Religious/Ethnic Groups of Africa Mr. Barrett 7 th SS

Overview Most Africans are either Muslim or Christian. About 15% of Africans participate a traditional religion and worship sky gods or other spirits and ancestors

Missionaries Missionaries began spreading Islam and Christianity into Africa at their beginnings. Christianity= 100 AD Islam=700 AD

Ethnic Groups There are several thousand ethnic groups in Africa. While each group has its own distinct history, art and religious customs, the groups have influenced each other. Main groups are: Arabs, Ashanti, Bantu and Swahili

Arabs Most northern Africans are Arab and practice Islam They migrated to Africa from Arabia

Ashanti Major ethnic group living in central Ghana in western Africa. Their religion is a mixture of supernatural and spiritual powers They believe that plants, animals and trees have souls The family and the mother’s clan are most important They live as an extended family in home or huts set up around a courtyard Ashanti Weaving

Bantu Culture and Religion 50,000 BC is the earliest signs of Bantu culture in what is present day Cameroon Today the Bantu are in countries from the equator to southern Africa About 60 million modern day Africans can trace their language back to those Bantu of long ago Apx 400 African languages have Bantu roots

Swahili Culture and Religion The Swahili are all Muslims living in a narrow strip of land from the north coast of Kenya to the capital of Tanzania Arab culture is a vital part of Swahili culture The Swahili language reflects Bantu and Arab roots