African Architecture Beyond Buildings: Examining Complimentary Issues through African Architecture

    African Architectures are further explored in this week's readings through various historical context of each region and or country. In the previous weeks, we have learned how African architecture transcends being simply homes, and now we are shown how historical events occurring during different times both affect and are affected by African architectures. These spiritual, political, and social factors that are affecting and affected by African architectures are then reflected in the events occurring during the time period. 

    While African architectures allude to different aspects of living, each country's style and structure is unique to its own environment and way of life. Swahili's building styles is unique to their environment and a larger focus is placed on the intricacy of the designs. (This is also partially done to examine if the structure was built by Arabs or any other foreign country) Ethiopian architecture during the Zagwe dynasty's, churches were built in a unique manner that clearly distinguished them from other buildings. Zimbabwean architecture is consists of brick homes and thatch roofs circling a square. Mali religious architectures also reflect the ethnic divide along with the ongoing social and political tensions occurring at the time. 

    Above is an image of the Great mosque located in Djenne in present day Mali. This mosque is one of the oldest and most prominent mosques located in Sub-Saharan Africa. This mosque in many ways represent the political and ethnic disputed in Djenne during the time period. The Great mosque in Djenne has faded over time and has been reconstructed due to deliberate neglection. When Sekou Amadou, founder of Peul, took political authority in Djenne, he fostered the disintegration of mosques by previous rulers before him. This is why there are few standing mosques of previous rulers in Djenne that haven't been reconstructed or broken down.

    Architecture also takes a central role in enforcing social hierarchies within many African cultures. In Djenne, access to 'necessary combinations of technical skills and trade secrets' are available only to a group of master masons (builders) or certain ethnic groups and social classes. It is also said that master masons are able to cause the buildings of their competitors to fail or even cause harm to them. In this instance, architectural knowledge is a form of power and authority in the Djenne society.