African People November 3, 2014

Background There are a variety of peoples living in Africa. They come from different religions and ethnicities. Ethnic Group: the group with which you share a common ancestry, history, or culture. You often practice this group’s customs, beliefs, and language. Religious Group: the group with which you identify your religion

Ethnicity of Africa There are many different ethnic groups living in Africa. There are 4 prominent ones: –Arab –Ashanti –Bantu –Swahili

Arabs Originated in Southwest Asia, but spread to North Africa, including Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Morocco Speak the Arabic language, with variations in dialects Most are Sunni Muslim There are constant ethnic issues between Arabs and Sudanese living in northern Sudan.

Ashanti Live mostly in Ghana, in western Africa Speak the Asante language Many practice Christianity or traditional African religions The Ashanti people have lived in the region for almost 900 years and are well- known for their gold jewelry and colorful style of dress

Bantu There are about 120 million Bantu living in Africa, mostly south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo There are almost 100 Bantu languages, including Swahili and Zulu Many practice Catholicism or Christianity The Bantu were the group to originally mix with the Arabs to create the Swahili culture

Swahili Live mostly in eastern Africa, in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar Speak the Swahili language, or a dialect of Swahili Most practice Christianity or Islam, usually depending on the country they live in The word “Swahili” means coast people in Arabic

Other groups living in Africa Europeans –Many descendants of Europeans colonists still live in Africa today, many in northern and southern Africa –They often speak the language of their ancestors’ country Other African tribes –There are hundreds of African tribes –Many speak languages that are traditional, along with the European language of their former colonists –Some practice traditional African religions, while others practice Christianity, Islam, Catholicism, or Judaism

Questions 1. What is an ethnic group? 2. What is a religious group? 3. What are the 4 main ethnic groups in Africa? 4. Where do most African Arabs live? 5. Where do most Ashanti live? 6. What language do Ashanti speak? 7. What religions do most Ashanti practice? 8. Where do most Bantu live? 9. What religions do most Bantu practice? 10. Where do the Swahili people live? 11. What religions do most Swahili practice? 12. What language do European descendants living in Africa speak?