Tacitus, Ethiopians and Black St. Paul
Roman historian Tacitus wrote that many of his time believed that the Jews “were a race of Ethiopian origin.”
The Bible classifies the Ethiopians & Jews together, “Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the Lord.” (Amos 9:7)
Black Paul is mistaken for an “Egyptian” and declares himself to be a “Jew.” (Acts 21:37-39, 22: 2,3)
Persia and Ashanti
It has also been speculated that the Jewish presence and influence was greatly helped by the ancient gold trade between Persia and Africa.
Jews were the main intermediaries of this trade in the medieval ages since most Muslims (due to Islamic laws prohibition on usury) were wary of its usurious dimensions.
These Jewish itinerant traders came to rely on contacts with the various Jewish communities of West African who proved no mean help in sourcing the scarce commodity. Thus, for instance, the silk of the Royal Kente cloths of the Ashanti reputedly came from China.
Various historical accounts claim that Jewish travelers from Persia had organized exchanges of Chinese silk for gold in the Kingdom of Ghana; the Ashanti needed the silk for weaving Kente cloth and the Jews need gold for their intrinsic and fiscal value. It is said that the Ashanti words for numbers relate to those in Parsi, the language of Persia. See Lichtblau.
Genetics
Haplogroup E3B
The E3b haplogroup has been observed in all Jewish groups world wide. It is considered to be the 2nd most prevelent haplogroup amoung the Jewish population.
All the major studies agree that E-M35 is the second highest in prevalence next to J, for “Founding Jewish Lineages.” http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf/Behar_contrasting.pdf.
It is found in moderate amounts in all Jewish populations, from Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Kurdish, Yemen, Samaritan and even among Djerba Jewish groups.
The scientific consensus is that Haplogroup E3b (M35) appears to have originated in East Africa, but has been carried from there to the Near East and then on to North Africa and Europe. Today it is most common in East Africa, North Africa, the Near East and around the Mediterranean.
Haplogroup J
Haplogroup J (previously known as HG9 or Eu9/Eu10) is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. T is subdivided into two subclades: haplogroup J2, defined by the M172 marker, and haplogroup J1, defined by the M267 marker.
Of special interest are maps that show the geographical spread of the J haplogroup. J1 and J2 are both common in southern Europe, central Europe, the Mediterranean region, and Africa. The J haplogroup is considered to be a signature gene of Jewish ancestry and the cohen modal gene happens to be a subgroup of J.
In fact, the highest frequencies of J1 (M267) are seen in the Middle East, north Africa, and Ethiopia. See (Thomas et al. 1999). J2 (M172) also exists in significant proportions across Africa especially among the semitic speaking peoples of Tigriniya, Amhara, and Oromiya.
The J1’s from the Middle East and North Africa seem to be distinguishable from the rest of J’s by having YCAII=22,22. Behar et al found that a significant proportion of the Jewish population of Europe (more than 20%) carry the J1 haplogroup. The other 20% carry the J2 haplogroup. See Behar et al Hum Genet (2004) 114: 354-365
Cohen Modal Haplotype
The presence among the Lemba of a disproportionate number of men carrying a particular polymorphism on the Y chromosome known as the Cohen modal haplotype suggests an ancestral link to the Jewish population. One sub-clan within the Lemba, the Buba clan, is considered by the Lemba to be their priestly clan. Among a small sample of the Buba, fifty-two percent of males were found to carry the Cohen modal haplotype CMH, which is generally suggestive of Y-DNA haplogroup J, but notably prevalent among Jewish Kohanim, or priests.
Decline of the Black Jews of Africa
Many reasons have been sought for the decline and virtual disappearance of Africa’s once thriviing Jewish communities of black Jews. Many see the beginning of this decline as contemporaneous with the advent of the Islamic religion in Africa.
