Abantu: An Introduction To The Black People Of South Africa
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good
Markings: Fair - Bumping on spine and corners. Rubbed edges.
Long before the world's gaze turned to South Africa's political upheavals, Abantu: An Introduction to the Black People of South Africa offered a rare and illuminating portrait of the diverse peoples who had shaped the subcontinent for millennia. Authored by Martin West and photographed by Jean Morris, this landmark volume chronicles the rich tapestry of Black South African cultures — from the Zulu and Xhosa to the Sotho and Tswana — presenting their histories, social structures, beliefs, and traditions with both scholarly rigour and accessible clarity. Published by Struik in 1976, at the height of the apartheid era, the work stands as an act of cultural affirmation, bringing dignity and depth to communities that mainstream discourse had long marginalised or ignored. West's authoritative text is matched by Morris's striking documentary photography, together illustrating the lived realities of South Africa's indigenous peoples with intimacy and respect. The book argues implicitly that to understand South Africa, one must first understand its people — not as subjects of policy, but as bearers of ancient and evolving civilisations. Groundbreaking in its scope and humanist in its vision, Abantu remains a vital historical document that prompts the reader to ask: how much has truly changed, and how much has yet to be reckoned with?
Author: Martin West
Format: Hardback
Published: 1976, Struik Publishers
Genre: African history
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good
Markings: Fair - Bumping on spine and corners. Rubbed edges.
Long before the world's gaze turned to South Africa's political upheavals, Abantu: An Introduction to the Black People of South Africa offered a rare and illuminating portrait of the diverse peoples who had shaped the subcontinent for millennia. Authored by Martin West and photographed by Jean Morris, this landmark volume chronicles the rich tapestry of Black South African cultures — from the Zulu and Xhosa to the Sotho and Tswana — presenting their histories, social structures, beliefs, and traditions with both scholarly rigour and accessible clarity. Published by Struik in 1976, at the height of the apartheid era, the work stands as an act of cultural affirmation, bringing dignity and depth to communities that mainstream discourse had long marginalised or ignored. West's authoritative text is matched by Morris's striking documentary photography, together illustrating the lived realities of South Africa's indigenous peoples with intimacy and respect. The book argues implicitly that to understand South Africa, one must first understand its people — not as subjects of policy, but as bearers of ancient and evolving civilisations. Groundbreaking in its scope and humanist in its vision, Abantu remains a vital historical document that prompts the reader to ask: how much has truly changed, and how much has yet to be reckoned with?