SS7G4 THE STUDENT WILL DESCRIBE THE DIVERSE CULTURES OF THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AFRICA.
A. EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN ETHNIC GROUP AND A
RELIGIOUS GROUP.
B. EXPLAIN THE DIVERSITY OF RELIGIONS WITHIN THE ARAB, ASHANTI,
BANTU, AND SWAHILI ETHNIC GROUPS.
Swahili, Ashanti,
Bantu, and Arab
Ethnic Groups
SWAHILI
The Swahili people are an ethnic
group living chiefly on the Swahili
Coast of East Africa, mainly the
coastal regions and the islands of
Kenya and Tanzania, and north
Mozambique. The name Swahili is
derived from the Arabic word
Sawahil, meaning "coastal
dwellers". They speak Swahili(also
known as Kiswahili), a Bantu
language.
SWAHILI
Art:
They do not often use designs with images of living beings
due to their Muslim heritage. Instead, Swahili designs are
primarily geometric.
Religion:
Most Swahili are Islamic.
Music:
Tarabu is the main type of music
Combination of Swahili tunes sung in rhythmic
poem mixed in with Arabic or even Indian melodies
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thevillagefoundation
http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemid=2787
ASHANTI
The Ashanti live in central Ghana
in western Africa near the
coastline.
To the Ashanti, the family and the
mother’s clan are most
important.
The Ashanti live in an extended
family. The family lives in
various homes or huts that are
set up around a courtyard.
The Ashanti religion is a mixture of
spiritual and supernatural
powers.
They believe that plants, animals,
and trees have souls. (animism -
belief that souls or spirits exist not only in
humans but also in animals, plants, rocks,
natural phenomena such as thunder,
geographic features such as mountains or
rivers, or other entities of the natural
environment.)
They also believe in fairies, witches,
and forest monsters.
The golden stool is sacred to the
Ashanti. The golden stool
represents the worship of
ancestors, well-being, and the
nation of Ashanti.
http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumd
etails.aspx?itemid=728
ASHANTI
BANTU
Bantu migration is the movement of
Bantu speaking people from their
original homeland (craddleland) to
their current homelands.
Bantu people are said to have come
from Congo forest or part of Cameroon
and moved eastwards to present
Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Some
moved to South Africa.
The migration spread the Bantu
culture and language to Sub-Sahara
Africa.
BANTU
Literature:
Bantu are known for their mythology and fables.
Stories on god, death, creation, monsters, talking
animals.
Music:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thevillagefoundation
http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?itemi
d=901
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm8KfqTmgG0
MASKS
Africa masks can be traced back
to well past Paleolithic times
Made of various materials
including leather, metal, fabric
and various types of wood.
Masking ceremonies in Africa
have great cultural and
traditional significance.
DANCE
African dance refers mainly to the dance of
Sub-Saharan Africa
These dances teach social patterns and
values and helps people work, mature,
praise or criticize members of the
community while celebrating festivals
and funerals, competing, reciting history,
proverbs and poetry
http://www.5min.com/Video/How-toDance-the-Nago-African-Healing-Dance32267355
ARABS
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In 640 AD, the
Muslims, religious
followers of Islam who
were Arab, began their
conquest to control
North Africa. By 698
AD Arabs were in
control of North Africa.
Not all African Arabs
are Muslim. Many
practice Christianity or
traditional religions
today.
ARAB SLAVE TRADE
According to historians, between 11 and 18
million Africans were enslaved by Arab slave
traders and taken across the Red Sea, Indian
Ocean, and Sahara desert between 650 and
1900(AD), compared to 9.4 to 14 million
Africans brought to the Americas in the Atlantic
slave trade from 15th century to the early 19th
century.