and jewelry are.

The wife of a griot. Her hairstyle is crazy elaborate and precisely decorated. I’m still out here fighting to do decent twists

A Wolof woman chilling and posing nonchalantly, with grace. No date.

Two Wolof women finely dressed.

Fula women from Thiès, in the XIXth century.

Young Wolof girls.

Two Wolof ladies, circa 1910, in Thiès.

A Wolof woman and young girl.

Three young Wolof girls.

Fula women.

The woman on the right is grinding millet as it is still done today in the region.