Introduction
The history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (TAST) often highlights its devastating human toll and cultural impact. However, the ethnic and religious identities of the African peoples involved tell an important story. Certain West African tribes, historically identified with or linked to Israelite ancestry, played a central role in the region and were among the main groups targeted during the TAST. This raises an intriguing question: Were these tribes, known as "Israelites of West Africa," specifically targeted for the TAST because of their unique identities? It is highly likely that many of those taken during the TAST were of Israelite descent, given that all the principal tribes involved had known Israelite connections. This suggests that the Israelite heritage of these regions may have influenced the choices of the slave traders.
Historical Context and Israelite Connections Among West African Tribes
Observers in the 16th and 17th centuries noted Israelite practices among the tribes of the Sahel. Notable scholars have provided detailed accounts and evidence of these practices, linking them to Israelite heritage.
Yoruba (Nigeria)
- William F.S. Miles in "Jews of Nigeria: An Afro-Judaic Odyssey" mentions groups within the Yoruba who practice Judaism and maintain Israelite customs:
- Quote: "These Yoruba groups exhibit a conscious revival of Israelite customs, which they celebrate as a core part of their heritage."
- Citation: Miles, William F.S. "Jews of Nigeria: An Afro-Judaic Odyssey."
Igbo (Nigeria)
- The Igbo have been extensively studied for their cultural and religious similarities to ancient Israelites. Remy Ilona in "The Igbos and Israel: An Inter-cultural Study of the Largest Jewish Diaspora" explores these connections:
- Quote: "The remarkable alignment of Igbo customs with ancient Hebrew culture suggests a profound link, deeply embedded in their rituals and religious observances."
- Citation: Ilona, Remy. "The Igbos and Israel: An Inter-cultural Study of the Largest Jewish Diaspora."
- Additionally, on January 14, 2022, the Obadyah Alliance, a Sephardic Israelite organization, formed a Beit Din (Israelite Rabbinical Court) and officially declared the Igbo of Nigeria to be descendants of ancient Israel. - The US Department of State Archive notes the following: "The Ibos are the wandering Jews of West Africa -- gifted, aggressive, Westernized; at best envied and resented, but mostly despised by the mass of their neighbors in the Federation" (source: US Department of State Archive). This confirms that the United States recognized that the Igbo and other people of West Africa were identified as Jews. It is well documented that the Igbo people were taken in large numbers to the Americas and the surrounding Caribbean Islands as slaves.
Akan (Ghana)
- Joseph Williams in "Hebrewisms of West Africa" points out Hebrew-like customs in the Akan, especially noting their societal and religious structures:
- Quote: "The Akan display several customs that are astonishingly similar to ancient Hebrew traditions, suggesting a historical continuity and identity as Israelites."
- Citation: Williams, Joseph. "Hebrewisms of West Africa."
Mandinka (Mali, Guinea, Senegal, The Gambia, Ivory Coast)
- Elise Reclus in "The Universal Geography: The Earth and Its Inhabitants" observes the commercial and societal structures of the Mandingans, drawing parallels to Israelite communities:
- Quote: "The Mandingans, who are now broken up into many rival petty states, are excellent husbandmen but display their remarkable talents chiefly as traders. They have been compared to the Sarakoles, 'the Jews of West Africa,' for their dispersal and commercial acumen."
- Citation: Reclus, Elise. "The Universal Geography: The Earth and Its Inhabitants, West Africa."
Wolof (Senegal)
- Cnaan Liphshiz discusses linguistic evidence supporting the Israelite heritage among the Wolof:
- Quote: "And some words in Wolof, a widely spoken language in Senegal, bear more resemblance to Hebrew pronunciation than Arabic, which is spoken in neighboring countries."
- Citation: Liphshiz, Cnaan. "In Senegalese bush, Bani Israel tribe claims Jewish heritage." JTA, 2013.
Ewe (Ghana, Togo)
- Mawuli in his book "Eveo Gamesu: The Call To The Hebrews" provides significant evidence for the Israelite identity of the Ewe people. He states that the proper name for the Ewe is "Eve'," which he identifies as the proper name for the Israelites:
- Quote: "The nationality or the Israelites' proper name is Eve'. To find the scattered Israelites in Africa and anywhere else in the world, we should be looking for the people called Eve'."
- Citation: Mawuli. "Eveo Gamesu: The Call To The Hebrews."
Mende and Temne (Sierra Leone)
- The Mende and Temne use symbols and rituals in their secret societies that some researchers suggest could have origins in ancient Semitic practices.
Allen H. Godbey's Map: Additional Proof
Further evidence supporting the presence of Israelite heritage among West African tribes comes from the research and maps of Allen H. Godbey. Godbey's work provides a detailed visual representation of various tribes in West Africa, indicating areas where Israelite communities were historically located. Godbey states that the sections in red on his map are places of ancient Israelite colonies. This map serves as compelling evidence that these Israelite-identified tribes were indeed present in regions heavily targeted during the TAST.
The map highlights the dispersion of these Israelite communities across West Africa, showing a significant overlap with the regions from which many slaves were taken. This visual documentation aligns with historical accounts and scholarly research, reinforcing the hypothesis that many of those taken on ships during the TAST were of Israelite descent. Godbey’s map thus adds an important layer of proof to the narrative, illustrating the geographic and cultural context of these communities.
![Allen H. Godbey's Map of Ancient Israelite Colonies in West Africa]
Tracing the Descendants of King David from Iberia to the Slave Coast and Beyond
The journey of Israelite communities from their noble origins in Iberia to their forced resettlement in West Africa and onward into the diaspora across the Atlantic tells a profound story of displacement, survival, and identity. We aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of this diaspora by bringing together various historical sources.
