1. Africa
The Cultures of Africa

5. Arabs The region of North Africa includes the following countries:
Egypt
Libya
Tunisia
Algeria
Morocco
Sudan

6. The Arabs People
A.D. 600’s, Arab armies from Southwest Asia entered into North Africa (Egypt)
Brought the Arabic language and Islam
Today most Africans are Muslim and speak Arabic
Muslim leadership allowed North African cities to become major centers of learning, trade, and craft making.

7. The Arabs People
Culture – the way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs.
Culture includes:
Food
Clothing
Homes
Jobs
Language
Religion
How people view the world, etc…

8. The Arabs People The Influence of Islam
Islam forms a common bond of culture among the people of North Africa
More than 95% of North Africans practice Islam and are called Muslims.
Islam and the Arabic language unify the different peoples of North Africa.

9. The Arabs People
Cultural Diffusion occurs when people travel, bringing their customs and ideas with them AND picking up new ideas and customs along the way.
In this way, customs and ideas are spread (or diffused) from one place to another.
The location of North Africa has contributed to the diffusion (spreading) of culture there.

10. The Ashanti People
Reside in central Ghana, kingdom was founded in 1701
The Golden Stool is the center of their spiritual practices. (represents the unity of the Ashanti people and the power of their chiefs)
Belief in a supreme god, or Nayme, traditional Ashanti believe that all living things have a soul
The mother’s family is important. (Flesh & Blood)
Children get their spirits from their father.
Heritage celebrated with festivals and ceremonies.
Other religions practiced by Ashanti are Christianity and Islam

11. The Ashanti People
West Africa is famous for its cultural diversity (or variety of cultures).
Why does West Africa have a wide variety of cultures?
There are many ethnic groups living in West Africa. Because West Africa has hundreds of different ethnic groups, it has a variety of cultures.

12. The Ashanti People
One important change affecting family life in West Africa is urbanization, in other words, people are moving from villages to the cities.
The Ashanti people
live in West Africa

13. The Ashanti King: notice his gold jewelry and kente cloth

14. The Swahili People Swahili means “one who lives on the coast.”
Swahili is also a Bantu language with Arabic influence.
Reside on the East African Coast from southern Somalia to northern Mozambique
Practice a strict form of Islam mixed with beliefs in spirits that can possess a person (mila) and herbal healing medicines
Men wear charms/amulets for protection. They contain verses from the Koran

15. The Swahili People
East Africa has great cultural diversity because its location is along the Indian Ocean.

16. The Swahili People
Due to frequent trade with the Middle East, East Africa has developed a culture, called Swahili, that is a mixture of African and Arab influences.
The Swahili language is important in East Africa because it is used for business and communication.

17. The Bantu People Originally from Southeast Nigeria
Reached Zimbabwe around 1000 CE
The Bantu Empire controlled trading routes from South Africa to the Zambezi River.
Traded gold, copper, precious stones, animal hides, ivory, and metal goods.
Many Bantu are Muslim, Christians and follow traditional animist religions (spirits in natural objects and surroundings)

18. The Bantu People
The struggle for majority rule in South Africa lasted so long that it inspired similar movements in Namibia and what is now Zimbabwe.
The important result of the formation of the National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa was that the workers led a movement for equal rights.

19. The Bantu Migrations
Around 2,000 years ago, a group of people who spoke Bantu languages began to migrate, or move, out of West Africa.
They moved to Central and Southern Africa perhaps looking for new land to farm.
They introduced farming, herding, and iron tools to these regions.

20. The Cultures of Africa Region North Africa West Africa East Africa
Central and Southern Africa
Culture
Islam and the Arabic language unite the peoples of North Africa
Hundreds of ethnic groups that speak different languages
The Ashanti people are here.
Swahili a mix of African and Arab cultures.
Hundreds of ethnic groups that speak different forms of the Bantu languages
South Africa is still largely economically divided by skin color.