The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Objectives: Learn about West Africa’s ethnic diversity. Find out about the importance of family ties in West African culture. Examine the West African tradition of storytelling. In this section you will:

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Key Terms cultural diversity (KUL chur ul duh VUR suh tee) n. a wide diversity of cultures kinship (KIN ship) n. a family relationship nuclear family (NOO klee ur FAM uh lee) n. the part of a family that includes parents and children extended family (ek STEN did FAM uh lee) n. the part of a family that includes parents, children, and other relatives

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Key Terms (continued) lineage (LIN ee ij) n. a group of families descended from a common ancestor clan (KLAN) n. a group of lineages

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Instead, they are known for their cultural diversity. Unlike North Africans, West Africans are not united by a common language or a single religion. West Africa is a region of many different countries and hundreds of different ethnic groups.

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 West Africa

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 West Africa’s diversity is reflected in its many languages. A student, for example, might hear one language at home, another at school, and another in a nearby village. French English Portuguese Hausa To communicate, most people speak more than one language:

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 West Africa: Languages Each major language group, shown here, includes many different languages.

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Diversity is also evident in the different ways West Africans make a living. rural areassubsistence farming commercial farming Sahara and Sahelherding cattle, goats, sheep, and camels coastal regionsfishing citieswork in hospitals, hotels, and office buildings

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 The most important groups in West Africa are based on kinship, or family relationships: nuclear families extended families Often, members of extended families live together, work together, and make decisions together. They care for the sick, the elderly, and those who need help.

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Kinship ties can reach beyond extended families to larger groups: lineage clans Members of these groups may be more distantly related, but they still can trace their descent to a common ancestor.

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Ancestry is traced in different ways, depending on a group’s traditions. Some groups are matrilineal, tracing their descent through female ancestors. Most groups in West Africa, however, are patrilineal. They trace their descent through male ancestors.

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 This diagram traces the lineage of the couple in the center. The husband’s side is purple; the wife’s is orange. In a matrilineal society, descent is traced through the women outlined in red.

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 Though kinship ties remain strong, family life is changing for many in West Africa due to urbanization: men travel to cities to find jobs women stay in rural areas, raising children and farming men return home to visit and share earnings

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 One way West Africans keep family ties strong is through the art of storytelling. explain the histories of ethnic groups and kinship teach cultural values to children keep traditions alive A griot recites stories, fables, proverbs, riddles, and songs that are part of a family’s oral traditions. Such stories, passed down from one generation to the next, play an important role:

The Cultures of West Africa Chapter 8 Section 2 West African traditions have influenced many other cultures, including those in the United States. Many of the Africans taken to the Americas as slaves came from West Africa. Their ideas, stories, dances, music, and customs came with them. Today, griot guitarists and other West African musicians, writers, and artists have wide followings around the world.