For an antidote to this, try Kingdoms of Kalamar (published by Kenzer & co.). They have an African-analogue setting that they describe as being as extensive and prosperous as the Roman Empire. I don't believe it's been updated to 5E, but it's mostly flavor anyway.This was my issue with Tomb of Annihilation, love the adventure but they fall back on those same racist tropes that have been done to death concerning the chultans. For example, every predominately black fantasy culture is a bombed out depleted husk, either collapsed or colonized.
For an antidote to this, try Kingdoms of Kalamar (published by Kenzer & co.). They have an African-analogue setting that they describe as being as extensive and prosperous as the Roman Empire. I don't believe it's been updated to 5E, but it's mostly flavor anyway.
I've always been interested in creating fantasy analogs of African cultures and mythology. I believe they are tough to do well though. Western depictions of black/African cultures even in a fantasy setting, are mired with racist tropes perpetuated to the point where people don't even realize that they reinforce harmful narratives because they are the default depiction.
This was my issue with Tomb of Annihilation, love the adventure but they fall back on those same racist tropes that have been done to death concerning the chultans. For example, every predominately black fantasy culture is a bombed out depleted husk, either collapsed or colonized.
Also...describing European influence in Africa as a negative impression is one of the wildest understatements I've ever seen.
Arrrgggghhh, people see racism where their is none. First off the Chultan human peoples were colonized by imperilist forces, the Chultans were never a conquerered people ever. The Chultans aren't native to Chult, they are immigrants from Katashaka, FRs fantasy African, Chult IS their colony, and they displaced the native Yuan Ti culture. FR is mostly Fantasy Europe, but with heavy colonization and immigration by none white populations like Shou, Taxabi (humans not the Catfolk), and Mulan among others. The only major native none white populations are the Durpuri and Turmish.
Also the territory controlled by the Chultans is thriving economically, its the rest of the area that is a mess. So no Chult does not fit into any African stereotypes. Even much of the wildlife isn't particularly African, more Jurrassic Park.
People see what they assume to see, not what it is. Its very frustrating because they base it on a mix of preconceptions and not understanding the History of the Setting well enough.
Confusing Chult a colony with Katashaka the motherland is like confusing Canada for Europe.
First, I never accused WOTC of being racist. There is a difference between trying to tell a story using specific themes, and trying to demean a group of people. My issue is predominately with how Chult was presented in Tomb of Annihilation, by no means a civilized land. Nobody is buying the "it's a lost world homage" when most of the citizens have names like Ekefene-Afa and most everyone looks black. "Chwinga" "Jazculli", even the monsters have African sounding names.
And if you want to get into "deep lore" the primordial Ubtao, defacto ruler of Chult gathered the people now referred to as Chultans via a Couatl led pilgrimage in -c3000 DR. But that isn't important, I'm talking about how the material is presented, most people aren't digging in lore crates to try and headcannon all of this to make sense. They are taking the content as is.
After losing all other settlements, I guess if you call a single port in a disease ridden undead infested land mass being economically successful you wouldn't be wrong but...what a low bar.
I'm standing on what I said.
And with respect, don't talk down to me and tell me what I saw.
They only had one other city and it's not destroyed, just hiding in another plane.
And I am "buying" it as a lost world civilization, because it is, look at the ecosystem and the history of the place.
And I'm not talking down to you, I'm just saying it like it is.
A few names that sound vaguely Africanish does not make Chult a fantasy Africa, just a "lost world" type of area with cultures of fantasy Africa ancestory.