Note sur la région diamantifère de l'Afrique australe 1880

This is the cover of "Note sur la région diamantifère de l'Afrique australe" (Note on the Diamond Region of Southern Africa) by M. Maurice Chaper, published in Paris in 1880. This document serves as a stark reminder of the colonial gaze cast upon the African continent. It highlights the diamond rush which led to the exploitation of land and people in Southern Africa. Chaper's "note" is more than an objective study; it's a reflection of European interests in African resources. It omits the experiences of local populations whose lives and lands were disrupted by colonial extraction. Its existence prompts us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in the act of observing and documenting another's land. What does it mean for a European scientist to "discover" and lay claim to knowledge about a region already inhabited and understood by its people? Consider how this act of documentation contributed to a narrative that fueled colonial ambitions. It frames a history that is as much about power and control as it is about geology and gemology.