What do you think the poet means to convey by ‘Columbus discovered me’?

What is the importance of the last three lines?

Why is the poem addressed to a teacher?

Why are we prejudiced by colour and race?

Why, do you think the title of the poem is ‘Civil Lies’? (A hint: Say the words quickly, together, and see what you get!)

Cities of ancient civilisations were proud of their rich culture and civic amenities. Choose a city and draft a poster describing its charms as a tourist destination. You might like to look up advertisements for places of tourist interest to give you idea.

With your partner, list all the words that come to your mind when you say ‘Africa’. What do they tell you? Are any of the things mentioned in the poem in your list?

Talk about the contribution of Black people in the fields of music, sport and politics.

When we traded, nations were built,
We did not have animals,
Animals lived with us,
We had so much time,
Thirteen months made our year,
We created social services,
And cities that still stand.

1. What is the implication of ‘when we traded, nations were built’? How does this phrase reflect pre-colonial Africa’s economic practices and influence?

2. What does the poet mean by ‘we did not have animals, animals lived with us’? What could this imply about African societies’ relationship with nature?

3. The poet mentions that ‘thirteen months made our year’. What is the significance of this line, and how does it highlight Africa’s indigenous knowledge systems?

4. What does the poet want to convey by ‘we created social services’? How does it challenge the narratives of African societies before European colonization?

5. Discuss the significance of ‘cities that still stand’. How do these cities symbolize the endurance and richness of African civilizations?