Section 4 – Historical and Artistic Traditions - Page 396 - 399 CHAPTER 13 - EARLY AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS   Section 4 – Historical and Artistic Traditions - Page 396 - 399  

VOCABULARY: Oral history griots proverbs kente

BIG IDEA Although the people of West Africa did not have a written language, their culture has been passed down through oral history, writings by other people, and the arts. Geography, resources, culture, and trade influenced the growth of societies in West Africa.

PRESERVING HISTORY

MAIN IDEA West Africans have preserved their history through story telling and the written accounts of visitors. Geography, resources, culture, and trade influenced the growth of societies in West Africa.

  West Africans have preserved their history through story telling and the written accounts of visitors.

Writing was never very common in West Africa.

In fact, none of the major early civilizations of West Africa developed a written language.

Arabic was the only written language they used.

The lack of a native written language does not mean that the people of West Africa didn’t know their history, though. They passed along information through oral histories.

A spoken record of past events ORAL HISTORY

The task of remembering and telling West African’s history was entrusted to storytellers.

THE GRIOTS

The storytellers of early West Africa were called a griot. http://www.listenall.com/dembo_jobarteh.html

They were highly respected in their communities because the people of West Africa were very interested in the deeds of their ancestors.

Griots helped keep this history alive for each new generation.

Griots’ stories were both entertaining and informative Griots’ stories were both entertaining and informative. They told of important past events and of the accomplishments of distant ancestors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z_2EV5FReE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YueSWLem0Nc&feature=related

EX: some stories explained the rise and fall of West African empires EX: some stories explained the rise and fall of West African empires. Other stories describe the actions of powerful kings and warriors. Some Griots made their stories more lively by acting out the events like scenes in a play. -

You must judge a man by the work of his hands. In addition to stories, the griots recited PROVERBS – short sayings of wisdom or truth. They used proverbs to teach lessons to the people. To stay a long time in the water does not make you clean. Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped You must judge a man by the work of his hands. http://cogweb.ucla.edu/Discourse/Proverbs/African.html

EX: Talking doesn’t fill the basket in the farm – people must work to accomplish things. It is not enough for people just to talk about what they want to do.

In order to tell their stories and proverbs, the griots memorized hundreds of names and events. Through this memorization process, the griots passed on West African history from generation to generation.

However, some griots confused names and event in their heads However, some griots confused names and event in their heads. When this happened, the facts of some historical events became distorted.

Some griots’ stories tell us a great deal about life in the West African empires.

WEST AFRICAN EPICS

Some of the griot poems are epics – long poems about kingdoms and heroes.

Many of these epic poems are collected in the Dausi and the Sundiata.

The Dausi tell the history of Ghana. Intertwined with historical events, though, are myths and legends.

One story is about a seven-headed snake god named Bida One story is about a seven-headed snake god named Bida. This god promised that Ghana would prosper if the people sacrificed a young woman to him every year. One year a mighty warrior killed Bida. As the god died, he cursed Ghana.

The griots say that this curse caused the empire of Ghana to fall.

Sundiata, another of the epic poems, is about Mali’s great Ruler Sundiata, another of the epic poems, is about Mali’s great Ruler. According to the epic, when Sundiata was still a boy, a conqueror captured Mali and killed Sundiata’s father and 11 brothers.

He didn’t kill Sundiata, however, because the boy was sick and didn’t seem like a threat.

However, when Sundiata grew up, he became an expert warrior However, when Sundiata grew up, he became an expert warrior. Eventually, he over threw the conqueror and became king.

VISITORS’ WRITTEN ACCOUNTS

In addition to the oral histories told about West Africa, visitors wrote about the region.

In fact, much of what we know about early West Africa comes from the writings of travelers and scholars from Muslim lands such as Spain and Arabia.

Ibn Battutah was the most famous Muslim visitor to write about West Africa.

From 1353 – 1354, he traveled through the region. Ibn Battutah’s account of this journey describes the political and cultural lives of West Africans in great detail.  