Some historical accounts highlight the fact that black Jews were die-hard nationalistic traditionalists and had led the black African resistance against the influx of the black muslim jihadists and their new interpretation of morality. The most notableof these black Jewish nationalists was Queen Kahina Dahiya Bint Thabitah ibn Tifan otherwise known as El-Kahina. A descendant of one of the priestly Black Jewish families of North Africa, Kahina led the nationalist resistance against the muslim invasion until her defeat at the hands of Hassan Ibn Numan. See Margolis, “History of Jewish people”, 1927 pages 278-279. See also Remy Ilona, “The Igbos: Jews in Africa?” volume 1, Research Findings Historical Links, Commentaries, Narratives,” 2004, Mega Press Limited, Abuja, Nigeria.
Amidst this tumult, the Jews of Northern and West Africa were given a choice of conversion or emigration. Many left for the deeper forest recesses of West Africa seeking the peace and tranquility that appeared to elude them in each generation. The late incursions by the colonialist christian elements of Europe did not make matters any better. There seems to have been a direct link between the incursion of relatively modern religions in Africa and the decline of the ancient practise of the Hebrews which had a pride of place in Africa, its mother land.
For instance the Jewish enclaves of Qamnurya or Naghira in the area of modern Senegal was destroyed completely in the wake of sectarian unrest. Similarly, Al-Maghili a prominent black Muslim noble not only destroyed the Jewish enclaves of Tuat in the old Mali empire, he convinced other potentates throughout the Western Sudan to banish Jews from the empire’s cities. See Remy Ilona, supra.
Lichtblau speculates that: although “…Jewish presence is also confirmed by numerous surviving accounts of Portuguese and other European visitors in the 14th and 15th centuries, as well as North African and Arab historical records… gradually most of these communities disappeared. Since they existed largely in isolation, there was a good deal of intermarriage which for a while reinforced their influence and expansion. As a result they were increasingly viewed as a threat by Muslim rulers, and most of the Jewish communities and nomad groups south of the Atlas mountains were either forced to convert to Islam or massacred; the remainder fled to North Africa, Egypt or the Sudan, and a few also to Cameroon and Southern Africa.”
Jide Uwechia
August 19, 2007
Please my friends if you want tosay .please tell the truth.Then read what the writer said.
What about the people from Ghana from the Ashanti, do they have connections to the Hebrew israelites and if so do they know from what tribe they descend from?
There are many tribes around the
world who maintain knowledge of
an Israelite origin. However the
understanding of this identity is
always a matter of continual debate
amongst individual members of the
tribe. This becomes a very sensitive
subject in Africa as the distinction
between the Israelite and Jewish
identities are often blurred. This leads
to a backlash against the Israelite identity
as it is viewed by some as a denial of their
proud African origins and a sell-out escape to
claim kinship with European Jews. Another
sensitive issue in Africa is the struggle to
claim land and independence. For example
the Igbo have always dreamed of establishing
the independent State of Biafra. There are some
Igbo who believe that a claim to Israelite origins
denies their claim to being an indigenous population
to not only the tribal areas that they are claiming in
Nigeria but to Africa as a whole. The idea of developing
an identity that associates origins outside of SubSaharan
Africa and separate from other tribes of whom they have
lived in close vicinity for thousands of years could prove
to be a dangerous tool of propaganda used by tribal enemies
to delegitimize their status and claims in the region in which
they currently live. As in the case of African-Americans the
claim to Israelite origins is often rivaled with those claiming
Egyptian,Nubian and Moorish heritage. Finally,there is the
reality that these Israelite descended tribes have developed
solid tribal identities that stand proud and independent of
their Israelite past. Theses identities such as ‘”Igbo”,
“Ashante” and “Mandingo” are naturally perceived as
the immediate reality while the ancient is perceived as
theory,speculation and at best a part of the present tribal
tradition.
The Ashante are often associated with Judah because of
the listing of the name Ashan in the Book of Joshua as a town
in Judah. It is important to remember that the Ashante did
not come to the Americas during the SlaveTrade as the powerful
Akkan tribes to which the Ashante and Fante belong were not
touched. Those who were sold from Ghana were the Igbo
descended Ewe and Ga.
