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Africa Addio (Farewell Africa) from 1966, is a documentary film about the decolonization of Africa, made by the Italian film directors Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco E. Prosperi. It shows like no other documentary what black people are capable of if they get the chance. It is a masterpiece with beautiful music, composed by Riz Ortolani. Probably 'Africa Addio' is the best and most exposing documentary ever made about what happened in several African countries directly after decolonization, but because of political correctness the masses never heard of it. In the USA a censored version called 'Africa Blood and Guts' was released, which was deliberately stripped from the original music and the powerful message of 'Africa Addio' - so the sensors were able to portray the destruction, cruelty, savagery and genocide performed by the Africans as a 'struggle for indepence'. The directors Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco E. Prosperi dissociated themselves from this Hollywood perversion of their film.
 Map Africa Africa is a land of great diversity. If you were to trek across the continent, you would pass through lush, green forests and wander vast, grassy plains. You would cross barren deserts, climb tall mountains, and ford some of the mightiest rivers on Earth. You would meet diverse people with a wide range of cultures and backgrounds and hear hundreds of different languages. You would pass through small villages where daily life remains largely the same as it has been for hundreds of years, as well as sprawling cities with skyscrapers, modern economies, and a mix of international cultural influences.
Africa is the birthplace of the human race. Here, early humans evolved from apes between 8 million and 5 million years ago. Modern human beings evolved between 130,000 and 90,000 years ago, and subsequently spread out of Africa. Ancient Egypt, one of the world's first great civilizations, arose in northeastern Africa more than 5,000 years ago. Over time many other cultures and states rose and fell in Africa, and by 500 years ago there were prosperous cities, markets, and centers of learning scattered across the continent.
For thousands of years, Mandinke jalolu, or griots (itinerant poet-musicians), composed and performed praise songs for Malian kings and warriors. Today, jalolu sing songs honoring wealthy business people, friends, and other musicians. In this example, Tata Bambo Kouyate, a woman from a long line of jalolu, sings the praises of one of Mali's wealthiest merchants, "Mama Batchily." She is accompanied by a kora (12-string harp-lute), balafon (wooden xylophone with gourds), flute, guitar, and violin.
The early brass-dominated highlife music popular in West African countries, especially Ghana, was at the peak of its popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s among the more privileged classes. Bandleader E.T. Mensah, heard in this example, was significant in the development of the sound in the late 1940s when he began incorporating West African melodies and rhythms into the music. Under his influence, music sung in the local language (rather than in English) came to replace European ballroom-style music that had been imported into West Africa.
During the last 500 years, however, Africa became increasingly dominated by European traders and colonizers. European traders sent millions of Africans to work as slaves on colonial plantations in North America, South America, and the Caribbean. Europeans also sought Africaâs wealth of raw materials to fuel their industries. In the late 19th century, European powers seized and colonized virtually all of Africa.
The South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo gained international attention through its appearance on Paul Simon's album Graceland (1986). The polished four-part harmonies of the group have roots in a genre of male chorus music called isicathamiya. The style is associated mainly with Zulu migrant workers. While the harmonies and clean vocal quality show influences of the European choral tradition, the lyrics often address local issues such as the impact of industrialization.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Indian Ocean to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the African continent is divided into over fifty countries. After World War II many African territories began to fight for their independence from European colonization. The borders of many modern African nations reflect the colonial boundaries.
Through slow reform or violent struggle, most of Africa won independence in the 1950s and 1960s. Independent Africa inherited from colonization a weak position in the global economy, underdeveloped communication and transportation systems, and arbitrarily drawn national boundaries. The citizens of these new nations generally had little in terms of history or culture to bind them together.
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