african cultures and traditions

7/28/2019 African Cultures and Traditions

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African Cultures and Traditions

Africa is the second largest continent and the most populous after Asia. More than one billion people live in Africa. Origins of humans and hominids are traced back to Africa, making it the

oldest habited region. Africa has a diverse geography ranging from deserts to snow capped

mountains. Tropical rain forest is present in the equatorial region. Due south are found the

grasslands which give way to the coastal plains. Long rivers such as Nile, Niger, Zaire, and

Zambezi drain the continent. Africa consists of more than 50 countries and occupies a largeamount of land divided into distinct ecological zones.

African Culture Facts Due to adaptations to the different African regions, many African traditions and cultures have

been developed. In colonial times Africa was exploited for its natural wealth, which led to major

consequences such as slave trade, indentured labor and forced migration of people. Tounderstand this further, consider the words of Dr. Marimba Ani, "The continuity of African

cultural identity has been interrupted by the experience of slavery. We as people, have not been

allowed to find our way back to the sense of cultural identity and continuity needed to function

in the world with a collective consciousness."

People and Culture When one thinks of Africa, many ideas come into the mind. The culture of Africa to many mindsconsists largely of tribal communities living in harmony with nature, with unchanged lifestyles

since millennia. Also, other popular themes about Africa emphasize its natural wealth in the

terms of flora and fauna over diverse landscapes such as deserts, grasslands, rain forest andcoastal plains. Africa, even today stands out as a continent marked by violence, AIDS,

underdevelopment and poverty, amidst vast resources of minerals and natural wealth. These



images and information only serve to give an incomplete view of Africa.

Diversity Africa has a rich and diverse presence of humanity which has adapted to different ecological

zones, complex socio-economic spheres and still preserved its culture and traditions in the face

of a hoary and often turbulent past. Linguistic diversity is seen in the number of languages anddialects spoken in Africa, up to two thousand. Numerous tribes, ethnic and social groups, areindigenous to Africa some representing very large populations consisting of millions of people

and other smaller groups of a few thousand. Some of the tribes and ethnic groups are engaged in

different forms of activity including subsistence activity such as hunting and gathering, pastoralism, horticulture and farming. These activities and other social activities form the

essential basis of life in Africa. Other social groups are engaged in activities such as trade and

commerce all of which contribute to the fabric of African culture and traditions.

African Cultures and Tribes Many different social groups and tribes are found across the continent of Africa - with their

culture varying from tribe to tribe. Some of the tribes have traditions of clothing and accessoriesin the form of jewelry's, beads, shell and apparel that reflect their traditional origin. Tattooing,

piercing, scarring and otherwise enhancing some part of the body through accessories is

common. Circumcision, largely male, but sometimes female is practiced in some parts of Africa

as a rite of passage. Masks, elaborate headgear, hunting gear, weapons, ritualistic artifacts, etc.are used to mark identity, special abilities and status of the individuals. There are many social

events associated with the tribal cultures such as courtship, weddings, initiation into warrior

groups, coming of age, feasting and other traditional celebrations.

Oral Traditions Word of mouth is very important in Africa and oral literature consists of myths, origin fables,

folklore, history, genealogy, folk remedies and is very popular with the people of Africa, who previously did not store this knowledge in written records, but rather passed it from generation to

generation by word of mouth. Singing and story telling are very popular and highly prized in

society.

Arts and Crafts Arts and crafts have a rich tradition in Africa. Wood, metal, gourds and leather are used for fashioning all types of work. African arts and crafts include sculpture, paintings, pottery,

ceremonial and religious headgear, ritual articles, musical instruments, weapons and dress.

Religion and Beliefs African religions include many beliefs including animism, spiritual beliefs, witchcraft and

Shamanism. Some are also influenced but not completely taken over by modern religions such as

Christianity and Islam, which are often added to the core belief systems, and traditional rituals.

Modern religions such as Islam and Christianity still have a large number of traditionaladherents. There are many other religions and belief systems in Africa.

African Culture and Food African cuisine largely consists of local influences and colonial additions and includes

african cultures and traditions

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