1. What important religious and cultural aspects make-up today’s Africa?
African Culture
What important religious and cultural aspects make-up today’s Africa?

2. This week we will focus on…
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 Arab, Ashanti, Bantu, and Swahili ethnic groups. c. Evaluate how the rate of literacy affects the standard of living.
This week we will focus on…

3. Review: What is an ethnic group?
Ethnic groups are people who share a language or religion.

4. Review: What is a religious group?
Religious groups are people who share a belief in god or gods.

5. Arabs and the African Culture
SG: Arabs brought Islam with them to Africa.
SG: Most Muslims live in Northern and Eastern Africa.

6. Arabs and the African Culture
Africa’s Child: Big City Girl
While watching video, answer the following:
What is her religion?
Name two things related to religion in her everyday life.
What is her ethnicity?
Name two things related to ethnicity in her everyday life.

7. What are the three ethnic groups in Africa?
African Culture

8. New Vocabulary!
Ashanti
Bantu
Swahili

9. Ashanti
SG: Most Ashanti live in Ghana in western Africa.

10. Ashanti Culture Family: Mother’s clan is the most important.
Child inherits the father’s soul or spirit and the mom’s flesh and blood.
This makes them more related to the mom’s side.

11. Ashanti Religion
SG: Those who practice the traditional Ashanti religion believe there is one supreme God.
Mixture of spiritual and supernatural powers
Plants, animals, and trees have souls.
They believe in fairies, witches and forest monsters.
The golden stool is sacred, very carefully protected, no one has ever sat on it and it has not touched the ground (ever).
It represents the worship of ancestors, well-being, and the nation of Ashanti.

12. Africa’s Child: Dance to the Drum
Life in Ghana
Africa’s Child: Dance to the Drum

13. Bantu
SG: The Bantu people share a related language and only some cultural characteristics.
SG: The Bantu practice a wide variety of religions.

14. Understand the Bantu Make up about 2/3 of the Africa’s population
Inhabit the southern and eastern part of the continent
Known more as a language group than an ethnic group

15. The Swahili SG: The majority of the Swahili people are found
in East Africa.
Name given to the coastal people who historically could be found as far north as Somalia and as far south as Mozambique.
Oral histories of them tend to start with the arrival of Muslims from either Arabia or the Persian Gulf.

16. SG: The Swahili language is a mixture of Bantu and Arabic.
SG: Islam is the religion common among the Swahili today.

17. What important religious and cultural aspects make-up today’s Africa?
Answer this essential question in a complete sentence:
___(Fill in the blank with your thoughts)___ are the major religious and cultural aspects that make up today’s Africa.