HiddenHistorian

I'm so sorry for taking a while to respond. This is amazing! I hope things go well for you. Knowledge communication is always important.

I do wonder who stands to the right of the painting's primary subjects? A sitting reference? If so, what was their name? Where were they from?

All the things we lose to time...

"The Negro in West Africa: Liberian Hinterland". Johnston Harry, The Negro in the New World. 1910. Frontispiece.

Two men in what looks to be a much calmer market, Liberia.

This much more intimate portrait captures some of the intricacies of West African style.

Note the laced scabbard to the right; the reddish leather sandals; and, of course, the so-called "Kufi" caps.

#AfricanHistoryInPictures

The most varied group of soapstone figures and heads has been found in the homelands of the Kissi. Calling them pomda ("images of the dead"), the Kissi placed them in ancestral shrines, offering them the last seeds at sowing times and the first fruits of the harvest. However, the sculptures are believed to have been made centuries ago by the ancestors of the Kissi, the so-called Sapi people.

Figure https://clevelandart.org/art/1976.29

"Scene in the Great Night Market in Bida (Oil Sketch by Carl Arriens)." Leo Frobenius, The Voice of Africa: Being An Account Of The Travels Of The German Inner African Exploration Expedition In The Years 1910-1912. vol. 2. 1913. p. 426. An energetic and lively piece depicting the night market at Bida, also known as Nikki, capital of the Nupe or Bida Emirate. Captured are various instances of transaction and interaction, each blended into the next with the artist's playful stroke: merchants hawk wares, customers haggle prices, dozens of people gather in conversation, while a mysterious woman looks beyond, turned slightly away from the viewer. The chaotic scene is illuminated by disparate fires, complimenting the dim glow of the moon above.

A lively night market in Bida, capital of Nupe, Nigeria.

The crowded bustle of this impressionistic scene is at first overwhelming, but close inspection reveals tons of character.

My favorite is the smiling lady to the left, balancing a stack of bowls on her head.

#AfricanHistoryInPictures

"A Village Street, Biskra". Frances E. Nesbitt, Algeria and Tunis Painted & Described by Frances E. Nesbitt; Published by A. and C. Black; London MCMXI. 1906. p. 70. Gutenburg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55041/55041-h/55041-h.htm#fig27 A beautifully painted street scene in Biskra, Algeria. A small rivulet—containing some of the precious water on which the desert frontier town relies—runs down the street. On either side are mud-brick buildings, including what appears to be a minaret in the background. The rivulet is forded by at least two small "bridges". A few people—wearing white, orange, and possibly blue robes, stand to the left side; some appear to be children. To the right side, buildings positioned at a "side" angle prominently display both their projecting wooden beams as well as a bit of pattern-working; quite evocative of architecture from along the Niger Bend. The mostly yellowish tones of the illustration are broken by splendid palm-trees dominating the town's "skyline"; the cooler colors of their leaves ease the eyes into a clear, blue, sky.

"Village scene" in Biskra, Algeria.

Located at the Northern edge of the Sahara, Biskra is an ancient oasis town boasting a mixture of architectural heritages.

Buildings like those in this picture draw on old mudbrick traditions with parallels on either end of the Sahara.

#AfricanHistoryInPictures

Uncatalogued Arabic manuscript from West Africa — a fragmented. Loose leaves, varying paper sizes. Topics include mathematics, astrology, talismans, magic, divination, and treatises. I am looking for assistance with describing this manuscript, if interested, please DM me. Thanks

Benin brass-casters traditionally make commemorative heads in both terracotta and brass. This terracotta head is distinguished by its fleshy, idealized facial features, scarification patterns above each eye, stylized hairstyle—arranged in a series of horizontal rows—and snuggly worn beaded collar. The fullness of the cheeks is best perceived from a profile view, and the delicate modeling of the eyes, nose, and lips testifies to the sensitivity and skill of the artist. In the Kingdom of Benin, in southeastern Nigeria, the creation and display of ancestral commemorative heads is an ancient practice extending back to the first dynasty, before the 14th century. The heads were made of different materials to suit the varied political and social status of their owners. Sometime after the 14th century royal commemorative heads were cast in brass; however, oral tradition suggests that terracotta heads adorned royal altars at an earlier time. More recently, terracotta heads have functioned to commemorate important members of the brass-casters’ guild, adorning their ancestral altars. Like the brass commemorative heads, this terracotta head has a hole on the crown. In the case of the brass heads, this hollowed-out space served to hold an ivory tusk, a symbol of royal prestige and power. Although it has been suggested that the holes on the terracotta heads served the same function, this seems unlikely given the fragility of terracotta and the exclusive royal claim for ivory. –Permanent Collection Object Description Gift of Richard Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection

