World War I in Africa

What happened in Africa should not stay in Africa.
Posted on 16, June 2015 June 16 2015 2015年6月16日 by wwiafrica

“The upcoming French animated feature film is titled “Adama,” and it hails from directors Simon Rouby and Julien Lilti, produced by Naia Productions, and is scheduled for an October 21, 2015 theatrical debut - in France.

In development for three years, the film, set in 1916, in colonized West Africa, tells the story of a young boy named Adama, who goes in search of his brother, a rifleman with the French army during the First World War. His journey (by truck, ship, and train) takes him to Verdun, a small city in north-eastern France, and the site of a major battle during the First World War - one of the costliest battles of the war. It’s a trip into the unknown, to an entirely different world the boy knows nothing about, putting him face-to-face with the horrors of war.

Starring in the film, providing voice for the 12-year-old boy is Azize Diabaté, who co-starred in 2013’s “La Cite Rose” - a drama profiled on this blog, directed by Julien Abraham. He’s joined by Pascal Nzonzi and Oxmo Puccino.

The film is currently in post-production.”

source: Shadow & Act

Posted on 12, May 2015 May 12 2015 2015年5月12日 by wwiafrica
The much celebrated (not by us) ‪#‎WWIAfrica‬ General Von Lettow Vorbeck’s amidst a quick transit stop back in the former German East African colony in 1952 makes a ‘touching’ request of his former askaris to embrace their new rulers, the British...

The much celebrated (not by us) ‪#‎WWIAfrica‬ General Von Lettow Vorbeck’s amidst a quick transit stop back in the former German East African colony in 1952 makes a ‘touching’ request of his former askaris to embrace their new rulers, the British “Continue to till the soil as you’ve always done and obey the laws of our brothers who are now your rulers. We are their friends." ‪

Posted on 10, April 2015 April 10 2015 2015年4月10日 by wwiafrica

Black Soldiers-Die Soldaten Schwarzen

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“It blooms graves, it warms the Unknown Soldier. You, my brothers obscure, nobody called you. " For the Senegalese Tirailleurs died for France, Leopold Sedar Senghor, Black Hosts (Tours, 1938)

Landed, humiliated, forgotten, 70 years later, they have erased you from their memories. Landed, swept, censored, your sacrifice does not seem worthy of their commemoration. Be the docile child, loyal, committed, they’ll have wiped out the celebrations. Your sacrifice and your contributions are soon forgotten. You sent your son you who defend the one you considered at the time as the bitter homeland, they have you humiliated, robbed, clear.

The world leaders welcomed, embraced fanfare, celebrating the return of peace to remember. They wanted to burn in the collective memory of the horrors of war and its outcome. So that never in history from repeating itself. They celebrated their heroes, their allies; they talk about history, integrity, and a symbol of remembrance. They invited the former enemies, those have become friends today. They exchanged hugs and kind words amid trumpets and drums. They remembered the common effort. But you no one remembers your contribution. You are transparent, insignificant, nonexistent.

I watched them twirl, twirl, bragging and my heart is filled with anger and revolt before bleeding pain. They simply ignored you; not once thy name was uttered at any time your sacrifice has been mentioned or suggested. You simply disappeared from their collective memory. You my mother, my roots, my native land, thou that You sent your children to war, you who immolas your most valiant son on the altar of the common good, they had no word to yourself, not a murmur , nothing, nothing. They’ll spit silence shouting their ingratitude and contempt in the face.

While I watched strutting in their regalia, the same questions were turning over and over in my mind. Where is l`hommage visited my brother sharpshooters? -t When we celebrate their bravery and devotion? Were they not men and soldiers like the others? How have they been able to finish the rank of forgotten soldiers? Are they not also heroes?

Ingratitude is insult added to the injury of indifference. 70 years after laundering and the massacre of Thiaroye , almost nothing has changed, your dedication is swept out of hand, your sacrifice has been plunged into thick darkness. They landed you, despised cleared. You who are yet so proud to have helped restore peace.

You’re perhaps not their dear eyes Africa but know that we your children, we know and we are grateful. We tell our son and daughters as the man entered the African story several times even though some want to ignore it. We will talk to them about their ancestors proud riflemen parties in battle and died as heroes for the Republic. We will tell them to stand tall, be proud because their ancestors fought at the front and they too have shed their blood to end a war that was not theirs.