Why were oral traditions important in West Africa Why were oral traditions important in West Africa? (DRAWING CONCLUSIONS)

Can you also answer these questions? . a. What is oral history? (DEFINE) b. Why were griots and their stories important in West African society? (MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS) c. Why may an oral history provide different information than a written account of the same event? (EVALUATE) What are proverbs, and what are they intended to do? (RECALL) Name two West African epic poems and the subject of each? (IDENTIFY) Why do you think griots were so valued in West African society? (MAKE JUDGMENTS) How do you know the history of early West Africa if the people of West Africa left no written histories? (EXPLAIN) What is included in Ibn Battutah’s account of his journey to West Africa? (IDENTIFY) A. What is oral history? (DEFINE) 1. a. What is oral history? (DEFINE) b. Why were griots and their stories important in West African society? (MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS) c. Why may an oral history provide different information than a written account of the same event? (EVALUATE) What are proverbs, and what are they intended to do? (RECALL) Name two West African epic poems and the subject of each? (IDENTIFY) Why do you think griots were so valued in West African society? (MAKE JUDGMENTS) How do you know the history of early West Africa if the people of West Africa left no written histories? (EXPLAIN) What is included in Ibn Battutah’s account of his journey to West Africa? (IDENTIFY) Can you also answer these questions? A. What is oral history? (DEFINE) Why were griots and their stories important in West African society? (MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS) Why may an oral history provide different information than a written account of the same event? (EVALUATE) What are proverbs, and what are they intended to do? (RECALL) Name two West African epic poems and the subject of each? (IDENTIFY)

Can you also answer these questions? . a. What is oral history? (DEFINE) b. Why were griots and their stories important in West African society? (MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS) c. Why may an oral history provide different information than a written account of the same event? (EVALUATE) What are proverbs, and what are they intended to do? (RECALL) Name two West African epic poems and the subject of each? (IDENTIFY) Why do you think griots were so valued in West African society? (MAKE JUDGMENTS) How do you know the history of early West Africa if the people of West Africa left no written histories? (EXPLAIN) What is included in Ibn Battutah’s account of his journey to West Africa? (IDENTIFY) A. What is oral history? (DEFINE) 1. a. What is oral history? (DEFINE) b. Why were griots and their stories important in West African society? (MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS) c. Why may an oral history provide different information than a written account of the same event? (EVALUATE) What are proverbs, and what are they intended to do? (RECALL) Name two West African epic poems and the subject of each? (IDENTIFY) Why do you think griots were so valued in West African society? (MAKE JUDGMENTS) How do you know the history of early West Africa if the people of West Africa left no written histories? (EXPLAIN) What is included in Ibn Battutah’s account of his journey to West Africa? (IDENTIFY) Can you also answer these questions? Why do you think griots were so valued in West African society? (MAKE JUDGMENTS) How do you know the history of early West Africa if the people of West Africa left no written histories? (EXPLAIN) What is included in Ibn Battutah’s account of his journey to West Africa? (IDENTIFY)

ART, MUSIC, and DANCE

MAIN IDEA Through art, music, and dance, West African have expressed their creativity and kept alive their cultural traditions. Geography, resources, culture, and trade influenced the growth of societies in West Africa.

Like most peoples, West African valued the arts Like most peoples, West African valued the arts. They expressed themselves creatively through sculpture, mask-making, cloth making, music, and dance.

SCULPTURE

Of all the visual art forms, the sculpture of West Africa is probably the best known. West African made ornate statues and carving out of wood, brass, clay, ivory, stone, and other materials.  

  Most statues from West Africa are of people – often the sculptor’s ancestors. Usually these statues were made for religious rituals - to ask for the ancestors’ blessings.

Sculptors made other statues as gifts for the gods.

These sculptures were kept in holy places These sculptures were kept in holy places. They were never meant to be seen by people.

People thought artists had been blessed by the gods. Because their statues were used in religious rituals, many African artists were deeply respected. People thought artists had been blessed by the gods.

