start

Awa Land [pronounced əwə lænd] is an island in the South Atlantic, located about 1,648 kilometers (1024 mi) west of the main part of Angola and 1385 kilometers (860 mi) south of the southern coast of Ghana. It has a population of 5,000 in an area of 444 square kilometers (171 square miles), and its capital is Lisanga. Its inhabitants, descendants from the Awanabena tribe, share ethnic backgrounds from West African countries and speak the indigenous language Benatu. It is one of the very few countries in the world that has not been colonized .

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Awa (disambiguation).

Capital: Lisanga
Official Language: Benatu
Demonyn: Awan
Leader: Yabasé Kufusi (2014 - Present)
Area: 171 sq mi
Population: 5,000
Time Zone: UTC+1:00
Latitude Longitude:
(-7.224887, -0.571289)
GPS Coordinates:
7° 13' 29.5932'' S 0° 34' 16.6404'' W

Awa Land’s first inhabitants are known to be the Awanabena tribe, who migrated to the South Atlantic island from current day Angola dating back to 1000AD. Abundant of fertile land and supple food supply, the Awanabena tribe settled on the tropic terrain for over 2 centuries facing very little threats to their livelihood. Mythicized as being a healing island from accounts of Awans whom returned to Angola’s mainland, in the 13th century a gradual migration of inland tribes from modern day Gabon and Republic of Congo braved the journey to the island, however within a century’s time climatic changes shifted sea currents making the travel too dangerous; an advantage that prevented European explorers from discovering the island.

In the 16th century, as result of the Atlantic slave trade, Awa Land became a home for the African tribesmen and women who escaped ship wrecked slave boats that came too close to the island’s rough rocks and waters. Since its inhabitation, Awa Land has developed an impressive cultural history and preserved community which had remained uncharted on maps until the 19th century when modern cartography systems emerged. After such, Awa Land has continued to successfully impede European and American conquests to this day, making it one of the few land masses in the Southern hemisphere that was not colonized by a foreign power.

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, more than 1385 kilometers (860 mi) from the nearest major landmass, Awa Land is one of the most remote places in the world, second to the nearby island of Saint Helena. The nearest port on the continent is Namibe in southern Angola, and the nearest international airport is the Quatro de Fevereiro Airport of Angola's capital Luanda. The island is situated in the Western Hemisphere and is classified as being in West Africa by the United Nations.

The island of Awa Land has a total area of 444 km2 (171 sq mi), and is composed largely of rugged terrain of volcanic origin (the last volcanic eruptions occurred about 4 million years ago). Coastal areas are covered in volcanic rock and are warmer and drier than the centre, whereas the island's hinterland has a dense tropical forest. There are no native land mammals but boar, donkeys, goats, mice, rabbits, and sheep were brought over from the Awanabena tribe and subsequent inhabitants.

The island, with a population of just over 5,000 inhabitants, does not have major cities. However, most of the island's population resides in or surrounding the three major city-like districts of Lisanga (Capital), Kalambayi, and Dunia. Furthermore, the island is divided into five districts, which are:

Malundama
Tshintu
Matadi
Mashinda
Bompaka

The climate of Awa Land is tropical and mild, tempered by the Benguela current and trade winds. Temperatures in the summer range between 25 – 32°C in the summer and 21 – 26°C the remainder of the year.

The population is estimated to be 95% African and 5% other ethnicities with most originating from the Awanabena tribe and of Gabon and Congolese descent. Demographically, Awa Land has felt the impact of its proximity to West Africa in which some of Awa Land's youth travel to Angola for better opportunities however most return after several years.

The official language is Benatu which incorporates influences from indigenous tribes of Angola, Gabon and The Republic of Congo

The economy of Awa Land historically was based on communal production and combined elements of both horticulture and hunter-gatherer systems. This system was characterized by such components as common ownership of land, division of labor and trade mostly based on gift economy.

The threat of theft was almost nonexistent, since little was held by the individual except basic tools and implements that were so prevalent they had little value. In order for the Awan to succeed without an individual incentive, they had to develop a communal work ethic. By emphasizing an individual's usefulness to society, the Awan created a mindset that encouraged their members to contribute even though they received similar benefits no matter how hard they worked.

The Awans are a mix of horticulturalists, farmers, fishers, gatherers and hunters, with their main diet traditionally coming from the sea. Gathering and fishing are a traditional job of the women and hunting is for the young men while the older generation takes care of the village and assumes roles of healers and teachers.

The Awan believe in multiple deities that usually coincide with natural elements, therefore Awa Land’s cultural celebrations are usually centered around the changing of seasons. Typical celebrations include a feast and a dance performance by the young hunters to bless the food. Common dress of the Awans is made out of palm leaves during the hot season and sheep fur when it gets chilly. For past time, many Awans participate in weaving and painting with dyes made from plants, and when it is time to select a new leader, each region picks their most talented hunter to participate in a series of competitions for the title.

In 2015, the current leader, Yabase Kufusi, made a deal with a British Tourism Agency to briefly promote the island as a destination for eager tourists who wanted to visit one of the most remote islands in the world. In exchange, the Awan people received seeds for staple crops and a large stock of animals to repopulate areas of the island that suffered a forest fire. The agency created a campaign that included online ads, tv commercials and posters around the populous city of London in promotion and was able to bring a total of 30 people throughout the year to the island. The deal, however, came to an end December 2016 after Awans were in uproar to the influx of tourism and threatened to reelect a new leader if conditions weren't changed.

Keith Obadike
Blackness for Sale
2001
http://obadike.tripod.com/ebay.html

Cameron Askin
Cameron’s World
2014
http://www.cameronsworld.net/

4Real
Clone Zone
Digital Agency
4Real.io

The Goldfinch
Energize
Netherlands
http://puttertje.mauritshuis.nl
/en/scientific-examination

King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa
By:Adam Hochschild

Maroon Societies: Rebel Slave Communities in the America By:Richard Price

Sun-Ra : Traveling the Spaceways : the astro black and other solar myths
By: John Corbett, Terri Kapsalis, Anthony Elms

Wangechi Mutu: My Dirty Little Heaven
By: Okwui Enwezor

Beasts of the Southern Wild (dir. Benh Zeitlin)
2012

Gullah Gullah Island
Nick Jr.
1994 -1998