quote: "Wisdom is prevented by ignorance, and delusion is the result." Bhagavadgita
"Or madly squeeze a right-hand foot into a left-hand shoe." Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass, ch. 8, 'It's My Own Invention'.
Ancient Egyptian madness began in the Western world in the 18th century. It was the result of Western 'Egyptologists' (white folks) unlocking the keys to what turned out to them to be a fantastic civilization. This civilization seemed so remarkable that Westerners (white folks) began to portray their new gods, the Egyptians, in their own (white folks) image. Everybody else in the world had long taken it for granted that Ancient Egypt was a black civilization, just as they had taken it for granted that the Greeks were white, and the Chinese were...well, Chinese. Of course, everybody else had to be shown the error of one's common sense. Alas.
One of the ironies of this madness is that when these same white folks visit Egypt today, the locals immediately recognize them as Khawaaga or foreigners. On the other hand, African Americans traveling in Egypt are very often mistaken for native Egyptians, and are usually referred to as Masri or Egyptians. That is because...
The simple truth is that Egypt is, and always has been a black African nation. Once you leave the great Arab cities of Cairo and Alexandria, and go into the Nile valley, you are in black Africa. Now, Egypt has been ruled by an Arab minority since the 9th century A.D., a minority that is extremely sensitive to race, and one which behaves in the manner chided by Ahmed Ben Bella, the late president of Algeria - "We (Arabs) have been in Africa for 1200 years, and yet we still behave as colonialists."
This Arab minority ruling class has also colluded with white folks in their Egyptian madness. For centuries Egypt made money by selling mummies to Europeans. By the 18th century there was even a thriving business in fake mummies, as powdered mummy became the rage as a medicinal cure all. The Egyptian government put heavy taxes on the export of mummies and did nothing to discourage the trade. It also banned the Egyptian language from public usage, but the natives kept it alive in the liturgy of the Coptic (Gyptic) church. It meant to Arabize the population, much as the government of the Sudan is now attempting to do in Sudan. This is partially based upon the Arab ideology that states that if the father of a child is an Arab then so too is the baby. The reality of genetics does not cloud this issue. Black Sudanese think they're Arabs too!
We are reminded of the well intended but naive appeal to the Arab Egyptian government by some African Americans to have it officially proclaim that Egypt was (is) a black nation. The Arab minority ruling class is not about to open that can of worms. Witness its hysterical reaction to the portrayal of black Anwar Sadat by the black Lou Gossett, Jr.
And all those black folks in the Nile valley are not Nubians! There are, at best, only one million Nubians on the planet and guess where they live mostly? Yep, in Nubia.
Small wager...even if it were possible to transport someone who suffers this affliction, back to the Egypt of the Pharaohs, to this vibrant black culture, you probably would still get an argument. Chances are good that the individual would declare that this must be the period of Ethiopian rule! Sad...
Posts: 3344 | From: Berkeley | Registered: Oct 2003
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yes i agree with you... this plays back into white people feeling a need to be superior. So they create superfical classifying systems, based on retarded ideas of the true "negriod" or "mongoliod". These ideas in themselves discredits the varies people in these regions ( peticularly northern africa)They use this to place ethnic groups under the the term caucasiod, a term which meaning is just to broad and not to meantion very arachic termology. These ideas of course don't show the true face of Africa or asia for that matter, meaning it downplays on the diversity of a perticular groups aka race.... The funny thing is this case isn't alone, i know some that think they are reponsible for other ancient civilizations. Example ancient india and the so called ivasion of the Aryan, ancient china, and the advanced cilizaitons in the americas...sometimes it really gets on my nerves to hear BS such as this. i really try to ignore it becuase it seems that is a minority of people who believe in "taking" other's heritage. but sometimes i must admit it is too much to holdin..