Commemorative Head https://www.artic.edu/artworks/152856/

Sources, East Africa II:
▪ Indian and Arab Entrepreneurs, G Clarence-Smith
▪ From the Trading-Post Indians to the Indian-Africans, M. Adam
▪ The 1972 Asian Expulsion in Uganda, W Tayeebwa et, ak,

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Sources, East Africa:
▪ Asian Ugandans Still Remember Home, S. Sawlani
▪ Indians in Post-War Uganda: 1948-62, M. Kumar
▪ Revisiting the 1972 Expulsion of Asians from Uganda, N. Desai
▪ East African Indians: How Many Are They, L. Nowik

[7/8]

Sources, Southern Africa II:
▪ From the Trading-Post Indians to the Indian-Africans, Michel Adam
▪ Indentured Labour in Sub-Saharan Africa (1870-1918), Ulrike Lindner
▪ Indians in South Africa, Goolam Vahed

[6/8]

Sources, Southern Africa:
▪ Children of Bondage, Robert Shell
▪ Shipwreck Survivor Accounts from the 16th and 17th Centuries, Elizabeth Eldredge
▪ Indian Ocean Slaves in Cape Town, Nigel Worden
▪ Narratives of Malay heritage in gentrified Bo-Kaap, Samera Albghil

[5/8]

Sources, Ethiopia II:
▪ Ethiopian Art and Architecture, K. Windmuller-Luna
▪ Indian Craftsmen in Late 19th and Early 20th-Century Ethiopia, R. Pankhurst
▪ A History of Addis Ababa from its Foundation in 1886 to 1910, P. P. Garretson (disse.)

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Sources, Ethiopia:
▪ Missionaries, Muslims, and Architecture in Gondar, S. Ranasinghe
▪ A Tale of Four Cities, R. Pankhurst
▪ Foreign Influence and Local Contribution, Fasil Giorghis
▪ Portuguese and Indian Influences, Ian Campbell
▪ The Monastery of Martula Maryam, Paul Henze

[3/8]

Sources, Ancient World:
▪ The Meroitic Empire, Randi Haaland

[2/8]

History of Indians in Africa, a thread.

Sources, Swahili Coast:
▪ ‘Indian’ metalwork in East Africa, Horton & Blurton
▪ The Architecture of Elsewhere, Prita Meier
▪ Buying Time, Thomas McDow
▪ History of Photography on the Swahili Coast, Prita Meier

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"[Unknown Title]". By unknown photographer. c.2025. Uploaded to TheBookMarket.co.za by Unknown. Graduates of the University of Pretoria. Note the lady on the right in South Asian-inspired garb.

"[Unknown Title]". By unknown photographer. 2025. Uploaded to Twitter by University of Pretoria. https://x.com/UPTuks/status/1882096891728478582. Newly inaugurated members of the University of Pretoria's Student Representative Council (SRC). Congratulations, you are the future!

Things have stabilized since those days, and many Indians have returned to their African homes. For them, and for those who never left, status as Ugandan, Kenyan, and especially South African are important markers of identity.

"Aziaten die Oeganda uitgewezen zijn op Schiphol, groep Aziaten na aankomst, Bestanddeelnr 926-0503." Photograph by Bert Verhoeff. November 24th, 1972. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Mr.Nostalgic, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aziaten_die_Oeganda_uitgewezen_zijn_op_Schiphol,_groep_Aziaten_na_aankomst,_Bestanddeelnr_926-0503.jpg. A group of at least 12 Indian Ugandans arrive in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, North Holland, after their expulsion. Though this group wound up in the Netherlands, most will go to the United Kingdom, where they face difficult reception. Photo uploaded to the Netherlands' National Archive with the identifier 2.24.01.05.

