Thread by @amzzyyann

{Thread} What is Africa? 🧵⬇️
Credits: @ameghnas_kabyle
#Africa #NorthAfrica #Amazigh #berber #history #ancient
#white #subsahara #black

Nowadays, we know what the African continent represents, but do we really know what the origin of this term ‘Africa’ & why this continent is called Africa?

The first use of the term Africa is dated from the Roman Empire with Roman Africa (Africa Romana) and designated the north of the continent, but where does this word "Africa" ​​come from etymologically?

The first assumption is that it comes from the Amazigh(berber) goddess Ifri, venerated anciently by the Imazighen(berbers) before being also adopted by the Romans and whose name was Latinized in Africa or Dea Africa

One other possibility is that Africa could come from either the name Afridi, an Amazigh(Berber) tribe that lived in northern Carthage (modern day northern Tunisia)

According to other researchers, the word Africa comes from the Amazigh(Berber) tribe of Ait Ifran whose ancestor is Ifren according to Ibn Khaldoun. (Also in the Amazigh language is the meaning of Ifran "cave" or "cavern")

Still others designate the Ait Ifren as being the inhabitants of the old ifrikiya. In addition, the Ait Ifren would be the Ifuraces, a tribe that is similar to the Afars. The Ifuraces inhabited ancient Tripolitania and are Amazigh(berber), whom Corripus designated in his book.

Another supposition is that this name comes from the word Taferka which would mean "territory" in Numidian Amazigh(berber), the famous king of Numidia Massinissa would have said: "Africa for Africans" (to designate his kingdom)

During the Muslim era the term ifrikya was used to designate the region of eastern Algeria, Tunisia and present-day Libya by Muslims, this term is still in use.

It was not until the 18th century during the first European explorations and massive colonisations, but between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, that the name Africa designated the whole continent.

Africa originally designated white North Africans & not the black sub Saharans. The original North Africans/The Amazigh(berbers), that is to say the ancestors of those who today inhabit these lands in North Africa, who preserved their language, their filiation, their culture etc.

In short⬇️⬇️Africa is North African aka Amazigh