John Nunley: “There are no straight lines in Africa.”
Africa is all about the undulating line. Linear functions don’t apply.
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Although it is obvious who built the 70 mile long straight stretch of railroad track around Dete, I wonder if Mr. Nunley would care to speculate on who is responsible for laying the chevron patterns in the walls of Great Zimbabwe. In the course of my short lifetime I have seen theories on the origins of Great ZImbabwe come and go, ranging from Arabs and Phonecians to Shahili people. Interestingly, the more recent timing of shifts in popular opinion have been coordinated directly with political changes.
“There are no straight lines in Africa,” refers more to a way of being and doing. Naturally there are geometric patterns abounding in African art and daily life.
Your comments on the walls of Great Zimbabwe are interesting. I’ll take some time to learn more.
Janet Riehl