Most infamously, Idi Amin all but expelled the 80,000 Indians of Uganda–leaving behind only around 1,000 in 1972. Constant pressure and open government hostility also caused Indian populations in Kenya and Tanzania to drop by about half, to 78,000 and 40,000, respectively.

Following independence, the relationship between Indo-Africans and their cohabitants was not without friction. Colonial policies of divided rule created barriers to shared consciousness, and new governments aiming to forge national identities often sidelined even Black minorities in their countries.

"[Unknown Title]". By unknown photographer. c.1943-2020. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Innisfree987. Priscilla Jana (née Sewpal), born on December 5th, 1943, was the second of three children. She became politically active as a High School student, organizing a school walkout as part of the 1959 Potato Boycott. Though her parents wanted her to become a physician, Jana studied law at university. She joined Ismail Mahomed Ayob's law firm, and represented a number of the political prisoners held by the Apartheid government. Nelson Mandela aside, Jana represented Solomon Mahlungu, who was condemned to death; Benjamin Moloise, also executed; Govan Mbeki, whom she got released from jail; and Steve Biko, whom she represented posthumously after his death in Apartheid government custody under suspicious circumstances. His death was later ruled a result of improper medical conduct. He hadn't received appropriate care after a beating by guards. Jana's efforts got her a Banning Order from the government, severely restricting her mobility. Nevertheless, she used her unique access to Mandela while he was at Robben Island to relay his messages to and from the prison. After apartheid, Jana represented Krugersdorp as an ANC party parliamentarian from 1994 to 1999. She supported using African resources for continental development goals. Jana served as an ambassador to the Netherlands and Ireland, before joining the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in 2017. She passed in 2020, and is survived by her adopted children: Albertina Jana Molefe and Shivesh Sewpal. Image originally taken from http://www.dirco.gov.za/dircoenewsletter/newsflash449-15-10-2020.html.

While some Indians embraced their status as second or third-class residents in Africa, above most Black Africans but below their European overlords, others did not.

Indians like Priscilla Jana used their education to fight alongside Black compatriots, whether in the courts or on the streets.

Despite their circumstances, some Indians began to enjoy economic mobility in the colonies. The response to this was swift suppression: laws like the 1896 Natal Franchise Act relegated Indians to second-class status in nearly all of British Africa.

“A Group of Indian and African Servants.” Photograph by Robert Harris. 1888. Wellcome Collection 533100i. A group of South Asian and Black Africans, alongside two horses, afront thatch-roofed and corrugated metal-roofed buildings—possibly their homes. One of the men holds the reigns to a horse. Photo taken in Umzinto, just south of Durban, Natal province.

From 1860 to 1911, around 152,000 Indians were brought to the South African province of kwaZulu Natal, and thousands more to Kenya/Uganda.

Though some were “passengers” seeking business, most were effectively trafficked to work sugar plantations, rail lines, and coal mines on 5-10 year contracts.

The enforcement of abolition created a global demand for “alternative” labour sources at the same time that colonial expansion increased labour needs.

The British, falling back on their older strategies, looked to South Asia as a source of indentured work for their growing economic ambitions.

“Hadji Hassan Nudin Ibanu Abdallah or Karel (A Malay Priest at Prayers).” Illustration by George French Angas. In, The Kafirs Illustrated in a Series of Drawings Taken Among The Amazulu, Amaponda, and Amakosa Tribes; also, Portraits of the Hottentot, Malay, Fingo, and Other Races Inhabiting Southern Africa; Together with Sketches of the Landscape Scenery in the Zulu Country, Natal, and the Cape Colony. 1849. Plate no. 2 (Detail, Left). National Library of Australia PIC Volume 505 #S4389. Full-length portrait of Hajji Hassan Nudin Ibanu Abdallah, an important Malay priest in Cape Town, at prayer. Note the beads in front of him, the mat atop which he stands, and the urn behind him, possibly burning incense. As his name indicates, Hassan completed the important pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), which all Muslims with the means to do so are expected to complete at least once in their life. According to Angas, Hassan liked to boast that he was the first of his community to complete the important pilgrimage; whether or not this is actually true is beyond me. The Cape Malays, of primarily South and South-East Asian ancestry, formed an apparently closely-knit community in South Africa. As the source of most of the colony’s Muslims, residents of the time often used their ethnonym, “Malay”, as a synonym to the religion itself.

