"What is the origin of the world “Africa?”

"I would like to thank you all at The African Bulletin for your foresight and the extremely powerful service you have been rendering the black community since your inception.

Meanwhile, I have some important questions which I would like you to help me find out the answers for my sake and that of my children. I have done several researches without coming up with any concrete answer on this subject. Kindly assist in finding out answers either through books or references. Here are some of them:

Where does the name Africa come from? What does it mean? What language is the word Africa? Did Africans name it Africa?

I understand you are all very busy and so please take your time in coming up with possible answers.

Nana Kwabena Buruwaa
Wageningen

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Editors’ Note:

We hope the information below answers your questions. Maybe some readers out there are also able to give you some useful references as well:

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - better known as UNESCO - during the time of the Roman empire, the term became accepted as a replacement for the word "Libya" which meant the land of the Lebu or Lubins in Genesis.

Geographically, Libya meant only the north coast of the continent and at first, so did Africa. By the end of the first century A.D., Africa came to mean the entire continent. The etymology, the origin of the term Africa is not so precisely agreed upon and, according to UNESCO, its origin is credited to one of seven theories:

The Afarak, also known as the Aourigha, were a Berber people who lived south of Carthage. The terms Afarik or Africa were used to denote the land of the Afarak.

Some believe that the word comes from the Latin adjective aprica which means sunny or the Greek aprike, which means free from cold.

The Phoenician root faraqua, which suggests a separation or in other words, diaspora. The same root is found in some African languages, like Bambara.

In Sanskrit and Hindu, the root Apara or Africa denotes that which, in geographical terms comes "after," or in other words the west. From the geographical position of India, the Asian country from which the Hindus originated, Africa is the western continent.

Another school of thought states that the word Africa comes from two Phoenician terms, one of which means an ear of corn, which was a symbol of fertility in that region, and the other Pharikia, which means land of the fruit.

A historical tradition states that a Yeminiter chief named Africus invaded north Africa in the second millennium before our era and founded a town called Afrikyah. Some say it is more likely that the Arabic term Ifriqiya is the Arabic translation of the word "Africa."

Another theory states that Afer was a grandson of Abraham and a companion of Hercules."

Permission received to post this article here: "You have our full permission to use the said information using us as a point of reference but quoting the appropriate source as indicated in the said piece. We thank you for your in The African Bulletin. Best regards." The African Bulletin, http://www.mediablackberry.com/2003/03/letters.html

Ok people, tell me what your thoughts are about where the word "Africa" came from. I think someone else asked the question in a discussion here and it peaked my interest which is why I thought I'd do a little research and start a new thread.

Names were given to locations by someone and for reasons that made sense to them. Weren't you ever curious about the motherland and who named her and what it means?

I've offered some theories. Are they plausible?

Many people say the woird Africa originated when scripio Africanus defeated hannibal,and it was customary for Roman conquerors to name the territory after themselves.

The other theory states that the Phonecians settled Northern Africa,which was modern day Tunisa,and they incounbtered a people called the Afer.

The Afer was described by Virgil in his poem Moreitum as being fuscos[latin for dark],thick lipped,and with tightly curled hair.

From my reserch I tend to believe the second theory,and take note that many parts of Africa were called many different things by many different people.

Thank you Sopdet.

Originally posted by NNQueen:
Some say it is more likely that the Arabic term "Ifriqiya" is the Arabic translation of the word "Africa."The name “Africa” is the Latinized form of the Arabic “Ifriqa” or “Ifriqiyah,” which means “Queen of Heaven.” This was the original name of Tunisia, the northernmost country on the African continent...

The original name of the East African country of Ethiopia was Abyssinia. “Ethiopia” was the name given to the country by the Greek colonizers, and it means, “land of the burnt faces.” The word “abyss” is derived from Abyssinia, and it means “a deep, dark hole.”

