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Africa before the 'zuŋ u

Our land, Our People, Our culture !

The Kingdom of Zimbabwe (1220 CE to 1450 CE)

Equal to modern day Zimbabwe

The Kingdom of Mutapa (c 1430 CE to 1760 CE)
Spread across parts of what is now Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

The Ethiopian Empire (c 1137 CE to 1975 CE)
Spread across parts of what is now Eritrea and Ethiopia

The Benin Empire (c 1180 CE to 1897 CE)
Equal to modern day Nigeria

The Kingdom of Kongo (c 1390 CE to 1914 CE)

Spread across parts of what is now Angola, DRC, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon
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African Women

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How many m'zuŋ u societies can truly state that their own countrywomen currently feel
that they have anything like the equality of influence and power that many African women
enjoyed centuries ago?

When people in the West consider the concept of equality between the sexes, they

think of men and women sharing equal roles in society. However, in traditional west

African culture, power actually lies in the dynamic differences between the roles of men
and women.

Women have played a significant role in every region of Africa for centuries. As
reported by Cheikh Diop , many African societies had a dual sex political system under
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which men and women shared influence and power. At least one, where women had their

own assembly in which they made their own decisions on specific matters.

Across much of Africa, a queen mother was an authority in her own right. Often with
her own courts, courtiers and staff. Often possessing her own land and raising her own

taxes. Among the Egba of Nigeria, women were the economic powerhouses of the nation

due to the trade and market system they had developed. Women dominated the trade and