Non-Written History in Niger

In many African nations, non-written sources of history are incredibly important resources for discovering the history of the nation. Not until the travel logs, maps, and diaries of traders and explorers came along do historians have substantial written records of many regions. In the case of Niger, non-written sources play an integral role in the history of the nation.

Even today, ethnomusicologists are studying non-written sources to learn more about the complex history of this formerly colonized nation. UCLA Ethnomusicology student Eric Schmidt explains how he learned history from listening to radio stations in Niger. He says “you’re able to get a very clear sense of a colonial past with French-language stations, including Radio France International (RFI); past meeting present with traditional music sharing airtime with popular music from Niger, Mali, and elsewhere.”[1]

            Another form of non-written history that historians rely upon in Niger is oral history. The Sahel Oral History Project seeks to understand the history of social relationships, community interactions, and even farming practices, through gathering oral history. The creators of the project explain that learning from the oral histories “provides ample evidence that many standard generalizations simply do not stand up.”[2] This shows the importance of non-written history for those that wish to more fully study the region. While some written works may have relied upon generalizations about the community structures in Niger, the use of oral history gathering proved these generalizations wrong.

            Another example of non-written history in Niger is the study of art and clothing of people groups. This is a silver and braided leather amulet worn by the Tuareg people in Niger.

[3]

The Minneapolis Institute of the Arts includes this piece in its study “Art & Life in Africa,” which seeks to use art to study the different ways of living in different regions in Africa. This piece shows the deep spirituality of the people in the region and the importance of that spirituality to the community.

            Non-written history is not only an important part of studying history in these areas, it makes the history more alive and shows how everyday people interact with their communities and countries.

---

[1] Eric Schmidt, “Nigerien Radio on a Nigerian Radio,” Ethnomusicology Review, last modified August 15, 2012, accessed January 27, 2016, http://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/nigerien-radio-nigerian-radio, p 3.

[2] Robert Perks, The Oral History Reader (UK: Psychology Press, 1998), 256.

[3] Tcherot (amulet). Art and Life in Africa, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis.

Bibliography

Schmidt, Eric. “Nigerien Radio on a Nigerian Radio.” Ethnomusicology Review. Last modified August 15, 2012, Accessed January 27, 2016. http://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/nigerien-radio-nigerian-radio, p 3.

  Perks, Robert. The Oral History Reader. UK: Psychology Press, 1998, 256.

  Tcherot (amulet). Art and Life in Africa, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis.

Niger Basics: How Geography Has Affected the Nation

(picture: http://www.operationworld.org/nige)

Niger is a developing country in Western Africa named after the Niger River. It’s bordered by Chad in the east, Nigeria and Benin in the south, Libya in the northeast, Burkina Faso and Mali in the west, and Algeria in the northwest. The capital city and only large city in the nation is Niamey, located at 13°32’N 2°05’E. Niger is the largest country in West Africa, with 80% of its total land area covered by the Sahara Desert.

Niger is one of the lowest-ranked nations on the United Nations’ Human Development Index (187^th in 2013).[1] Niger’s geography is made up of the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions, and has a subtropical climate. The land is primarily desert, with some rolling savanna and hills. The primary animals that thrive in this region are antelopes, gazelles, and sheep.

Niger approved a new constitution for its government in October of 2010. It reestablished the presidential system of government that calls for an election every five years of a president by universal suffrage, who also names a prime minister.[2]

Niger’s geography has substantially affected its culture, government, and economy. The country’s economy is centered on subsistence farming, other forms of agriculture, and the exporting of miscellaneous raw materials found in the region.[3] Niger’s high proportion of desert, landlocked nature, and poor education system has created serious impediments to development. Constant cycles of drought, desertification, and an incredibly high population growth rate have caused the economy of the nation to suffer. While the country possesses some of the earth’s largest uranium deposits, structural barriers to a strong economy have prevented the country from harnessing this natural resource source.[4]

The geography of the nation has also affected its culture significantly. The viability and predominance of small migrant groups throughout the history of the nation has influenced the current culture - Niger has suffered difficulty uniting culturally and politically. Its geographic location has caused it to be often viewed as a fringe nation near other more powerful states. Since Niger gained its independence from France in 1958, the country has suffered multiple civil conflicts and military coups.[5] This instability has hindered Niger’s economic growth and cultural flourishing.

---

[1] “Human Development Report 2014,” United Nations Development Programme, last modified 2014, accessed January 21, 2016, http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr14-summary-en.pdf.

[2] “Niger’s Constitution of 2010,” Constitution Program, last modified September 26, 2013, accessed January 21, 2016, http://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/ner128397.pdf.

[3] “Niger,” African Economic Outlook, last modified May 28, 2015, accessed January 21, 2016, http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/country-notes/west-africa/niger/.

[4] Ibid.

[5] “History of Niger,” History World, accessed January 21, 2016, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad04.