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Season 1
In this first episode Zeinab Badawi travels across the continent, examining the origins of humankind and how and why it evolved in Africa. During her journey Zeinab is granted rare
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In this first episode Zeinab Badawi travels across the continent, examining the origins of humankind and how and why it evolved in Africa. During her journey Zeinab is granted rare access to the genuine bones of one of the most iconic discoveries in the field of archaeology: Lucy in Ethiopia, the oldest hominin ever discovered. Zeinab also spends time with a unique tribe in Tanzania, who provide insight into how we have lived, for most of our history, as hunter-gatherers. She also looks at what distinguishes us from the animal world and makes us human.
Zeinab Badawi continues her journey through the history of human development, travelling to meet the Maasai of East Africa and examining how humans began to domesticate animals and
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Zeinab Badawi continues her journey through the history of human development, travelling to meet the Maasai of East Africa and examining how humans began to domesticate animals and become pastoralists. In Zimbabwe, Zeinab delves into the next stage in human development — the turn towards farming. She also looks at how the Iron Age transformed life in Africa and paved the way for the development of rich urban civilisations.
Zeinab Badawi's quest to uncover the history of Africa takes her to Egypt, where she explores the most famous civilisation on the continent — the ancient Egyptians. Zeinab goes beyond
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Zeinab Badawi's quest to uncover the history of Africa takes her to Egypt, where she explores the most famous civilisation on the continent — the ancient Egyptians. Zeinab goes beyond the usual analysis of the pharaohs and asks, who were the ancient Egyptians? What was their ethnicity? What made such a great civilisation possible? How did they order their society, and what were their values?
In the fourth episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to the country of her birth and the very region of her forefathers: northern Sudan. Here, she examines a little known aspect of ancient
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In the fourth episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to the country of her birth and the very region of her forefathers: northern Sudan. Here, she examines a little known aspect of ancient African history: the Kingdom of Kush. Zeinab explains how, in the eighth century BC, Kush conquered and governed in Egypt for the best part of 100 years, becoming a regional superpower with their influence extending to the modern day Middle East. Zeinab also visits some of the best preserved of Sudan's 1,000 pyramids and uncovers how the customs of Kush are still maintained to this day.
Zeinab Badawi travels to the little-visited country of Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia, to chart the rise of the Kingdom of Aksum. Described as one of the four greatest civilisations
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Zeinab Badawi travels to the little-visited country of Eritrea and neighbouring Ethiopia, to chart the rise of the Kingdom of Aksum. Described as one of the four greatest civilisations of the ancient world, Zeinab examines archaeological remains — in both countries — dating from many hundreds of years before Christ. She explains how the Kings of Aksum grew rich and powerful from their control of the Red Sea trade and how they were one of the first civilisations that officially embraced Christianity in the 4th century. Zeinab also discovers why the Queen of Sheba and the Sacred Ark of the Covenant are so critical to the story of Aksum.
In the sixth episode, Zeinab Badawi focuses on the fall of the kingdom of Aksum, and how the Christian kings that followed in Aksum's wake left powerful legacies, especially that of King
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In the sixth episode, Zeinab Badawi focuses on the fall of the kingdom of Aksum, and how the Christian kings that followed in Aksum's wake left powerful legacies, especially that of King Lalibela. She also charts the arrival of Islam in this part of Africa and how the Christian kings and Muslim emirs co-existed.
In the seventh episode, Zeinab Badawi's exploration of Africa's rich history focuses on North Africa. She travels to Morocco to discover more about the original inhabitants of the
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In the seventh episode, Zeinab Badawi's exploration of Africa's rich history focuses on North Africa. She travels to Morocco to discover more about the original inhabitants of the region, in particular the Berbers, the best-known of the people of North Africa. She delves into the history of the great Berber kings to understand how they managed to retain their influence when North Africa came under Roman rule.
In the penultimate episode, Zeinab Badawi examines religion in Africa. First the enduring presence of Africa's indigenous ancestral religions, which millions of people on the continent
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In the penultimate episode, Zeinab Badawi examines religion in Africa. First the enduring presence of Africa's indigenous ancestral religions, which millions of people on the continent still adhere to. She travels to Zimbabwe to find out more about a remote community that follows traditional African religion. In Senegal she meets a Muslim man who blends Islamic beliefs with his ancestral ones. She also charts the impact of Judaism and early Christianity in Africa and how Africans in particular made significant contributions to Christian thinking and practice.
