africa Archives

Africa episode 3 – Congo

Nature / 13 minutes of reading / October 20, 2023 / By HDclump

Africa episode 3 – Congo – Deep in the heart of the African continent, enveloped by a lush expanse of tropical rainforest, exists a world teeming with life and fraught with peril—a true sanctuary and battlefield coexisting in one complex tapestry. This rainforest is a maze of life, where every creature is a master of ingenuity, relentlessly working to carve out their own pocket of space in a setting that often feels like nature’s own crowded metropolis. Danger doesn’t merely lurk in the dark recesses; it’s an ever-present reality, breathing, and pulsating in every hidden crevice and shadowy corner. Yet, […]

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Joanna Lumley’s Nile episode 2

Travel / 5 minutes of reading / March 6, 2023 / By HDclump

Joanna Lumley’s Nile episode 2: The actress follows the river into the deserts of Northern Sudan, where she meets the survivor of a crocodile attack and goes in search of the creature. She is then introduced to the treasures of Nubia, an ancient kingdom of Africa ruled by the little-known Black Pharaohs, before visiting Sudan’s capital city Khartoum, where she talks to nomads who live in the remote sub-Saharan desert. In “Joanna Lumley’s Nile,” the actress and presenter embarks on a journey down the longest river in the world, exploring the diverse landscapes, cultures, and history that make

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 8 – Bunyoro and Buganda

History / 2 minutes of reading / May 18, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 8 – Bunyoro and Buganda: Casely-Hayford travels to Uganda to explore the rise and fall of two great kingdoms. For centuries Bunyoro was the region’s dominant power, using history and mythology to make a claim on the land. But its position was challenged by the rapid rise of Buganda, a neighbouring kingdom that had once been a collection of cultivators on the shores of Lake Victoria. Casely-Hayford goes in search of the fascinating reasons for the dramatic reversal of fortunes, and how one kingdom used the arrival of Europeans to its own advantage.

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 7 – Berber Kingdom of Morocco

History / 3 minutes of reading / May 17, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 7 – Berber Kingdom of Morocco: Gus Casely-Hayford visits Morocco, once the centre of a vast kingdom created by African Berbers that stretched from northern Spain to West Africa. We know less about Africa’s distant past than almost anywhere else on Earth. But the scarcity of written records doesn’t mean Africa lacks history. It is found instead in the culture, artefacts, and traditions of the people. Art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores some of the richest and most vibrant histories in the world, revealing fascinating stories of complex and sophisticated civilisations: The Kingdom of Asante;

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 6 – The Zulu Kingdom

History / 3 minutes of reading / May 16, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 6 – The Zulu Kingdom: In South Africa, Gus Casely-Hayford visits evocative sites in Zulu history and searches for the secrets behind the Zulu’s cultural power and military strength. We know less about Africa’s distant past than almost anywhere else on Earth. But the scarcity of written records doesn’t mean that Africa lacks history – it is found instead in the culture, artefacts and traditions of the people. In this series, art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores some of the richest and most vibrant histories in the world, revealing fascinating stories of

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 5 – The Kingdom of Asante

History / 3 minutes of reading / May 14, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 5 – The Kingdom of Asante: Asante in West Africa was a kingdom that was built on gold and slaves, which ensured its important place in an economy that linked three continents. We know less about Africa’s distant past than almost anywhere else on Earth. But the scarcity of written records doesn’t mean that Africa lacks history – it is found instead in the culture, artefacts and traditions of the people. In this series, art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores some of the richest and most vibrant histories in the world, revealing fascinating

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 4 – West Africa

History / 4 minutes of reading / May 11, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 4 – West Africa: Gus Casely-Hayford travels to Nigeria and Mali to explore the story behind a series of magnificent 16th-century bronzes made in the ancient kingdom of Benin. Four-part series in which British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa’s most important kingdoms. The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth. But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 3 – Great Zimbabwe

History / 3 minutes of reading / May 10, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 3 – Great Zimbabwe: Gus Casely-Hayford explores the history of Great Zimbabwe, a symbol of African genius which gives an insight into the empires which once dominated southern Africa. Four-part series in which British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa’s most important kingdoms. The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth. But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades,

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 2 – Ethiopia

History / 3 minutes of reading / May 9, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 2 – Ethiopia: Art historian Gus Casely-Hayford explores the history of the old African kingdom of Ethiopia, which ended when Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by the military in 1974. The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth. But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades, researchers and archaeologists have begun to uncover a range of histories as impressive and extraordinary as anywhere else in the

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 1 – Nubia

History / 3 minutes of reading / May 8, 2022 / By HDclump

Lost Kingdoms of Africa episode 1 – Nubia: Art historian Gus Casely-Hayford explores the history of the old African kingdom of Nubia, whose kings once ruled Egypt and which was eventually defeated by its environment. The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth. But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades, researchers and archaeologists have begun to uncover a range of histories as impressive and extraordinary as anywhere else in the

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Rise of the Continents episode 1 – Africa

Science, Nature / 3 minutes of reading / July 23, 2021 / By HDclump

Rise of the Continents episode 1 – Africa: Geologist Prof Iain Stewart shows how the continent of Africa was formed from the wreckage of a long lost supercontinent. Professor Iain Stewart reveals how our iconic continents were created, and how their tumultuous past has shaped our life today. It features, among other things, creation of Victoria Falls, diamond mines of Sierra Leone, skeletons of early whales buried in the sand, and the nutrient-rich grass of the Serengeti Plains. Using clues like Africa’s spectacular landmarks, mineral wealth and wildlife, Iain Stewart shows how the continent of Africa was formed

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Waterworld Africa episode 8 – Wetland Wonder

Nature / 2 minutes of reading / May 2, 2020 / By HDclump

Waterworld Africa episode 8 – Wetland Wonder: Lake St. Lucia, Africa’s largest estuary lake, is under siege. A series of human missteps have left it cut off from the sea, and the water levels are dangerously low. The wildlife relying on its ecosystem are most affected–from hippos and crocodiles that live on its banks, to exotic birds that migrate from as far as 6,000 miles away. Can they adjust to the new, drier reality imposed on them? Embark on a safari to a diverse and astonishing wilderness, like no other on Earth. From the mangrove forests of southern

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