In 1492 Columbus and his crew reached America. Europe went frenzy when he came back with report of a shinning land. This was it, Europe officially reached America. Popular history left clues suggesting Columbus might not be the first person outside America to set foot on the continent. The Norsemen of Europe left traces of habitation at Newfoundland, suggesting a Norse community existed in America some 500 years before the famed Columbus voyage.
Prior to Columbus another voyage reached America, this time the sailors came from Mali. King Abubakri II, the ninth Mansa of the Malian empire ruled when the empire was at the height of its wealth and strength. Abubakri II was an intelligent man, he loved mysteries and one that baffled him most was the end of the Atlantic ocean.
The Mansa spent his lazy hours contemplating what lay beyond the Atlantic ocean. The king needed to do something to surpass the names of his great ancestors, especially Sundiata himself. This was his chance to cure boredom and surpass his current worth.
At this time the empire of Mali was sufficiently rich, rich enough to support an expedition across the Atlantic. He began a meticulous plan to sail across the Atlantic to find whatever lies there. He enlisted the best sailors Africa boasted of, he sought the best ship builders and engineers of the time and then enlisted hundreds of navigators.
When the entire flotilla proved ready, the great King came down to the port town of Niang and addressed the fleet one last time. The flotilla carried rich presents of gold and enough provisions to last months. Their order was to find what lies at the other side of the Ocean.
This first expedition proved catastrophic. The whole flotilla except a few sailors made it back to Mali failing to reach their goal. The Emperor did not find the news amusing. He devoted a lot of physical and mental strength the past months to give up. This time the Mansa will sail with the rest. More ships were built with better enhancements. Gold presents larger than the ones the first voyage carried were assembled.
Before the voyage began Mansa Abubakri III gave the throne to Mansa Musa who later became the most famous of all Malian Mansa'. This time the fleet reached America led by the richest African emperor of the age. Apart from the gifts the fleet engaged in trade with the red Indians. The mingling of both cultures led to exchange of relics. The African figurines left behind by the visitors serve as evidence of African presence in America before the coming of Columbus. Also monuments were erected in honor of the African visitors years before Columbus arrived America.
Though our great Mansa never returned to Mali, African interest in America continued to foster for many years. Trade continued between the red Indians and Malian Madingos until the fall of Malian empire. During this time the Europeans were gaining foothold in America, such European success led to annihilation of so many Indian villages reducing there openness and contact with outside world. The glorious days of glorious contact with the other side of the Atlantic ocean came to a close.
According to Ivan Van Sertima , there is an enormous prove of African contact with the red Indians of America many years before the so called Columbus expedition. It is clear Malians reached the now highly beloved American continent many centuries ago, however they were not the first to reach the continent. The Norsemen, Chinese and Japanese probably reached America before the Malians did. Columbus made mention of the native stories of African gold merchants in his journal. The American native told of rich African merchants arriving in boats filled with gold.
Carvings of African priests on walls during the Columbian Augustine culture are found in America. The collosal Olmec stone heads excavated in America bore African resemblance, another prove of an African-indian contact. Sure, Columbus took over from the success of others.
Afro-Olmec excavated in America
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