Chapter 18 States and Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1 Effects of Early African Migrations Bantu-speaking peoples settle south of equator Agriculture, herding spreads with Bantu migrations Iron metallurgy…
20) African societies organized around kinship or other forms of obligation and lacking the concentration of political power and authority were referred to as…
It is said that the Africa culture stands out more than any other culture In the World. With a rich and diverse culture African culture is known to change from county to county, many cultures along with traditions are found in Africa which makes Africa diverse, unique and mesmerizing in many ways to the world. Africa culture is all about the ethnic group’s family traditions, the literature, art and music shows the religion along with the social paths of their culture. (Nafisa Baxamusa, 2011)…
Islam has spread throughout African societies and influenced them for the better. According to document one, merchants served as carriers of Islam. This is so because they opened trade routes that the society was once cut off from. Additionally, religious leaders became a key component within the civilizations. They played roles similar to priests and had mosques built around the newly converted community. Overall, Islam spread throughout African societies, causing them to advance further socially, religiously and politically.…
The West African kingdoms that arose in the early to middle part of the second millennium were very interesting peoples with unique ways of life. There were many different aspects of daily life that were important to these great kingdoms. Art, family and culture were all very rich and important to theses peoples. However, one of the main aspects of daily life was religion.…
14. "The particular cultures and societies of Africa and the Americas discussed in this chapter developed largely in isolation from one another." What evidence would support this statement, and what might challenge it?…
During the period of 600 BCE to 600 CE, the Bantu-speaking Africans gradually began to interact with humans and the environment by settling into varying parts of West and East Africa and creating a network with their neighbors in order to receive new technologies and foods. The Bantu exchanged goods with local hunter-gatherers, and the people cut into forests and settled down into villages. The Assyrians first brought iron to Egypt around 600 BCE and it quickly spread to Sub-Saharan Africa. Around 200 CE, Indonesians settled on the coast bringing Asian bananas and, since they had a higher yield than African bananas, they spread inland and improved the food supply. People from southern Arabia established settlements on the coast near the Ethiopian highlands and through mixing with local residents, formed a new language known as Ge'ez (later Axum).…
There are many comparisons and contrasts of the social structures and religious beliefs between West Africa and Europe from 700-1500 BCE. Some of these include that West Africa was mainly Islam and Europe was Catholic. Both West Africa and Europe had patriarchal societies. Both of these groups are very different but also have some similarities.…
Language throughout our culture is extremely powerful. It is used to make connections with other people, it is used in business, and countless other things. Without language there would be no unity or diversity. Both Anzaldúa and Morrison explore the power of language in their own perspectives.…
Communities began to form and one of the key aspects of these communities was their religion. Africans believed in polytheistic religions with an element of object worship present. Fortunately though the Gods of Agriculture and Fertility were shared among all religious sects thus allowing them to practice alongside each other. These churches were often run in secret in North America and sometimes fused the…
The role of religion has changed over time in West Africa from the migration of Islam bringing its new faith, rituals, and establishment of a greater connection with the outside world through trade and cultural diffusion. However the unique African religion that existed beforehand was still retained; the African culture still believing in animism and polytheism even after the spread of Islam. From 1000-1500 CE the role of religion has seen changes and continuities influenced by the spread of foreign territories, economics, and political/social systems in West Africa.…
In the west, Voltaic, Guinea, and Atlantic and Bantu subfamily are mixing inside the countries, which means the borders have moved last few centuries.…
South Africa is one of the few countries in the world, and the only country in Africa, which has seen, during the 20th Century, the development of a language from one which had no governmental recognition, and existed largely in spoken form, to one in which substantial parts of the government, the national economy, and higher education were run. The population of South Africa is not only multiracial but it is also multilingual. It is estimated that about 25 languages are spoken within South Africa’s borders (Mesthrei, 2006).…
We are all surrounded by different cultures every day. It is very important to learn and get a better understanding of the cultural differences in South Africa. We can learn a lot about other people as well as ourselves through being open to explore different cultures/languages. Learning, understanding, embracing and communicating through other languages other than your mother tongue, you get a better view of other’s cultures and therefore respect the people and their values more, it increases your ability to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds, and you will get along with people better and not be threatened by other cultures. Today we have families who adopt children from other cultures, interracial relationships and marriages – these relationships between the people unite their different cultures, thus having their friends and family being exposed to all sorts of cultures other than their own. The will to learn more about cultural diversity, respect your fellow South Africans and be more open-minded about exploring one or more cultures other than your own, although sadly not all people are willing to take this step and learn and accept another cultures into their lives - it is really heartbreaking!…
One of the most striking features of the cultures of sub-Saharan Africa is their non-individualistic character: “Although African cultures display awesome diversity, they also show remarkable similarities. Community is the cornerstone in African thought and life.” An African is not a rugged individual, but a person within a community. In the words of John Mbiti, “I am, because we are; and since we are, therefore I am.” Or, as Yusufu Turaki puts it: “People are not individuals, living in a state of independence, but part of a community, living in relationships and interdependence.”…