“Nazea, a Malay Woman in her walking costume (The Lion’s Head Mountain With Part of Cape Town).” Illustration by George French Angas. In, The Kafirs Illustrated in a Series of Drawings Taken Among The Amazulu, Amaponda, and Amakosa Tribes; also, Portraits of the Hottentot, Malay, Fingo, and Other Races Inhabiting Southern Africa; Together with Sketches of the Landscape Scenery in the Zulu Country, Natal, and the Cape Colony. 1849. Plate no. 2 (Detail, Right). National Library of Australia PIC Volume 505 #S4389. Full-length portrait of Nazea, wife of Hajji Hassan, in front of Cape Town and prepared to spend some time out and about. She is dressed fashionably in floral patterns, her hair seemingly up in a neat bun. Behind her can be seen Mount Lion's Head, an iconic feature of Cape Town's landscape, which pleasantly rises above the then-much smaller town of 20,000-25,000.

From 1652 to 1808, Cape Colony (South Africa) imported some 31,600 slaves from South and South-East Asia for manual and domestic work. Over half were from South Asia.

Descendants of some of these slaves famously became the Cape-Coloureds; others formed a different hybrid culture: the Cape Malays.

Unfortunately, Indian arrivals to Africa did not always come by choice. As early as the 16th century, Portuguese and Dutch ships carried Indian slaves and servants to Africa’s Eastern coast.

When shipwrecked, some escaped servitude and joined African communities. Most weren’t so lucky.

"Harar, casa di rimbaud, 02,0". Photograph by Wikimedia.org user: Saliko. November 8th, 2018. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harar,_casa_di_rimbaud,_02,0.jpg. View of the facade of Arthur Rimbaud's house in Harar, Ethiopia. Rimbaud lived for some time in the city as an arms dealer. His home is particularly evocative of the flat-facades common in the Dawoodi Bohra ‘Haveli’-style, but many other Ethiopian buildings drawing on this heritage have very obviously integrated aspects of local form, design language, and style.

“Havelis or medieval homes of Dawoodi Bohra at Siddhpur.” Photograph by Wikimedia.org user: Snehrashmi. September 3rd, 2017. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Havelis_or_medieval_homes_of_Dawoodi_Bohra_at_Siddhpur.jpg. Street view of the houses of Dawoodi Bohra ‘Haveli’-style in Siddhpur, Gujarat. The architectural parallels with the Harari example are obvious.

More recently, during the 19th century, thousands of Indians immigrated to Ethiopian cities like Harar and Addis Ababa, the national capital.

Gujarati-style houses, like that of French merchant-poet Arthur Rimbaud, still decorate the landscapes of both cities.

"Exterior view." Photograph by W+G Architects. 2016. metalocus.es https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/renovation-susenyos-emperors-palace-and-jesuit-cathedral-danqaz. Exterior view of a building at Susenyos' complex at Danqaz. Both a palace and a church were built here; this one looks like the palace. Abdul Kerim is usually said to have been involved in the construction of the palace, though less scholars seem to agree on his involvement in the church. Campbell points out that the Portuguese would have been hesitant to acknowledge Indian, likely Hindu/Muslim influences on ostensibly Catholic architecture, and Indians go unmentioned by Pankhurst (though he was often criticized for taking his sources at face value). Giorghis, Ranasinghe, and Windmuller-Luna openly accept the possibility. metalocus, ÁLVARO LAMAS "Renovation Susenyos Emperor's Palace and the Jesuit Cathedral Dänqaz" METALOCUS. Accessed July 7, 2025 <https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/renovation-susenyos-emperors-palace-and-jesuit-cathedral-danqaz> ISSN 1139-6415

"Crucero de la Iglesia de Danqaz." Photograph by Flickr.com user: Azazo Project. October 8th, 2006. https://www.flickr.com/photos/azazoproject/3174157986/in/album-72157612319246948. Interior view within a building at Susenyos' complex at Danqaz. Both a palace and a church were built here; this photo is within the church. Abdul Kerim is usually said to have been involved in the construction of the palace, though less scholars seem to agree on his involvement in the church. Campbell points out that the Portuguese would have been hesitant to acknowledge Indian, likely Hindu/Muslim influences on ostensibly Catholic architecture, and Indians go unmentioned by Pankhurst (though he was often criticized for taking his sources at face value). Giorghis, Ranasinghe, and Windmuller-Luna openly accept the possibility.