Expulsion from Iberia
The expulsion of Israelites from Spain and Portugal during the late 15th century marked a significant displacement. Tobias Smollett in The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature notes: "King John II in 1492, expelled all the Jews to the island of St. Thomas, which had been discovered in 1471, and to other Portuguese settlements on the continent of Africa; and from these banished Jews, the black Portuguese, as they are called, and the Jews in Loango, who are despised even by the very Negroes, are descended" (Smollett, 141). Loango, located in West Africa, was another area where these expelled Israelites settled.
Claims of Royal Descent
Heinrich Graetz’s History of the Jews (Volume 3) delves into the identity and lineage of the Spanish Israelites, highlighting families such as the Ibn-Dauds and the Abrabanels who maintained that they descended directly from the royal house of David. These families claimed their ancestors were established in areas like Toledo and Seville long before the forced expulsions, providing a link between the ancient biblical lineage and the Israelite communities in Iberia (Graetz, Volume 3). Additionally, A. Barrington in A Treatise on Physical Geography notes: "The Spanish Jew is always dark-complexioned, and his hair is uniformly black," further proving these Spanish Jews were black (Barrington).
Forced Migration to São Tomé and West Africa
São Tomé, an island occupied by the Portuguese in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa, became a significant destination for Israelites expelled from Portugal. The Portuguese Exploration to the West and the Formation of Brasil by The John Carter Brown Library highlights the harsh conditions under which these migrations occurred. Israelite children, unable to be ransomed, were forcibly baptized and sent to São Tomé to be raised as Christians, a move meant to both Christianize and populate the colonies (John Carter Brown Library, 54). Additionally, the Portugal Virtual Israelite History Tour notes that these children faced severe hardships, including being sent to wild, undeveloped territories where many perished (Jewish Virtual Library).
Whydah as a Center on the Slave Coast
The role of Whydah, located on what was known as the Slave Coast in modern-day Benin, becomes crucial in connecting these Israelite communities to the transatlantic slave trade. Edwin Munsell Bliss in "The Encyclopædia of Missions" provides critical evidence, noting that the chief city, Whydah (also called Glehweh, Fida, Heveda, Uida), was formerly called Juda, and its inhabitants were said to be Jews. Bliss notes that during the slave trade, 16,000 – 18,000 people were taken annually from Whydah, known to the Portuguese as Ajuda (Bliss, 329). Furthermore, European maps of the time explicitly referred to this area as the "Slave Coast," highlighting its central role in the transatlantic slave trade (Wikipedia, History of the Jews in Portugal).
Additional Context and Sources
The Encyclopedia.com entry on the expulsion of Israelites from Spain and Portugal notes that many Israelites fleeing the Iberian Peninsula settled in Portuguese territories in Africa, such as São Tomé. The forced conversions and subsequent migrations significantly impacted their communities (Encyclopedia.com). Jane S. Gerber in her analysis for My Jewish Learning also describes the brutal conditions under which these migrations took place, including the selling of possessions at a pittance
and the treacherous journeys that many Israelites undertook to reach temporary havens like Portugal and São Tomé (My Jewish Learning).
Conclusion
The evidence strongly supports the idea that many of the people taken during the TAST were identified as Israelites by notable scholars. The expulsion of Israelites from Spain and Portugal led to the displacement of these communities to regions in West Africa such as São Tomé and Whydah. The forced migrations and harsh conditions experienced by these Israelite communities set the stage for their presence in areas heavily targeted by the TAST. Notable tribes, including the Yoruba, Igbo, Akan, Mandinka, Wolof, Ewe, Mende, and Temne, have documented Israelite connections. Scholars and historical accounts further reinforce this with linguistic, cultural, and societal parallels to ancient Israelite traditions.
Allen H. Godbey's map and the numerous historical sources provide compelling evidence that these Israelite-identified tribes were present in regions heavily involved in the TAST. This aspect of their identity, deeply embedded in the regions most affected by the slave trade, might have influenced the selection processes employed by slave traders. It is highly likely that most of the people taken during the TAST were Israelites, given the strong evidence of their presence in the targeted regions.
References
- Smollett, Tobias. The Critical Review, Or, Annals of Literature, page 141.
- Graetz, Heinrich. History of the Jews, Volume 3.
- Barrington, A. A Treatise on Physical Geography.
- The John Carter Brown Library. Portuguese Exploration to the West and the Formation of Brasil, page 54.
- Bliss, Edwin Munsell. The Encyclopædia of Missions, page 329.
- My Jewish Learning. "How Spain and Portugal Expelled Their Jews."
- Wikipedia. "History of the Jews in Portugal."
- Encyclopedia.com. "Jews, Expulsion of (Spain; Portugal)."
- Jewish Virtual Library. "Portugal Virtual Jewish History Tour."
- Newitt, Malyn. The Portuguese in West Africa 1415-1670. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
- Reclus, Elise. The Universal Geography: The Earth and Its Inhabitants, West Africa.
- Williams, Joseph. Hebrewisms of West Africa.
- Miles, William F.S. Jews of Nigeria: An Afro-Judaic Odyssey.
- Ilona, Remy. The Igbos and Israel: An Inter-cultural Study of the Largest Jewish Diaspora.
- Godbey, Allen H. [Research and maps on the Israelite connections of West African tribes].
- Liphshiz, Cnaan. "In Senegalese bush, Bani Israel tribe claims Jewish heritage." JTA, 2013.
- Mawuli. Eveo Gamesu: The Call To The Hebrews.
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