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Fascinating People Fascinating Places

Living on Water for hundreds of years: The Nzulezo of Ghana with Nana Kesse

Fascinating People Fascinating Places

Daniel Mainwaring

Documentary, Society & Culture:documentary, History, Society & Culture

51.1K Ratings

🗓️ 12 March 2024

⏱️ 42 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hundreds of years ago, it is believed a group of African migrants made their way South from the Remnants of the collapsing Mali Empire -- once ruled by the wealthiest human in history: Musa Mansa. These travelers eventually made their way to the South coast of what is now Ghana in North West Africa. They settled there but not on the land. Instead, they established a community in the middle of a river. Despite the ravages of war, the slave trade, and colonialism, these enterprising individuals didn’t just survive they thrived. But today, their remarkable community faces new challenges that include tourism and environmental change. Ghanaian native Prof. Nana Kesse of Clark University has visited the community and extensively researched their history and culture. In his study titled ”Living Waters,” he compares both the oral traditions of the people and the documented evidence from other historical sources as he tries to unravel the mysteries of the Nzulezo community. In this episode, Nana shares his insights into the origins of this community. He explains how and why they came to live in such a unique location. The challenges they have faced, adaptations they’ve made, and how they remain an enduring example of the resilience of humanity.  Ghana Tourism: Nzulezu Music: Pixabay This episode is sponsored by World History Encyclopedia, one of the top history websites on the internet. I love the fact that they’re not a Wiki: Every article they publish is reviewed by their editorial team, not only for being accurate but also for being interesting to read. The website is run as a non-profit organization, so you won’t be bombarded by annoying ads and it’s completely free. It’s a great site, and don’t just take my word for it they’ve been recommended by many academic institutions including Oxford University. Go check them out at WorldHistory.org or follow this link: World History Encyclopedia

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This episode is sponsored by World History Encyclopedia, one of the top history websites on the internet.

0:08.5

I love the fact they're not a wiki. Every article they publish is reviewed by the editorial team, not only for being accurate, but also for being interesting to read.

0:20.0

The website is run as a non-profit organization, so you won't be bombarded by annoying ads,

0:26.3

and it's completely free. It's a great site, and don't just take my word for it. They've been recommended by many academic institutions, including Oxford University.

0:39.0

Go check them out at world history.org. Or follow the link in the episode description.

0:49.0

In this episode,

0:50.0

the remarkable story of the Inter-Sulu people.

0:54.0

It's a perfect example of human adaptability to physically challenging

0:57.8

environment and human resilience to nature.

1:00.4

They choose to live in the middle of water, and that's their choice and that's their culture.

1:05.0

In recent years this hitherto obscure community have begun to attract more attention from the outside world.

1:12.0

Eager to learn more about their origins and their

1:14.6

remarkable story, I turn to a Ghanaian expert who's not only researched the community, but

1:21.0

he's also visited the remarkable place they call home.

1:25.0

I'm Nona Kessie, I'm an African historian.

1:27.5

I study the African environment.

1:29.2

My objective is to try to understand human and environment relationships, particularly try to understand

1:37.1

first Africa's water systems and water bodies and how humans have interacted with those waters

1:42.3

over time and how those interactions

1:44.7

shape the history of the continent.

1:46.2

Nana, before we get into the community which is still active today and has been for

1:50.7

hundreds of years, I was curious what we know about their origins and the time before they live there, what drew them there?

...

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