African Society and Culture Ch. 3 Sec. 3 Pages 230-237

Why Was Story Telling Important? Storytelling: keep history/ culture alive Passed down traditions No written language Relied on oral history Relied on griots to tell stories Accuracy of stories unknown Not writing a story down may lead to inaccuracies of the story Things tend to change as they are being retold.

I. Life in Medieval Africa Family: basis of African society Extended family: many generations (10 - hundreds of members) Many villages: matrilineal (traced descent through mother Children: valued A bond between past & future

A. Education Education= responsibility of villagers/family Kids learned history and skills to survive Griots: (storytellers) passed down oral history

B. What Was the Role of Women Women: mothers and wives Men had more freedom/rights Soldiers or Queens Queen Dahia al-Kahina led her kingdom in battle against Muslim invaders Queen Nzinga battled slave traders for almost 40 years stop them from enslaving her people

A. African Art Art & Religion developed together Art had religious purposes: wooden masks/statues celebrate religious beliefs Masks helped communication with spiritual world Stories have morals/lessons

B. Music and Dance Music: feelings, get through tasks Dance: spirits express themselves Drums, bells, whistles keep beat Slaves’ songs eventually became the blues Also formed: jazz, rap, rock & roll, hip hop