This sacrifice will never be vain for us; we will never forget that it is also thanks to you skirmishers yesterday they have won and built the peace they so cherish today.


Reblogged from Gaou’s blog with permission.  https://lesgaousatoronto.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/schwarzen-soldaten/

Posted on 22, February 2015 February 22 2015 2015年2月22日 by wwiafrica

MV Liemba still plies on Lake Tanganyika even at 100 years

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Once a feared gunship defending the African lake for Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany during World War I, the legendary vessel has been sunk and refloated twice, renamed and repurposed as a ferry.

On Lake Tanganyika, a century-old relic of World War I that became the stuff of Hollywood legend still plies the slate-grey waters - but it is not clear for how much longer.

Once a feared gunship defending the African lake for Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, the legendary vessel - which inspired the 1951 classic “The African Queen” - has been sunk and refloated twice, renamed and repurposed as a ferry.

As it marks 100 years of service, the MV Liemba, originally a symbol of colonial power, is now an essential lifeline for the people who live along the lakeshore. “Liemba is the only safe means of transport along the lake,” said Mathew Mathia Mwanjisi, the ship’s captain.

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Reblogged from beautiesofafrique-deactivated20

The 1919 Pan-African Congress beautiesofafrique.tumblr.com

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Black Transnational Movement for Representation and Land

Ramla Bandele, Article Author

The 1919 Pan-African Congress was held in Paris to coincide with the Paris Peace Conference ending World War One. It was held to develop a plan for lasting peace between the European states and the United States of America after the devastation of World War I. Africans and African-descended activists tried to influence the political agenda of the Paris Peace Conference as it related to the political and economic location of all African and Caribbean colonies, as well as African descended peoples of the Americas. The Allied Powers did not encourage such organization because the rebuilding of the international economy depended upon the continued control and exploitation of all of their colonies, including Africa and its people. As a result, very few marginalized groups from Asia and Africa were able to negotiate or meet with the Allied Powers during the Conference. Given these obstacles, it is impressive that the Pan-African Congress came to fruition, and eventually presented resolutions to the new League of Nations. The U.S. government refused to issue passports to African-Americans. It took the combined efforts of Blaise Diagne and W.E.B. Du Bois to navigate around the obstacles and organize the Pan-African Congress in Paris in February 1919. Diagne’s role was crucial to the convening of the Congress. A Senegalese, Diagne was the highest-ranking African in French politics, having assisted France in recruiting African soldiers. As a Senegalese deputy to the French Parliament, French Prime Minister Clemenceau approved the Congress; nonetheless he disapproved widespread publicity for it. Du Bois was instrumental in assembling delegates from various African, American and European organizations. There were at least 57 delegates representing 15 countries and colonies, including Haiti, Liberia, the British West Indies, West African colonies and the United States. At least 19 delegates were from Africa. Although it is often referred to as the 1st Pan-African Congress, it actually was patterned after the Pan-African Conference, convened in 1900 by Henry Sylvester Williams. Du Bois had been a delegate at the 1900 conference. The Congress petitioned Allied nations to take specific actions to address oppressive political and economic conditions prevailing throughout predominately black colonies and throughout the Americas.

The Congress requested numerous changes in colonial policy, including the following critical areas:

 1) Land ownership and equitable economic development which would allow Africans to profit from the sale of their natural resources. They also wanted a portion of European profits to be committed to the economic development of the colonies. 

2) Educational opportunity and accessible health care were highlighted. To insure that Africans would acquire effective knowledge to compete in the international economy, the delegates lobbied for educational programming, not only in industrial fields, but also in language and Western governance. Health care was considered a vital component of effective development as well.

 3) African participation in local government and the decolonization of the mandated colonies were primary concerns. The delegates were concerned about the plight of the African colonies that the defeated Germany had to relinquish. The PAC delegates called for the League of Nations to administer these so-called “mandated” colonies, insuring that the European powers could not absorb them and also to make it possible for diaspora Africans to migrate and settle within these mandated areas. The Congress participants envisioned the establishment of a Bureau within the League to develop and implement these resolutions. Though Du Bois did get the opportunity to discuss these resolutions with U.S. officials and over a thousand copies of the resolutions were distributed, no delegates were authorized to address the Peace Conference and ultimately their resolutions were not instituted.

Undeterred, the Pan-African Congress delegates established an Executive Committee toward the development of a worldwide body to lobby for these goals, and they agreed to hold congresses biennially. The next Congress was to meet in 1921.