Long after the decline of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, West African art is still admired. Museums around the world display African art

In addition, African sculpture inspired some European artists of the 1900s including Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

MASKS AND CLOTHING

In addition to statues, the artists of West Africa carved elaborate masks.

Made of wood, these masks bore the faces of animals such as hyenas, lions, monkeys, and antelopes. Artists often painted the masks after carving them.

People wore the masks during rituals as they danced around fires. The way firelight reflected off the masks made them look fierce and lifelike.

Many African societies were famous for the clothe they wove Many African societies were famous for the clothe they wove. The most famous of these clothes is called kente (ken-TAY).

KENTE A hand-woven, brightly colored West African fabric. The cloth was woven in narrow strips that were then sewn together. Kings and queens in West Africa wore garments made of kente for special occasions.

MUSIC AND DANCE

In many West African societies, music and dance were as important as the visual arts.

Singing, drumming, and dancing were great entertainment, but they also helped people honor their history and mark special occasions

For example, music was played when a ruler entered a room.

Dance has long been a central part of African society Dance has long been a central part of African society. Many West African cultures used dance to celebrate specific events or ceremonies.

For example, they may have performed one dance for weddings and another for funerals

In some parts of West Africa, people still perform dances similar to those performed hundreds of years ago.

How traditions were preserved in West Africa? (COMPARING)

Can you also answer these questions? What were two forms of visual art popular in West Africa? (IDENTIFY) B. Why do you think that the sculptures made as gifts for the gods were not meant to be seen by people? (MAKE INFERENCES) C. What role did music and dance play in West African society? (ELABORATE) What is the best known visual art form of West African? (IDENTIFY) How were masks used in West African culture? (RECALL) Why were singing and dancing so important in West Africa? (ANALYZE)

How were historical and artistic traditions preserved in West Africa? Summarize – How were historical and artistic traditions preserved in West Africa?

Content for this presentation was gotten from: "Early African Civilizations." World History. : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2012. . Print.

BIG IDEA *MAIN IDEA Who were the Songhai? Between 1000 and 1500, three great kingdoms – Mali, Songhai, and Great Zimbabwe – developed in Africa. Part I *MAIN IDEA Who were the Songhai? The Songhai were a new Islamic empire in West Africa. They conquered many of the lands that were once part of Mali. Had the same trade routes/ partners as Ghana and Mali Who was Sunni Ali? Ruler of the Songhai – worked to unify, strengthen, grow his empire by having everybody work together. He participated in both Muslim and local religions to bring stability to the Songhai. What religion was Sunni Ali and why? What happened when Sunni Ali died and why? His son, Sunni Baru, wasn’t a Muslim, the people of Songhai were worried about losing trade partners and rebelled.

BIG IDEA Between 1000 and 1500, three great kingdoms – Mali, Songhai, and Great Zimbabwe – developed in Africa. Part II Leader of the rebellion against Sunni Baru, chose the title ASKIA, a title of high military rank – being known as ASKIA the Great. Supported education (University of Sankore and city of Djenne’) What was Muhammad Ture know as and for? What was happening to religion at this period of history? Most traders were Muslim, as trade grew so did the religion of Islam. Askia was a devote Muslim, which influenced growth of Islam. Made laws similar to other Muslim nations. He set up five provinces. He removed local leaders and appointed governors loyal to him. Created a professional army and specialized departments for specific tasks. What other things did Askia do to maintain order?

BIG IDEA Between 1000 and 1500, three great kingdoms – Mali, Songhai, and Great Zimbabwe – developed in Africa. Part III Who wanted to gain control of the salt mines? Morocco – a rival from the North What year did they begin heading to Songhai to invade? 1591 An early form of a gun. With the use of this technology, the Moroccan’s were superior to the Songhai ,who only had their swords, spears, and bows. What is an arquebus? What advantage did it offer? What brought about the downfall of the Songhai? Destruction of Timbuktu and Gao. Changing trade pattern routes away from land and to port cities. Preference to trading at ports versus with Muslim traders.