IMO the term caucasiod was invented to explain a flat face and a high narrow nose whic they think only appears in europes populous. They also believe that ice age europe is the only place where these traits evolved....which ins't the case...if you take on look at the peoples of east and north africa, that idea makes nosense.. i apologize for the ranting...i got alittle carried away
Posts: 40 | From: Chicago | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Wally: The simple truth is that Egypt is, and always has been a black African nation. Once you leave the great Arab cities of Cairo and Alexandria, and go into the Nile valley, you are in black Africa. Now, Egypt has been ruled by an Arab minority since the 9th century A.D., a minority that is extremely sensitive to race, and one which behaves in the manner chided by Ahmed Ben Bella, the late president of Algeria - "We (Arabs) have been in Africa for 1200 years, and yet we still behave as colonialists."
Nice essay Wally, I read something similar on your page.
But I am curious as to whether or not we can even accurately estimate demographics in Egypt based on physical appearance.
Obviously modern Egypt is an amalgamation of the indegenious Saharo-tropical varying inhabitants with admixture from migrating Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks etc.
But I having never been to Egypt have not seen enough pictures to get a grasp of the clear contrast between big city dwellers and the rural people.
Plus aren't the people of the Delta and the average Egyptian in Cairo the majority now and not the rural Egypians (also don't they to vary between what would be called "black" in America and people more admixed?).
"How Black is modern Egypt" is an interesting question I have not seen addressed often enough.
Group photos of major locations from Cairo to Aswan throughout the Nile Valley inbetween would be helpful.
Posts: 1203 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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Depends really what economic class in places like Cairo have lots of immigrants both from rural areas in the Delta and southern Egypt. Some southern Egyptians have even settled in various parts of the Delta. Contrary to common belief, many people in the Delta would be considered ''black'' by American standards.
You find various colors within Egyptian families from southern Europen looking to cafe alate colors and a deep dark brown.
People often forget that 'white' Circassian[Mameluke] came into Egypt and so did Turkish people that intermarried with local Egyptian people. During the 1800's it was common for the few elite Egyptian males to marry a Turkish woman and have children from her. Some of the upper classes are completely of Turkish origin to with little Egyptian ancestry.
If any people had most influence on Egyptians it would be the 1.Greeks 2.Turks 3. Arabs.
In exactly that order with some overlap in various social classes.
Let me also remind people that Egyptians did not consider themselves Arabic untill about 1956 when Nasser promoted his Pan-Arabism. Before 1956 the only people in Egypt promoting Pan-Arabism were Syrian Christians,Lebanese or Palestinean expats.
Posts: 8675 | From: Tukuler al~Takruri as Ardo since OCT2014 | Registered: Feb 2003
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^So true, but there are some who try claim that such admixture and hetergeneity present today existed back in dynastic times.
Posts: 26352 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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This post by Ausar bears repeating and needs to be grasped** by all interested readers...
quote:Originally posted by ausar: Depends really what economic class in places like Cairo have lots of immigrants both from rural areas in the Delta and southern Egypt. Some southern Egyptians have even settled in various parts of the Delta. Contrary to common belief, many people in the Delta would be considered ''black'' by American standards.
You find various colors within Egyptian families from southern European looking to cafe alate (au lait) colors and a deep dark brown.
People often forget that 'white' Circassian[Mameluke] came into Egypt and so did Turkish people that intermarried with local Egyptian people. During the 1800's it was common for the few elite Egyptian males to marry a Turkish woman and have children from her. Some of the upper classes are completely of Turkish origin to with little Egyptian ancestry.
If any people had most influence on Egyptians it would be the 1.Greeks 2.Turks 3. Arabs.
In exactly that order with some overlap in various social classes.
Let me also remind people that Egyptians did not consider themselves Arabic untill about 1956 when Nasser promoted his Pan-Arabism. Before 1956 the only people in Egypt promoting Pan-Arabism were Syrian Christians,Lebanese or Palestinean expats.
**Grasp: v To take hold of intellectually; comprehend.
Posts: 3344 | From: Berkeley | Registered: Oct 2003
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^LOL Yes, we sure grasped that one, Wally. (most of us at least)
Posts: 26352 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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