- Language: English
- March 8, 2022, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm (HK time)
ABSTRACT
After centuries of neglect, Africa began an academic engagement in its own past in the twentieth century, characterised by a multi-disciplinary approach. The result is that Africa is now centrally placed within the narrative of human evolution. Its ancient connections with Europe and its historic links with the Americas are better understood. However, Africa’s ancient connections with Asia remain relatively unexplored. This presentation covers twenty years of investigation on Africans in Asia encompassing the process of decolonising Asian attitudes towards evidences, collections, histories and cultural legacies. Three examples will be covered; one on a built structure in Qatar, a historical migration connecting India and Kenya and one on Africans in Southeast Asia during World War II. The emerging result unsurprisingly places Africa, not at the periphery but at the centre of global historical interactions and demonstrates that Asia itself has impacted modern African history.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Clifford (Cliff) Pereira is a historical geographer, researcher, curator and heritage consultant with a portfolio of projects in Britain, Canada, Qatar, Kenya, China and Hong Kong SAR. Pereira has contributed to numerous publications, radio and TV documentary programs across the world. He is best known for his work on Africans in the Indian Ocean World, especially the “Bombay African” narrative which will be featured in the UNESCO General History of Africa Vol. X, which led to his work on Africans in the London Borough of Bexley and his curation of the Bin Jalmood House in Qatar. Pereira was recently featured on the Japanese TV network NHK for his work on Yasuke — the African Samurai. His MRes was on Africa and the African Diaspora focusing on Africans in Southeast Asia 1900 – 1960. Pereira is Visiting Research Associate with the University of Hong Kong’s African Studies Department.