During Ethiopia's "Jesuit interlude" (1557-1635), Gujarati and Goan craftsmen, arriving on Portuguese ships, found royal employ.

Architects like Abdul Kerim adapted Indian lime-working techniques to Ethiopian materials, helping lay foundations for Ethiopia’s famous Gondarine architecture.

But while evidence of an Indian presence elsewhere in East Africa dates to antiquity, it isn’t until the early-modern period that such presence is well-documented.

"Tarya Topan van Zanzibar". Stanley's Laatste Reis Door Afrika, in: De Aarde en haar Volken, vol. 15, 1879. p. 24. Tarya Topan, a Zanzibari merchant and businessman of Hindi origin. He converted to Khoja Islam, a denomination originating primarily in Western India and led by the "Aga Khan", at some point in his life. He was a creditor to the infamous Afro-Arab slave and ivory trader Tippu Tip (either named for his efforts to gather wealth, or for the sounds of his guns), and was sued for by him for his high interest rates. Topan was later knighted by the British after their takeover of Zanzibar, apparently for his collaboration and efforts to suppress the slave trade which he had helped to finance.

"A Hindu woman carrying water through the narrow streets of Zanzibar City." Photograph by Fergus Brunswick Wilson(?). c. 1930-1950. Zanzibarhistory.org https://www.zanzibarhistory.org/assets/images/?C=S;O=D. Contrary to popular stereotypes, the majority of South Asians in East Africa do not belong to the relatively small number of super-wealthy families who hold concentrated economic influence, and whose histories, as is often the case, frequently overshadow those of the majority. Of the 5000 or so Indians in Zanzibar in 1875, just about 550 were Dawoodi Bohra, and a greater number of South Asians arrived as labourers lacking the financial and economic connections held by the wealthiest on-arrival. However, British-colonial segregation policies, tending to privilege urban and Indian residents over native Africans, afforded them disproportionate opportunity: a fact which still influences modern wealth distributions. Additional image details to be found here: https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/194360

Though elusive artifacts like the Kenyan “Shanga Lions” have long hinted at early coastal contacts, more recent genetic surveys all but confirm human ties between India and the medieval Swahili coast, which were amplified during the rule of the Zanzibari sultans.

“Bahora Girl.” Painting by Irma Sterne. 1945. Facebook user: Female Artists in History https://www.facebook.com/female.artists.in.history/photos/irma-stern-south-african-painter-1894-1966bahora-girl-1945oil-on-canvas87-x-71-c/1546290758989141/. Portrait of Fatu, a young "Bohara" lady, reclined in her room. Looking away from the viewer—perhaps pensively, perhaps idly—she wears a long, red sari, draped over a longer dress. The warm colors of her seat and the wall behind her compliment her outfit and skin; they are inflected by specks of blue and green, and given depth by a cool wall in the lower background. The "Bohara" woman in question is likely a member of the Dawoodi Bohra, a Muslim denomination of the Shia Isma'ilis. Though drawing on international heritage, the Dawoodi Bohras first developed into a large community in India, especially Gujarat. Many Dawoodi Bohras immigrated to East Africa during the 19th century, where they became particularly prominent in business and commerce (in fact, the word "Bohra" literally means "to trade"). Their architectural traditions, prominent in Gujarati cities like Sidhpur, have had a pronounced effect on East Africa's urban landscapes. However, their economic standing and comparative insularity has at times been a source of friction - sometimes quite explosive - in many of their host countries.

An Indian girl of Zanzibar, Tanzania, as painted by Irma Sterne.

Though separated by thousands of miles, the monsoon currents of the Indian Ocean have long facilitated contacts, connections, and migrations between Africa and South Asia...

#AfricanHistoryInPictures