Azania (1968, sound)

[Music] aania the name given by Herodotus to the lands we know is East Africa rolling waves blend foam of Legend with sand of reality the Chinese Tang po the land of zange the land of ofur the Land of Punt the mountains of the Moon Latin sails powered by the irrepressible and methodical monsoons beat an unceasing Cadence across the sea of La historians such as masudi and Idris tell of trade routes between Arabia Malabar and East Africa Dows bring weapons and tools from Arabia cloth and dyes from India in exchange for spices and ivory from East Africa trading settlements are built in cities like mlindi matapa khalifi massam and vaku sprawl as Mangrove and Coral in a ling tide [Music] the new immigrants find the land Bountiful yet [Music] severe they worship God and bury their debt and the cycle of Life Goes On Bridging the centuries with trade War and Peace young feet build calluses on Jungle trails and all structures succumb to growing plants Vasco deama 7th April 1498 Fort Jesus dominates a new way of life Mombasa MCAT Bombay all seed trade rights to Portuguese Cannon [Music] after 200 years of conflict the Portuguese are finally expelled in 1698 by the Armada of sath iban Sultan Prince of Oman but the sea continues to bring new immigrants to this abundant land English interest in East Africa increases the East Indies long familiar with this area gives up many of our farmers Craftsmen and Merchants to these Western Shores strange tribes of Europe and Asia move from tropical bobab through temperate forest [Music] Ivory brings a high price in the markets of Zanzibar and Bombay Arab explorers Venture Inland as far as the [Music] Congo European explorers press on from Coastal an Hills to UpCountry Lakes there are many lakes lakes in the Desert Wind swept hot green and salty imaginary Lakes where zebra Wade in shimmering air the soil of Africa attracts explorers like craft and Redman David Livingston Sir Richard Burton Sir Samuel Baker Joseph Thompson and John speak All In Search of a [Music] [Music] dream and the turn of the century drives the East African railroad from mbasa through 500 miles of wilderness to Lake Victoria 1920 World War I is over and Kenya Colony rolls into the 20th [Music] century it has been nearly 70 years since craft first glimpsed the snowcapped peaks of Mount Kenya many unsuccessful ascents were made until the 13th of September 1899 when mackinder first climbed bti [Music] in climbing the Peaks became increasingly Popular until 1952 when clouds of political unrest enveloped the mountain and Forest areas colonialism is on the way out at midnight the 12th of December 1963 internal self-government is celebrated and the new flag is placed at top the glaciers of Mount Kenya by the Mountaineer KY [Music] Minal har [Music] har zata slogan of national cooperation ripples over the countryside Cascades Into The Valleys is suspended in the very air through which it flows increasing in magnitude as it echoes off the mountain ridges reverberates on the wide plateaus and even penetrates the resilient bamboo bers of the Buffalo and Whispers to the nomadic dwellers of the [Music] Plains in some areas of Kenya however the laws of man are superseded by the ancient laws of nature but through the fragrantly flowering jakaranda the drums of Freedom sing to all tribes to the samburu the Somali the turana to the abuya the elolo the Waka to the embu the TA and the tugan to the masi the luo the Ki the meu to the kikuyu the kipsigis and the Suk and to the tribes of Europe Asia and Arabia who have chosen to make Kenya their home [Music] Nairobi end of track in 1900 now the communication center of the nation 300 M from the sea and a mile above it capital of 225,000 square mil of desert Farmland Forest Savannah and jungle seat of the popular government center for the administration of objects forces and people that constitute this diverse Nation there are nearly a million people living in Kenya over a quarter of that number live in this modern city the external symptoms of progress are immediately obvious but there are others free public education now a reality for all children regardless of their parents' economic status [Music] in one generation or perhaps in the lifetime of one man the changes have been [Music] incomprehensible one man one vote the index finger of the right hand extended upward the symbol of the newly elected govern wining [Music] party the traditions of the past are many some useful some no longer valid Spears once used in tribal Warfare are now replaced by symbolically crossed Spears on a flag respected by all tribes and that flag from a staff of volcanic rock and Ice 177,000 ft above the Indian Ocean looks to the Past and to the future of the Republic of Kenya [Music]