1. 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.

2. African Ethnic Groups Website

5. Arabs

6. Arab Ethnic Group
The Arabs migrated across the Sinai peninsula into Egypt. From there they spread their culture and religion, Islam.
The largest majority of Muslims live in Northern Africa
5 pillars of faith
God- Allah
Prophet-Mohammad

7. Tuareg- The Blue Men Warriors Artwork Sword most prized possession
Nomadic herders
Camels, goats, cattle, chickens
Live in tribes of people

8. Ashanti

9. Ashanti Ethnic Group 1. The majority of Ashanti are Christians
2. Traditional religious beliefs are the second largest religious group. Traditional beliefs are a mixture of spiritual and supernatural powers.
3. The smallest percentage of Ashanti is
Islamic.

10. Traditional Religion
The Ashanti religion is a mixture of spiritual and supernatural powers. They believe that plants, animals, and trees have souls. They also believe in fairies, witches, and forest monsters. There are a variety of religious beliefs involving ancestors, higher gods, or abosom, and ‘Nyame’, the Supreme Being of Ashanti. The Ashanti also practice many rites for marriage, death, puberty, and birth.

11. The Ashanti hold to an ancestor belief system, with the idea that there is a soul in every living thing, and also the belief in lower and higher powers. 
The head of the household is usually the oldest brother, the family units themselves are usually very tight knit with divorce being very rare.

12. Ashanti Leaders Traditional Government

13. King with Christian calendar in the background

14. Gold Coast

16. The Ashanti live in a communal society and family units live all together. Many different huts with a courtyard in the Middle for each family unit

18. The Golden Stool
The golden stool is sacred to the Ashanti. There is an elaborate legend surrounding it that is told by the old men of Ashanti. The golden stool is very carefully protected. No one has ever sat on it and since its arrival, it has not touched the ground. As an Ashanti symbol, the golden stool represents the worship of ancestors, well-being, and the nation of Ashanti.

19. The Golden Stool

20. Kente Cloth
Kente is an Asante ceremonial cloth hand-woven on a horizontal treadle loom.
Cloths come in various colors, sizes and designs and are worn during very important social and religious occasions.
A visual representation of history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, moral values, social code of conduct, religious beliefs, political thought and aesthetic principles

22. Bantu

23. Bantu Ethnic Group
Bantu is the language and ethnic group from which the Swahili language and ethnic group developed.
The Bantu migration, which spanned many centuries, influenced the development of many ethnic groups and languages in sub-Saharan Africa.

24. to spread throughout sub-Sahara Africa.
.Around 3000 years ago, the Bantu people started
to spread throughout sub-Sahara Africa.
They spread throughout the lower part of the African
continent for more than 1000 years in what is believed
to be the largest migration of people in history.

25. Bantu Ethnic Group Bantu practice traditional religions
They focus on the power of ancestors.
However, there are many who are Christians or Muslims

29. Swahili

30. Swahili Ethnic Group
While the Swahili language is spoken by over 90 million people, the Swahili ethnic group numbers about 1.3 million.
They primarily live in East African countries like Kenya and Tanzania.
The primary religion practiced by the Swahili ethnic group is Islam.
Traditional Beliefs

31. Children recite the Quran

32. Swahili Economy
The deep harbors along the east African coast have long sustained a profitable fishing and shipping economy.
The lush coastal plain provides a fertile environment for growing coconut palms, fruit trees, spices, and mangrove in swamp areas

33. fishermen

34. Swahili art is magnificently expressed in the design of carpets, rugs, porcelain, and jewelry, all of which reflect some Asian influence.
The Swahili also incorporate
unique architecture into the
design of their homes
and mosques.