The Cultures of West Africa Africa

Cultural Diversity of W. Africa 17 countries make up the region Hundreds of ethnic groups (cultural diversity) W. Africans speak many languages

Cultural Diversity of W. Africa the hundreds of ethnic groups speak different languages Groups in in West Africa often speak different languages Most W. Africans speak more than one language They use these different languages when they travel or conduct business

Cultural Diversity of W. Africa W. Africans have many ways of making a living Most live in rural areas A village consists of a group of homes surrounded by farmland The village people get food for themselves, but they also grow cash crops

Cultural Diversity of W. Africa In the Sahara and the Sahel many people herd cattle, goats, sheep or camels Along the coast most make a living by fishing Some live in large cities and work in hospitals, hotels, or office buildings

Belonging to groups The strong ties of kinship Strongest bond is kinship (family relationship) 1st level is the nuclear family 2nd level is extended family Extended families work together and take care of each other Family members take care of the elderly and sick and less well-off “It takes a village to raise a child” (African proverb) Neighbors pitch in and help one another (strong sense of community)

Cultural Diversity of W. Africa Family members take care of the elderly and sick and less well-off “It takes a village to raise a child” (African proverb) Neighbors pitch in and help one another (strong sense of community)

Lineage and clans groups of families may be able to trace their families back to a common ancestor (such a group is a lineage) Matrilineal groups -- trace their lineage through the mother’s side of the family Patrilineage--trace their lineage through the father’s side of the family

Changes in family life People moving from rural villages to urban areas or cities (urbanization) Men move to the city to find jobs The women often stay in the rural homes and raise the children and farm the land

Storytelling Spoken rather than written Teach children cultural values Storyteller is called a griot and passes the oral tradition from one generation to tells the histories of ethnic groups and kinships

Storytelling Stories of tricksters, animal fables, proverbs, riddles, and songs are also part of the oral tradition Approx. ½ of the enslaved Africans that came to the US came from W. Africa Brought along their stories, dances, music and customs Brer Rabbit Jazz Music