Religion and Culture in Africa 6th Grade UBD - Unit 8 - Religion and Culture in Africa Religion and Culture in Africa

Preview Traditional Religion in Africa- For thousands of years, the native-born people of Africa have practiced traditional religions. The Influence of Christianity and Islam- Christianity reached Egypt before 100 CE. Islam began to spread through northern Africa during the 600s CE.

Reach Into Your Background Religion is an important part of culture. What role does religion play in the United States? Explain your answer. ( 5 minutes)

Partner Activity Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

Religion and Rituals Video- Religion and Rituals

Key Ideas- Traditional Religion in Africa Most traditional religions are indigenous to Africa and are polytheistic. The traditional religions all recognize the existence of a supreme god. Most Africans who follow traditional religions seek guidance and help from lesser gods and dead ancestors. Followers believe their ancestors act as go-betweens for the physical world and the spiritual world. Africa’s traditional religions have not spread far beyond the specific regions where they arose.

Key Term Indigenous- Native to or coming from a particular region. (Members of the Masai ethnic group in Africa perform a traditional dance that involves jumping for a ceremony.)

Traditional Religion in Africa The traditional religions of Africa are polytheistic. They generally recognize that a supreme being exists, whom they worship, but they usually stress that people should also seek guidance from lesser gods and from their own ancestors.

Key Term Ancestor- One, such as a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, who precedes another in lineage.

Traditional Religion in Africa The African people who practice traditional religions today often offer daily prayers and sacrifices, and they celebrate ceremonies that mark the passage of a person from childhood to adulthood.

Traditional Religion in Africa Africans often use masks representing cultural heroes, gods, and ancestors in their worship ceremonies.

Talking to the Gods In some traditions, dancing, chanting, or drumming are used to connect with gods or spirits. This is very common in groups that practice vodun.

Talking to the Gods Vodun followers believe that people who practice these rhythmic arts can become possessed. Gods or spirits are believed to take over their bodies. The spirits then communicate with the group through the possessed people.

Traditional Religion in Africa In addition, many African traditional religions use statuettes. Believers think these objects to serve as mediators between the human and spiritual worlds.

Traditional Religion in Africa African traditional religions have not spread far outside of Africa. Each religion remains relatively limited to the specific region of the ethnic group practicing it.

Why Does It Matter? Traditional religions continue to be practiced throughout Africa today. In Africa, the Christian and Muslim religions often mix in some of the beliefs and rituals of the traditional religions.

How Religion Changed Africa Reading Handout- How Religion Changed Africa

Key Ideas- The Influence of Christianity and Islam Christians in Egypt formed the Coptic Church. During the early 300s, many people in Aksum began to convert to Christianity. The Muslims had a large impact on North African culture. This is seen especially in math, science, literature, and architecture. During the 800s, Muslim merchants from North Africa began to convert people in West Africa. The pilgrimage of Mansa Musa spread news of the great wealth of Mali. As a result, many countries wanted to find the source of this wealth.

Key Term Coptic Christianity- A branch of Christianity that developed in Egypt in the first century.

Coptic Christianity Video- Coptic Christianity

Christianity Enters Africa Christians entered Egypt around 100 and developed a type of Christianity called Coptic Christianity. During the 300s and 400s, a conflict arose between the native Christian Copts of Egypt and Christian Romans living in Egypt. 

Christianity Enters Africa Copts believed Jesus had one nature that combined the human and divine. Many Romans, though, claimed Jesus had two natures: one divine and the other human.

Christianity Enters Africa Eventually, at the Council of Chalcedon, Christian theologians confirmed the two-nature view of Jesus. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church agreed with the decision of the council. The Coptic Christian Church, however, rejected the decision and broke away from Rome, creating its own independent church.

Mesquel Festival Video- Mesquel Festival

Ethiopia Reading Handout- Ethiopia

Christianity Spreads to Aksum During the early 300s, Roman Christians entered the kingdom of Aksum in today’s northern Ethiopia and Eritrea and began to evangelize the region. Around 333, the king of Aksum, Ezana, converted to Christianity and then made it the state religion. 

Christianity Spreads to Aksum The Christian Church in Aksum followed the leadership of the Coptic Church in Egypt. During the 600s, Muslims entered the region, evangelizing for their religion, but the people of Aksum remained Christian, and the kingdom was an isolated outpost of Christianity in Muslim East Africa.

Christianity and Islam While Christianity remained a minority religion on the continent, practiced mostly in small, coastal regions where European traders lived, Islam became a powerful force in Africa.

Islam Spreads to Africa Muslim Arabs conquered Egypt during the 600s, and quickly moved west to the sea, bringing North Africa into the Muslim empire. The Muslims encouraged people they conquered to convert to Islam but usually did not force them to convert. 

Islam Spreads to Africa Muslim Arabs formed the ruling class of the areas they conquered. Below them were non-Arabs—native Africans—who converted to Islam. Non-Arabs who decided to practice another religion formed the next social class, and the lowest class consisted of enslaved people.

Islam Spreads to Africa Muslim Arabs brought Muslim culture and learning to North Africa, which included advances in math, science, medicine, literature, and architecture. 

Islam Spreads to Africa During the 800s, Muslim merchants began to trade on a regular basis with parts of West Africa. Because of this trade, many of the merchants and rulers of West Africa converted to Islam.

Mansa Musa In West Africa, the Mali Empire formed around 1240 and gained considerable wealth and influence through the gold and salt trade. In 1312, Mansa Musa became the emperor of Mali and converted to Islam.

Mansa Musa Mansa Musa established Islam as the official religion of his empire. Soon Mansa Musa made an elaborate pilgrimage to Mecca via Egypt.

Key Term Mecca- The holiest city in all of Islam. Originally, the city was just an oasis along a caravan trade route linking South Arabia, East Africa, and South Asia to the Mediterranean countries. 

Mansa Musa Mansa Musa pilgrimage included about 60,000 of his followers carrying huge amounts of gold on camels. The pilgrimage spread news of the great wealth in Mali throughout all the Muslim lands and even into Europe. Because of this, many countries sought to find the source of this amazing wealth.

Mansa Musa Mansa Musa established the city of Timbuktu in Mali as an important center of trade and learning. He made the mosque of Sankore a school for the teaching of history, law, and theology.

Why Does It Matter? Christianity continues to be practiced in Ethiopia (formerly Aksum). Also, European countries took control of most of Africa during the 1800s. During this time, a large number of Christian missionaries entered Africa. They converted many of the local people. Despite this, Islam remains the main religion in many African countries.

The People of Africa Video- The People of Africa

Independent Activity What has been the “muddiest” point so far in this lesson? That is, what topic remains the least clear to you? (4 minutes)

Partner Activity Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)