Who are the hidden black figures in Asian history? (Afro-Indian general Malik Ambar)

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The presence of Africans in the Asian continent has been overshadowed by the much awareness of Africans in the western world that the black history movement has created. It is however important to recognize the many groups of black people who have for centuries called Asia home, some occupying those lands first.


Just like in the Americas, while some Africans might have found themselves in Asia in horrifying ways like being enslaved; other black people traveled to Asia as merchants, sailors, traders, warriors, mercenaries, conquerors, etc. One particular example of a great African who walked on the Asian land in the period between 707 to 722 BCE is the Nubian prince, Taharaqa, who was sent by his brother (King Shabataka) to aid Biblical King Hezekiah of Juda against his Assyrian enemies (2nd Kings 19:9).


Moreover, the various groups of black people that have been living in Asia for a longer time, include the Dravidian tribe in South Asia who are confirmed natives by many scholars. In the book, From Babylon to Timbuktu, Prof. Rudolph Windsor goes further to reveal a connection between the Dravidian tribe and the People of Ethiopia.


A Dravidian Indian Girl
Dravidian Indian girl (Photo Credits)

Windsor also links Asia with Africa by stating that the land of Cush mentioned in the Bible (Gen 10:26-29) is in fact Kush land (the origin of the Cushites) in present-day Sudan. He further hails the Dravidian tribe for building the Mesopotamian (Babylon) Civilization. Citing the Bible which states that Cush begot Nimrod, and Nimrod become the founder of Babylon, Windsor concludes that ancient Babylon was inhibited by the Ethiopians.


>> Visit our resources page to get more books on African history <<


One can justifiably conclude that the atrocities of Africans in the Asian world have not been given much attention just as their genius contributions. This means that more work is awaiting Pan-Africans in this much-neglected side of world history.


More hidden black figures in the Asian continent

The Jarawa, Great Andamanese, Onge, and Sentinelese of the Andaman Islands are also among the native Asian groups. Even though they are vastly outnumbered by several hundred thousand Indians, who have settled in the land recently, they boast of having called the islands home for more than 55,000 years. They are however a small fraction of the huge black population in the world that left Africa thousands of years ago. 


Another group of the Sidi people is believed by scholars to have mostly entered Asia as enslaved people. They claim their ancestry from the East African Coast, some from the mainland. Seeing the photos of those good-looking and beautiful black men and women respectively, I could not hold myself from giving them the local names of my people on the Kenyan coast. I was looking at one boy and said to myself, "This one looks like Charo, I saw him early today." One Girl was nearly resembling my childhood friend, Luvuno.


A Sidi Indian Girl
A Sidi Indian girl being decorated (Photo Credits)


But why don't we see more of those black figures in Asia today? Why is the Indian mainstream media not showing them enough? This question puzzles many. The answers are given by scholars like Prof. PLO Lumumba who in one of his lectures, he exposed that most of the enslaved Africans who were trafficked to Asia were first castrated. This is also confirmed by Chancellor Williams in 'The Destruction of Black Civilization' where he comments on the inhuman nature of Arab enslavers. Could it be the reason or there is more to that?


Read More:

>>> My journey to the Shimoni 'Slave' Cave and why shifting from the use of slave to enslaved is necessary <<<


Key black figures in Asian history include:


1. Malik Ambar the Afro-Indian military leader

Malik Ambar (1548–1626) is one of the most well-known black historical figures in Asia. He was born with the name Chapu, in Harar Province, Ethiopia. Sadly, he was later captured and sold as an enslaved person in Baghdad, Iraq. While in Baghdad, he was converted to Islam and given the name 'Ambar' which symbolizes black.' 


Malik Ambar the Afro-Indian King
A portrait of Malik Ambar (Credits: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) 


His outstanding intelligence and wit, later attracted the chief minister of Ahmadabad, India, to purchase him. With their good relationship, the minister (Chengiz Khan) mentored Ambar, imparting strong administrative, military and financial skills to him. After the death of Khan, Ambar was freed and rose to the rank of nobility, he then earned the title 'Malik' (King).


Ambar went on to build a huge army of African ex-enslaved soldiers and became the de-facto king in Ahmadnagar. The Mughal Empire which had dominated the subcontinent tried to seize Ahmadnagar (now the Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra states of modern India), but the Ambar-led soldiers successfully resisted its invasion. Ambar strategic military skills earned him much respect in the region, commanding a group of almost 1500 men from diverse ethnic backgrounds; Africans, Arabs, and the Deccan people.


Malik Ambar declared the areas he captured or controlled as sovereign and named Khadki as the capital city. He initiated a wide array of developments which includes; introducing a sophisticated irrigation system, building several palaces, and even marrying his children into the families of Indian nobility with the aim of integrating Africans into the South Asian elite system.


One of the most outstanding achievements that earned him long-time recognition was building water channels, still recognized as Nehers, within 15 months. This initiative was motivated by the water shortage that challenged his administration. On the other hand, he is respected for defeating the armies of two Mughal emperors; Akbar the Great and his son Jahangir.


TRT World, an established media outlet in Asia, confirms that Ambar died in 1626 at the age of 86 years and was succeeded by Fatteh Khan, his son whose reign did not last long. Ambar’s memory is however still deeply etched in Aurangabad. Today, he is among the key black figures in Asia that are displayed widely across different museums around the world.


Disclaimer: The article was created for academic or informative purposes only and not to spread hate. It is mainly aimed at spreading peaceful cohesion and unifying races, not stealing the history or identity of any people.


This is the first of a two-part article that is aimed at celebrating blacks in Asia. Kindly subscribe to our email alerts and get the second part directly to your email when published.

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