Any questions concerning the Ashante-Israelite origins
can be directed to the Ashante representative of the
Isawiyya Israelite Mosque of Qaraims
E-Mail QARAIMS777@LIVE.COM
WEB SITE – http://WWW.QARAIMS.COM
Interesting. The Ashanti (Asante) are the seniormost of the 12 tribes of the Akan people of Ghana.
At Gen 36:19-27 we find a reference to Akan as being a son of Ezer, son of Seir, son of Edom, the twin brother of course of Jacob/Israel.
This would make the Akan, Hebrew Edomites, as distinct from Hebrew Israelites.
Therefore, it is perhaps not surprising that the Akan would have sold their Israelite brothers (Ewe and Ga) into slavery, for the Israelites were under the curse (Deu 28:68) when the Edomites were not.
The Akan chiefs have since publicly apologized for their role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. I remember reading about an Akan delegation of traditional chiefs who came to the Americas in the 1990s, and went around apologizing, and carrying out some rituals of apology. They also made a grant of land that could be used by diaspora blacks at a place in Ghana called Fihankra.
Individual names would not necessarily
indicate tribal origins. The Edomite
Akan the son of Ezer mentioned in Genesis
is listed as Jaakan the son of Ezer in
1 Chronicles 1:42. According to the Bible
the first King of Israel was named SAUL.
The Bible also states that the Edomites had
a King named SAUL as well. (1Chronicles 1:47)
A variant of the name Akan appears in Joshua 7:1
as the Israelite ACHAN the son of Carmi of the tribe
of Judah. Interestingly there were slave traders in
Benin from the Edo(Edom) tribe and others such as
the Igala who are classified as the IDOMA(Edom).
Surely, there are Israelites not only in Ghana (Kana) but all over West Africa and the entire Sub-Saharan Africa. What matters is that such people know that they are Israelites by ancestry regardless of who they are descended from among the twelve sons of Jacob (Jiko-Obi). But remember, one who claims to be an Israelite when he or she is not, does not fear God and there is a reward for such an impostor. The Children of Israel have paid and continue to pay a high price for who they are to this day. They belong eternally to God for they either die or live in God.
I know that the Ga and Ewe of Ghana are Hebrews, but whether they are of the Israelite stock, I don’t know. However, I know that Israelites always live among their Hebrew brethren, so some Ga and Ewe people of today could be descendants of Israel.
Who knows there may be some Israelites living among the Ashantis as well, but remember that “Akan Tribe” the dominant tribe in Ashanti are not Israelites. They are Horites (Hurrians) who may be the other branch of Hebrews. Akan, the father of the tribe is one of the son of Ezer (Eze). 1st Chron. 1:42. Thanks.
So is there a connection as far as dna to the slaves that the ashanti sold to the ashanti themselves? meaning do the slave that they sold were they related to the akan people.
To answer your question it is imperative to
clarify and understand the various types of
DNA testing and the significance of the results.
Y-Chromosome testing determines a direct
patrilineal line. The Haplogroups reveal general
racial or regional types while accompanying
STR markers determine specific lineages.
In Africa the most populous people are those
known as Bantus. Bantus along with Sudanics
and Mande tribes are those of which Europeans
racially classified as ” Negroid “. This classification
includes many well known tribes such as Igbo,
Yoruba,Ashante,Mandingo,BaGanda,Hutu,Zulu etc.
All tribes who fall within this general grouping have
a majority E3A Y-Chromosome Haplogroup. “African-
Americans” have 70% E3A while approximately 30%
test positive for the Western European R1B. Within the
general haplogroup it would be expected that the Ashante,
Ewe and Ga are all majority E3A. However specific STR(Alles)
markers would probably differ as the Ewe and Ga are
both non-Akkan tribes who trace their origins to Nigeria.
The Israelite tribal tradition connects these tribes to
Gad and Dan. It is believed that Ga is short for Gad just
as Da is short for Dan. Dahomey at one time was called
Danhomey meaning in the belly of Dan. The Ga of Ghana
who live in Accra are closely associated with the Dangme
and in some areas are often referred to as Ga-Dangme.
The Ewe are closely related to the Mina of Dahomey.