''The name “Africa” is the Latinized form of the Arabic “Ifriqa” or “Ifriqiyah,” which means “Queen of Heaven.” This was the original name of Tunisia, the northernmost country on the African continent... ''

The Latin word for Africa actually came before the word Ifriquiah,which Arabs named it this. The more accurate origin of the word Africa is probally from the Roman General Scripio Africanus who beat Hannibal in the Punic War. Ifraiq

''The name “Africa” is the Latinized form of the Arabic “Ifriqa” or “Ifriqiyah,” which means “Queen of Heaven.” This was the original name of Tunisia, the northernmost country on the African continent... ''

The Latin word for Africa actually came before the word Ifriquiah,which Arabs named it this. The more accurate origin of the word Africa is probally from the Roman General Scripio Africanus who beat Hannibal in the Punic War. Ifraiq was not the original name of Tunisa because the indigenous berbers[also called imazingh] did not have an indigenous name for the land.


''The original name of the East African country of Ethiopia was Abyssinia. “Ethiopia” was the name given to the country by the Greek colonizers, and it means, “land of the burnt faces.” The word “abyss” is derived from Abyssinia, and it means “a deep, dark hole.”''

The Ethiopia of Greco Roman times was everything south of Egypt,which was mostly speaking of Nubia. Ethiopia of Greco Roman period is not the same Aethiopia of Eastern Africa.
The word abyss is a Ancient Sumerian word,and is not the origin of the term Abyssinian.

Many people believe that the word Abyssinian actually refers to a Cushic tribe which lived around Modern day Ethiopia.

I have found that the original name of Afrika is called "Alkebu-lan"

Hi Pharoah Jah, welcome to the forums! :wave:

"Alkebu-lan"....interesting. Can you post the source of your information for others to see as well?

I hope you enjoy your time with us here.

Peace! :)

Hotep

NNQueen, Im still doing research on it myself, but according to Dr. Ben-Jochannan. "Alkebu-lan is an Egyptian word. In his book "Black Man of The Nile" he refers to the continent of Afrika as Alkebulan, The most ancient name of Afrika.

xPeter wrote: In the opening statement I read: According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - better known as UNESCO - during the time of the Roman empire, the term became accepted as a replacement for the word "Libya" which meant the land of the Lebu or Lubins in Genesis.

Maybe the question should be what did the indigenous people call this continent long before Greece and Rome or a Genesis story.

Peace,
I hope I'm not getting too far off the subject, But I've been told that the word Africa (spelled with a "C") has negative connotations. I've also seen many people spelling the word AfriKa or Afaraka. Can someone tell me the significance of these spellings and what exactly are the negative implications behind spelling it with a C.
If this deviates too far from the discussion, I would greatly appreaciate it if anyone could tell me where I could find the answers for myself.

Actually, I think that is a very good question Alesha and I'm interested in knowing the distinctions between different spellings as well.

I AGREE WITH PHARAOH JAH, NNQUEEN; DR. BEN IS A WELL TRAVELED MAN WHO'S ESPECIALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN EGYPTOLOGY, AS WELL AS THE CONTINENT OF ALKEBULAN ITSELF,SO IF IT'S ANYBODY WHO WOULD KNOW,IT WOULD BE HIM.......ANOTHER SOURCE YOU CAN GO TO IS THE AFRICAN HERITAGE BIBLE....I FORGET THE AUTHOR RIGHT NOW,HOWEVER,HE TO MENTIONS HOW ALKEBULAN IS THE TRUE NAME OF OUR MOTHER CONTINENT.

I don’t know if this is a historical discussion or an etymological study of the word Africa. But, let me tell you what I found over the years, since etymology or basically word origins have always intrigued me and are important to our understanding of the metaphysical manipulation of sounds and symbols.

The origin of the word Africa has been debated and still remains an enigma in some lexicons. But here are some cognitive associations to add to the discussion of relative interpretations and primal roots of the word Africa.

One etymological book derived the word Africa from the root – ibir, which means to cross over or go through. First I found this interesting because the word Hebrew had the same cognitive relationship and since Hebrew is just a small part of a larger Kemetic (Hamitic /Semitic) grouping called the Afro-Asiatic language group (the majority of which is spoken in Africa) I could see a possible link. Note that the letter ‘b’ , ’p’ and ‘f ‘ have a long interchangeable history and one could be easily be corrupted to replace the other. The consonants are the most important part of tracking the linguistic tree, when it comes to primitive roots of Afro-Asiatic languages, since vowels were rarely, if ever transcribed. The ‘b r’ consonant root is very common when referring to Africoid people, regardless of their anthropological and geographical designations.

