Motherland

'A wonderful debut by a talented and exciting young historian' Peter Frankopan<BR>'Simultaneously capacious and personal...a masterful achievement' Tom Holland<BR>'Elegant and powerful, Pepera's magnificent book elevates our understanding of Africa's overlooked histories' Olivette Otele, author of African Europeans<BR><BR>Motherland is a ground-breaking exploration of African culture and identity, told via Luke Pepera's journey through 500,000 years of history to connect with his extraordinary heritage. Pepera tackles the questions many people of African descent ask - Who are we? Where do we come from? What defines us? And how might knowledge of deep history affect our understanding of our identity?<BR><BR>With illuminating examples, Pepera explores aspects of African identity from nomadic culture to matriarchal society. We meet an array of intriguing characters including Mansa Musa, the wealthiest man who ever lived, and the Kandake Queen Amanirenas, who defeated the Romans in Nubia. We learn how the response to the actor Chadwick Boseman's death demonstrated Yoruba beliefs about ancestral veneration, and how the rap battle evolved from earlier forms of African oral literature.<BR><BR>Interwoven with Luke's own experiences of exploring his Ghanaian family history, this is a comprehensive, relevant and beautifully told account of the stories that have shaped Africa.

Join historian and anthropologist Luke Pepera on a journey through African history to discover the stories that still shape our culture today<BR>'Rich and revelatory . . . a millennia-spanning history of the continent that breaks the grip of colonial narratives' OBSERVER<BR>'Absolutely riveting' OLIVETTE OTELE<BR>'A masterful achievement' TOM HOLLAND<BR>'I love when a non-fiction book can transport you to the past . . . an eye-opening, exceptionally important book' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review<BR>'Hugely readable' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reader review <BR><BR>Where do we come from? What defines us? And how might knowledge of deep history affect our understanding of our identity?<BR><BR>In Motherland, Luke Pepera traverses thousands of years to reveal the aspects of African identity that have characterised this epic history. From hip-hop's origin in traditional African word games to female-led societies, and from Mansa Musa to Chadwick Boseman, this is a personal, relevant and beautifully told account of the stories that have shaped Africa.<BR><BR>'A book we've been waiting for for far too long' PETER FRANKOPAN<BR>'Magisterial, brilliant, capacious and transformative' KATE WILLIAMS<BR>'Idiosyncratic, surprising, brilliant' SPECTATOR