Many of their traditions can be traced back to IbaDan
(IboDan). Gadite origins are very commonly claimed
amongst the Igbo such as those in Eri and Nri etc.
Hamitic tribes in Africa such as the Fulani ,Oromo
and the Borana of Kenya are E3B. Acknowledged Semitic
tribes such as the Amhara of Ethiopia, The Beja and
Nubians of Sudan along with the Buba Kohen clan
amongst the Lemba in South Africa have J1. Nilotes
such as the Luo,Dinka and Nuer are most commonly
associated with Haplogroup A, while the Pygmies and
Hottentots,Khoisan and some other tribes in South Africa
are members of Haplogroup B. MtDNA determines direct
line matrilineal origins while autosomal testing reveals
general and specific racial markers that appear in your
overall genetic composition.
Thanks for the reply very interesting.
Iam tring to tell you the people of isreal is defferent .Allah gave them world to do whatever they want.please my friends dont force your tribe to say you hebrew.They had known where their blood is.They are not talking about the tribe who have covered their private part with the leaf. they talking about tribe who were trading with Ethiopia.
Alhassan Yahaya,
The Holy Qaran states
that the Israelites were blessed above the
nations.
SURAH 2:122
O’ Children of Israel,call to mind MY favor
which I bestowed on you and that I made
you EXCEL the NATIONS.
You are also correct when stating that
the Israelites were trading with Ethiopia.
However one of the punishments the
Israelites suffered is that they would be
scattered to the four corners of the earth.
This means that they can be found amongst
many different nations,races,ethnicities and
tribes who appear unrelated.
The Bani-Israil tribes will only return through
the Prophecy of the Mustard Seed. Which means
the remnant of the scattered Israelite tribes will
be attached to those who have maintained the
Patrilineal priesthood lineage such as the Buba
clan of the Lemba and others of authentic Kohen
descent.
Most tribes and clans who have maintained
evidences of Israelite cultural origins did not
preserve the patrilineal Seed line of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. This was Allah’s way of protecting
them as the gentile nations instinctively would attempt
to annihilate the Israelite Seed line. This was first
evident in Egypt where the Pharaoh wanted to kill
all of the Israelite males while preserving the Females.
This was done in a vein attempt to kill those from
the Seed of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob who were
destined to deliver the Israelite nation. It was during
times when these policies were first implemented
that both Moses and Jesus emerged by surviving
the death decrees that were placed upon Israelite
male babies. Interestingly the only surviving written
record from ancient Egypt which mentions the Israelites
is from the Pharaoh Mereptenah who states:
“Israel is laid waste, its seed is no more”.
HOLY QARAN 7:141
And when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s people
who subjected you to severe torment, killing your
sons and sparing your women, and in this there
was a great trial from your Lord.
EXODUS 2:3 OLD TESTAMENT
But when she could hide him(MOSES) no longer,
she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it
with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and
put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
MATTHEW 2:16-18 NEW TESTAMENT
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked
of the wise men , was exceeding wroth, and sent
forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem,
and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently inquired of
the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken
by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping,
and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and
would not be comforted, because they are not.
The Mustard Seed of the Israelite Priests must be
accompanied by the Mustard Seed of Faith.
MATTHEW 17:20(N.T.)
He(Jesus) replied, “Because you have so little faith.
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a
mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
The Israelite Priests settled in Medina,Arabia
where they became known as the Kohen tribe
of Qaraiza. The first Israelite to accept the
Prophet Muhammad was Abdallah Ibn Salaam
a descendant of the Prophet Joseph. He taught
the original Israilyaat(Israelite-Islamic teachings)
to the Kohen tribe of Qaraiza. Those amongst the
Qaraiza who accepted the Prophet Muhammad
were commissioned as the remnant of Israelite
leadership in exile. Only those Israelites who
accept all of the Prophets including Moses,Jesus
and Muhammad will be accepted by the Lord.
In order to understand the relationship between
the Prophet Muhammad and the Children of Israel
visit:
THE ISAWIYYA ISRAELITE MOSQUE OF QARAIMS
http://WWW.QARAIMS.COM