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AFRICA
Africa is known to have the earliest archaeological discoveries of human development, including ancient cave paintings. Around 3,200BC, the Egyptians invented writing and made several weapons out of bronze. However, advancement in Egyptian civilization caused a major separation from Africa and the Sahara Desert.
North Africa is between the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean, and the region has been influenced by various cultures from Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Egypt. After 800AD, trade with Arabs led to the spread of Islam to other parts of Africa.
Most Arab merchants brought spices and various goods and, in return, bought gold and slaves from Africans.
In the 15th century, Europeans partnered with the Portuguese during the slave trade. They transported West, Central and Southern Africans overseas, creating the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. As a result, European colonization in Africa grew rapidly, and this created what was later christened “The scramble for Africa”.
CULTURE OF AFRICA
Africa’s culture is unique, consisting of various tribes and diverse populations. This culture is expressed through arts and crafts, religion, folklore, clothing, cuisine, music and languages.
As diverse as these cultures are, Africans share certain ideological similarities. These include their moral code, love and respect for their traditions and the strong respect they hold for their kings and chiefs.
Africa has influenced different parts of the world in many ways, including through entertainment (Afrobeat and movies). This is partly due to the fact that the people remain rooted in their traditions. In addition, African governments encourage the growth of the creative arts (national dance and music groups, museums, artists writers, etc.).
African arts and crafts—typically expressed through wood carvings, paintings, pottery and leather and brass work—are admired across the globe. Moreover, many African cultures take their physical appearances very seriously, making jewellery and body adornments vital accessories.
Many pieces of jewellery are made of cowrie shells, seeds, nuts and ivory. Similarly, masks are made with colourful designs and remain an important part of the African lifestyle. They are mainly used in ceremonies that showcase ancestors, mythological characters and spirits.
African music is mostly played at gatherings like churches, weddings, parties or special ceremonies. Special songs are used in rituals and religious ceremonies as well as for entertainment purposes. In sub-Saharan Africa, music consists of percussion instruments of every variety, including xylophones, shekere, whistles, horns, djembes, drums, and tone-producing instruments, such as the prempensua.
Many Caribbean genres, including soca, calypso and zouk, have African rhythms and sounds. Latin American music genres such as the rumba, conga, bomba, cumbia, salsa and samba were formed during slavery and have, in turn, influenced popular African music.
The line of each instrument/part matters more than how the different instruments and parts fit together. Each instrument or part may represent a particular aspect of life or a different character. African music does not have a written tradition; there is little or no written music to study or analyze.
African music consists of complex rhythmic patterns, often involving one rhythm played against another to create a polyrhythm. The most common polyrhythm plays three beats on top of two. Beyond the rhythmic nature of the music, African music differs from Western music in that the various parts of the music do not necessarily combine in a harmonious fashion.
RELIGIOUS BELIEF
Many African religions believe in a supreme God who created the world. Some examples include the Oludumare of Yorubaland (SW Nigeria) and the Katonda of Uganda. In some religions, this God may be prayed to for help, while in others, the supreme God does not interact with humans.
The spirits of dead ancestors often play an important part in traditional African religions. By honouring them, believers hope that the spirits will help them or talk to the supreme God on their behalf.
Beneath the supreme God are a number of spirits who mostly exist in nature, including animals, water and the earth.
Some African religions believe in offering some sort of sacrifice to their God or the spirits. This sacrifice varies from small items (like a portion of food and drink) to much larger items (like cattle or chicken).
These practices include rituals surrounding birth, marriage, initiation into adulthood and death.
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