Examples:
Bharati or Barati = the original name of Africoid India
Bar Bar people = an original name for east African Nubians
Berbers= North African nomadics
Barbary coast = North Africa
Iberians = the brown/black people that dominated Europe from Spain to Ireland
Hebrews (Ibiri or Ibiru or Apiru) = African-Asiatics of Northeast Africa (Palestine).

Even Bel – the Canaanite, Phoenician and Carthagian deity can be considered a source since sometimes lands and City/states were named for Gods (i.e., Egypt < “the land of Ptah) and the Greco-roman adventurers would have only related the name Africa to the most common and accessible people or ports. When others used the name Africa there was no concept of continents as categorized and designated today (especially by the Greeks or Romans).

(The ‘l ‘ and ‘r’ where even more interchangeable in the Afro-Asiatic languages.)

The ‘b r’ is also rooted to the word “brown” in the Indo-European languages.

EVERY QUESTION AND /OR FACT MUST BE ARTICULATE IN THE TRUE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE TIME AND NOT BY OUR MODERN DAY OBSERVATIONS.





There is much more to this hypothesis than I can get into at this time. But I believe the word Africa denoted a broad and sacred connection to all ancient Africoid people in the world, regardless where they where. Remember the Greeks only saw Black people in two different ethnic categories; one being the Eastern Ethiopians (Black Asians from Colchia to Palestine to sub-continental India) and Western Ethiopians (continental Africa).

We have to always be careful with history and etymology, because apologist have manipulated the former and linguistic corruption and folk etymology can influence the interpretation of the latter.

Peace,

Sun Ship

Brother Sun Ship, thank you for the history and etymology lesson. This is quite interesting yet complex so it will take a while for me to absorb its meaning.

As I read it though a thought struck me. In terms of the geographical map of the world, who decided the land boundaries as they are today? As civilized as humans like to think of themselves, is there little difference between us and other animals when it comes to marking our territories? Were land boundaries that divide countries determined strictly as a result of wars for political and economic gain? Or in some cases, was it a result of changes occurring in the geographical landscape due to earthquakes separating land masses and oceans spreading us apart?

I know this may be off the topic a bit but I find it interesting how someone or a certain groups came up with the acceptable ideas about how to divide the land and decide how to classify people based on territory or geographical location and how this way of thinking evolved into some sense of reality and then over time becomes "fact" or truth.

Is there a common characteristic among the prevailing groups of people who seem to have the say-so in what a country is called, what it's people are called and what the land boundaries of that country will be?

What do you think?

Hi Sister Queenie,

You asked some very important questions. Let me just give a short response, that may wet your curiosity even more. You would do well to explore these historical questions of national and international boundaries, for it will always give you a proper context, in which, to critique history, religion, culture and many other studies as they apply to Africans. I can say this, in short, that Europeans have politically defined almost every boundary on the modern maps of the world. We know the Middle East wasn’t defined until after World War II; of course removing Egypt from Africa. An important observation like this, of cultural and geographic distortion, gives us the necessary construct to properly analyze all recent events and historical actions, in that part of the world, for over the past 50 years. Over and Over again, you will see that, Europeans have manipulated ancient and natural cultural landscapes for their own capitalistic gain. Matter of fact, using European constructs of geography, theology and ethnicity in analyzing the ancient and modern African world sometimes compromise even African-centered scholarship.

European definers still muddy the scholarship pertaining to Ancient Africoid people.
Definitions like Semitic compared to Hamitic. Sub-Sahraran Africa as apposed to North Africa. Where does Palestine begin and Northeast Africa end? Melanesians, Micronesian, Polynesians, Dravidians, Aboriginals and the list goes on.

We could go on and on, and the more you investigate the more questions you will ask and the more enigmas you will probably unravel.

Did you know that the word North means beneath, below > Gr - nerteros, lower (sometimes defined as the underworld)? That’s why the UPPER Nile and UPPER Egypt are in the south! Think about it.

Are our maps upside down? And if so, Why? Hmm-m-m-m (?)

There is so much to this and so much to share and studying the facts are just the half of it.
You have to study, dig deep and then open your mind!

THE TRUTH HAS TO BE PROPERLY INTERPRETED, NOT JUST FOUND!

Knowledge, wisdom and UNDERSTANDING!

Peace, Love and Ashe,

Sun Ship

P.S. - Once again, I honor you Sister :bowdown: