AFAM 1

Dynasties

a series of rulers from the same family, or a ruling family that maintains power for an extended period

Pharaohs

the heads of state and the religious leaders of their people

Sahel

a transitional ecological and cultural zone in Africa between the Sahara Desert and the savannas

Trans-Saharan Trade

a network of trade routes that spanned the Sahara Desert, connecting sub-Saharan Africa with North Africa, the Mediterranean world, and even as far as Europe and Asia

Sundiata/Sunjata 

the founder of the 13th-century Mali Empire; elebrated for liberating his people from the Sosso kingdom and establishing the Mali Empire, which became a significant center of West African wealth and culture.  

Mansa Musa

defined by his reign as the emperor of the incredibly wealthy Mali Empire, his status as likely the richest person to have ever lived, and his legendary pilgrimage to Mecca, which drew attention to West Africa and spurred intellectual and cultural development, especially in Timbuktu. His massive distribution of gold during the Hajj even disrupted the economies of Egypt and other regions for years, and his legacy includes the establishment of centers of learning and the promotion of Islam across Mali

Diaspora

the scattering of a people from their original homeland to different regions, often due to forced displacement, persecution, or migration

Griot

a traditional West African oral historian, storyteller, poet, and musician who preserves and transmits a community's history, genealogies, and cultural traditions through spoken word, songs, and music

Syncretism

the blending of different religious, cultural, or ideological systems into a new, cohesive whole, often occurring when cultures interact through trade, conquest, or migration