(AT) Africa Culture Lesson

Originating from the Arabian Desert.

Speak the Arabic language.

Found mostly in North Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran.

Predominantly Muslim; which means most believe in Islam.

Arab people began to spread into North Africa in the late 600s, when the first Muslim armies arrived in Egypt.

Arab armies, traders, and scholars soon spread across northern Africa all the way to Morocco. The term “Arab” also includes Arabic-speaking Christians in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. Wherever the Arabs went, they took Islam and the Arabic language with them.

The Arabic language, the religion of Islam, and many other aspects of Muslim culture became part of Africa.

The term “Arab” refers to an ethnic group made up of people who speak the Arabic language.

Some Jews, Kurds, Berbers, Copts, and Druze speak Arabic, but are not usually considered Arab.

Matrilineal society (descent traced through female).

Found mostly in Ghana (WEST Africa).

Tribal identity is important.

Most Ashanti believe in traditional beliefs for their religion.

Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa.

Today, they live predominately in Ghana and Ivory Coast.

The majority of Ashantis reside in Ashanti, Asanteman (currently a sub-nation within Ghana).

The total Ashanti population is over 7 million.

In 1701, a meeting of all the clan chiefs in the region was held.

In this meeting, a Golden Stool was produced from the heavens by a priest and landed on the lap of Osei Tutu, the first king.

The Golden Stool was declared to be the symbol of the new Ashanti kingdom.

The Golden Stool is sacred to the Ashanti, as it is believed that the kingdom will last as long as it remains in the hands of the Ashanti king.

The Golden Stool is an Ashanti legend and has only been seen by the tribe's royalty -- only the king and trusted advisers know the hiding place of the stool.

Ashanti believe in a supreme god who takes on various names depending upon the region of worship.

The Ashanti believe lower gods, like spirits, are on earth to assist humans.

Spirits receive their power from the supreme god and are most often connected to the natural world.

Ashanti priests serve the spirits and act as mediators between the supreme god and humans.

This is called animism – the belief that natural physical entities, including animals, plants, and features of the earth, have a spiritual essence.

Other religions (Islam & Christianity) are also practiced by many Ashanti.

Located in central and Southern Africa.

Share common language families (over 400 Bantu languages).

Over 60 million people.

There is a mix of all three religious beliefs, some believe in traditional beliefs, others are Christians and Muslims.

Bantu generally refers to nearly 600 ethnic groups in Africa who speak Bantu languages.

The Bantu people are distributed throughout central and southern parts of the continent.

Bantu make up about two-thirds of Africa’s population and cover the southern half of the continent.

The word “bantu” means “the people”.

The Bantu originally came from southeastern Nigeria and Cameroon, and then spread east and south near Zambia.

Around 1000 CE, the Bantu reached present-day Zimbabwe and South Africa.

As they spread across the continent, they met many new people, learned new skills, and shared their customs and beliefs.

They intermarried with the people, accepting new traditions and blending them with Bantu culture.

Bantu-speaking people settled as far south as the southern tip of Africa.

The Bantu migration was one of the largest movements of people in Africa’s history.

East coastal Africa.

Mix of Arab and Bantu cultures.

“Swahili” means coastal dwellers in Arabic.

Most are Muslim.

The Swahili people inhabit the southern coast of East Africa, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

Members mostly reside in the eastern African Great Lakes region, along the Swahili coast.

The total population is 1,328,000.

The Swahili community developed along the coast of East Africa when Arab traders began to settle there and intermarry with the local Bantu-speaking population.

The groups’ name comes from the Arabic word “Swahili,” which means “one who lives on the coast”.

Islam established its presence in the region during the 9th century, when Arab traders made contact with the Bantu people.

Islam has been one of the factors that helped create a common identity for such a diverse group of people.

Many among the Swahili also follow local religious beliefs that have been part of the culture of eastern Africa since before Muslim traders arrived.