Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford
Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford returns to host the second series of a four-part factual series on Africa and is cultural legacy.
When the first aired on BBC Four in January 2010 it would go on to become the channels highest rated factual programme to date as well as being aired later on BBC2.
This new four-part series takes him across the continent from Morocco in the north to South Africa as well as Ghana and Uganda.
The series starts with an exploration of the Asante Kingdom (located in modern-day Ghana) and its unlikely beginnings in dense tropical forest to become one of Africa’s complex and sophisticated civilisations.
Next he explores South Africa’s Zulu Kingdom focusing on its 17th century leader King Shaka and the brutal encounters he and his people would have with the Boers and the British.
He then turns his spotlight on Berber Kingdom of Morocco, which over centuries would cover an area from Spain to West Africa. It’s rulers would commission fabulous architecture and promote sophisticated ideas.
Then finally ending with a look at Uganda’s two great kingdoms – Bunyoro and Buganda. Casely-Hayford goes in search of reasons behind their dramatic reversal of fortunes, and how one kingdom used the arrival of Europeans to its own advantage.
The new series starts Monday January 30th on BBC4 at 9pm.
[Thanks Urbane]
MAD NEWS UK 
I will definitely be watching this.
Thanks
E
I watched the last one and i will watch this too.
I can’t wait for this. The last series of programmes wasn’t in depth enough for me but I’ll still be watching. Glad to see a series of programmes showing Africa’s history did not start with colonialism
How good was it??
I would say the last series was oke dokay. I appreciate that it was on BBC for a much larger crowd to watch. But it did lack depth and wasn’t shaded enough for someone who plans to use it as a starting point for research. He hopped from place to place within a short amount of time and left too many stuff I wanted aired completely unexplored. I would appreciate a africanised narrative prose for this installment. it ads a whole lot more meaning to the description of artifacts. If he could ditch the Dutch explorer attire and wear traditional stuff instead…
@Lati
You should know that the first series will be availble on DVD from Monday, February 6th via BBC DVD.
@Lechatnoir
Points taken.
However, you should bear in mind that its taken best part of a decade to get the first series on air. Not many UK broadcasters wanted to touch a series on Africa let alone one looking at its cultural past. Unlike many UK factual series it didn’t have a large budget say of Birdflight or Forzen Planet plus no international co-production monies. Therefore it structure was mainly dictated by those facts.
If your looking for something in more depth about africa would strongly suggest catching BBC Four’s The World Against Apartheid: Have You Heard from Johannesburg. Though, sadly even that’s been cut from its orginal length of 9 hours to 5.
Now this is what I’m talking about *clap clap*
Hi, Thank you for your comment. I need to check out the documentary on apartheid.A different take on the subject matter would be refreshing.
Research and writing for broadcasting are time consuming and production cost an arm and a leg. if this was america this topic would not even be touched upon as their broadcasting landscape is hugely competitive. But the biggest problem is people who can’t sit through a documentary about the african continent. Unless its about wildlife.