In the final episode Zeinab Badawi travels to several countries and looks at the early spread of Islam in Africa and how many Africans practise to this day a mystic, Sufi form of the
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In the final episode Zeinab Badawi travels to several countries and looks at the early spread of Islam in Africa and how many Africans practise to this day a mystic, Sufi form of the religion. She shows how Arab culture came to influence a large part of the continent — particularly in the north. And she charts the rise of the powerful Islamic dynasties of North Africa, that built magnificent monuments, mosques and empires — including a part of southern Europe.
In this episode Zeinab Badawi visits rarely seen historic sites and magnificent ruins in Mali and Mauritania in west Africa. We hear from Africans about how trans-Saharan trade, mainly
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In this episode Zeinab Badawi visits rarely seen historic sites and magnificent ruins in Mali and Mauritania in west Africa. We hear from Africans about how trans-Saharan trade, mainly in gold, meant that by about the 7th century rich kingdoms became established in West Africa. These eventually gave rise to three of the greatest empires on the continent, including the Mali Empire which began in the 13th century. Under armed guard, Zeinab visits the fabled city of Timbuktu, which was overrun by extremists in 2012. Mali’s ruler Mansa Musa was reputedly the wealthiest individual to have ever lived.
In this episode, we see how city states and kingdoms gave rise to rich and diverse civilisations, including some of the most iconic works of art on the continent: the Benin bronzes,
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In this episode, we see how city states and kingdoms gave rise to rich and diverse civilisations, including some of the most iconic works of art on the continent: the Benin bronzes, dating back to the 13th century.
Zeinab Badawi travels to Nigeria where she is granted a rare interview with the King of the Benin kingdom in southern Nigeria. She meets the Queen Mother of Lagos, at her ancestral palace on Lagos Island where she relates the history of the Yoruba people.
In this episode Zeinab Badawi starts with a visit to some of the most sensational historic sites in Africa: the Swahili coastal settlements of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique on Africa’s
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In this episode Zeinab Badawi starts with a visit to some of the most sensational historic sites in Africa: the Swahili coastal settlements of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique on Africa’s Indian Ocean coast. The Arabs and their Swahili partners were the first outsiders to trade in humans on the continent from as early as the 7th century. She highlights how this trade differed from the much later trans-Atlantic slave trade, and how some Africans today view this painful period in their history.
In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia to find out about the powerful kingdoms of southern Africa and their rulers from 10th to 19th
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In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia to find out about the powerful kingdoms of southern Africa and their rulers from 10th to 19th century, like the Mutapa kingdom that stretched across portions of eight modern-day southern African countries. Foreign visitors could not believe that this towering civilisation dating from the 1100s was built by Africans. The reality is that Great Zimbabwe is the most striking example of the kingdoms that flourished in southern Africa.
In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire to find out about the Asante people and their kingdom. We examine the history, myths and legends of the Asante people.
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In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire to find out about the Asante people and their kingdom. We examine the history, myths and legends of the Asante people. We attend the Akwasidae, a colourful festival where the King of the kings of the Asante - known as the Asantehene - has his gold regalia on full display as a way of projecting wealth and prestige. And we hear about the great Asante queen who led the resistance against the invading British and hid the Asante’s most valued and sacred possession: the Golden Stool. The Asante serve as an example of how despite decades of colonial rule, Africans maintained their traditions and continue to revel in and perpetuate their heritage and customs.
In this episode, Zeinab Badawi provides an overview of how Africans lived before the arrival of Europeans. We see traditional religion in practice in Kenya, we meet a traditional
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In this episode, Zeinab Badawi provides an overview of how Africans lived before the arrival of Europeans. We see traditional religion in practice in Kenya, we meet a traditional medicine practitioner in Congo, and in Uganda, we witness traditional justice in action as community elders adjudicate in a matrimonial dispute. The title describes a people who were becoming 'no longer at ease’ in the run up to one of the ugliest chapters in human history: the trans Atlantic slave trade. The late acclaimed Nigerian author Chinua Achebe wrote a book with the same title.
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