The Dynamics of African/Asian Interactions on the East Coast of Africa in Historical Perspectives

Abstract

Scientific as well as historic explanations to the origin of man agreed that Africa is the cradle and possibly the source of dispersal of all mankind. Since the gradual dispersal of the original specie to other parts of the globe, economic imperative have made human interaction inevitable. Consequently, African and Asian have been interacting at economic and social level from ancient time resulting in mutual benefits to all and great advance in knowledge and ideas to less developed African society on the east coast of the continent. Arab, Indian, and Chinese merchants have being visiting the east African coast since the 13^th century BCE bringing their wares to exchange for African products. At the peak of the trade, cultural exchanges in form of knowledge and ideas could not but be mutually bought and sold resulting into what later became the glorious Swahili civilization along the East African Coast of the Indian Ocean. T he civilization has endured the passage of time and residual knowledge and ideas borrowed from Asian remain a permanent feature of cultural norms on the east Coast of Africa. The paper is of the view that the benefits have surely been overwhelming and a matter of give and take.

Keywords: Dynamism, Interaction, African/Asian, Benefits, Historical Analysis