Historically Educated
The Moja Saga was created with a focus on historical accuracy and the raw human emotions that lie behind these events. Although our characters are fictional, their stories are based on the true experiences of enslaved African people throughout history.
MOJA: a Music Saga’s producer, Carl Gustafson spent several years in Africa, Cuba, and more than 40 other countries to obtain the amount of historical accuracy he felt was needed to give respectful integrity to this project. Regardless of history books, specific agendas, and stereotypes, our team made it a point to reveal the hidden, and hard truths of African-Americans.
Without having to adhere to any specific agenda, the production team made it a point to reveal the hidden truths most African-American history books did not acknowledge through these characters’ stories. To do this, Moja’s producer Carl Gustafson spent several years of his life in Africa, Cuba, and more than 40 other countries.
Throughout his eight trips to Africa, Gustafson traveled off the beaten path to ensure he was hearing as many stories as possible from as many different types of people as possible
He backpacked all around the continent, often with translators guiding him. He interviewed people who typically are not consulted on these issues, and he asked them personal, emotional questions to learn their true stories. These are the people who inspired many of the stories you will hear in the saga.
Because The Moja Saga spans seven generations, listeners will be exposed to all aspects of African history and culture, from the peak of the slave trade in the 1800s, to post-Civil War America, to the beginning of the redemption of African music and culture in the 1900s, to its prevalence in our modern-day society.
Some of the key historical subjects you will hear about in the saga are:
- The Transatlantic Slave Trade
- The Ivory Trail
- Congo Square
- Types of African slavery – it was more than hard labor and picking cotton
- Slave plantations
- The Civil War
- Jim Crow Laws
- And more
Although Moja’s primary goal is to celebrate African-American music and culture through fictional characters, its dedication to the truth also makes it an excellent educational tool to help us understand the history of African slavery how and why this progression happened.
