TIA- This is Africa too

I've neglected Makutano of late, making me wonder whether I'll neglect my kids that way too. It's a disturbing thought but I'm earnestly and solemnly swearing to be a better mother to Makutano from now on. Much has been happening in Africa of late, we've lost a true statesman in the late Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa. He was the kind of leader who had the guts to stand up and deliver. May we see many, many more like him. I really don't want to talk about Zim, I think we've overdone Mugabe and Zim on Makutano, but kudos to Mr Mbeki (contrary to his street cred, I'm quite a fan) to bringing the opposing factions to the table, but now that the negotiations have stumbled on an obstacle or two, let's hope the lure of power . I've always been fascinated with the etymology of 'Africa'. For so many it is a label foisted on us by the imperialists of yesteryear, I distinctly remember one of my teachers saying, Africa does not exist, Africa is a name made to suit the imperialists. Yet if we are not African then who are we?

According to Wiki, Afri was the name of several peoples who dwelt in North Africa near Carthage. Their name is usually connected with Phoenician afar, "dust", but a 1981 theory has asserted that it stems from a Berber word ifri meaning "cave", in reference to cave dwellers.

In Roman times, Carthage became the capital of Africa Province, which also included the coastal part of modern Libya. The Roman suffix "-ca" denotes "country or land". The later Muslim kingdom of Ifriqiya, modern-day Tunisia, also preserved a form of the name.

Other etymologies that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":

• the 1st century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (Ant. 1.15) asserted that it was named for Epher, grandson of Abraham according to Gen. 25:4, whose descendants, he claimed, had invaded Libya.
  
• the Latin word aprica, meaning "sunny", mentioned by Isidore of Seville (sixth century) in Etymologiae XIV.5.2
  
• the Greek word aphrike, meaning "without cold." This was proposed by historian Leo Africanus (1488–1554), who suggested the Greek word phrike (φρίκη, meaning "cold and horror"), combined with the privative prefix "a-", thus indicating a land free of cold and horror.
  
• Massey, in 1881, derived an etymology from the Egyptian af-rui-ka, "to turn toward the opening of the Ka." The Ka is the energetic double of every person and "opening of the Ka" refers to a womb or birthplace. Africa would be, for the Egyptians, "the birthplace." (Thanks Wikipedia)
  

Safiyyah, expat at work but African at heart, sent me some pictures this morning. It honestly did bring a tear to my eye, soppy, I know, but people of the world, especially those who still think lions roam the streets and light skinned people cannot possibly be African, I present to you Africa, albeit my little corner of the great continent (at her best behaviour):

(All images are the property of their respective owners)