1. Cultural Legacy of Africa

2. Early Peoples/Government
First hunter-gatherers
Settled Farming communities- Slash and burn agriculture
Villages develop: power shared; no
central authority

3. Family
Some families patrilineal: inheritance passed through father’s side
Some matrilineal: inheritance traced through mother’s side
Belonged to a lineage: group of household who claimed a common ancestor. Several lineages formed a clan

4. Religion Polytheistic
Used rituals and ceremonies to influence nature and sprits
Spirits of ancestors could affect people on earth
Islam moves into West African Kingdoms

5. African Written and Oral Tradition
Griots: Record keepers
Before West Africa had written histories griots would memorize everything and recite to the people
Very important in West African culture
Folktales: a story that is usually passed down orally and becomes part of a community’s tradition
Folktales pass along history and teach young people morals and values
Famous folktale about the “trickster” hare-Brer rabbit

6. Proverb: Popular sayings that use images from everyday life to express ideas or give advice
Ex: “Every time an old man dies it is as if a library has burnt down”
Written tradition: After Islam spread to West Africa written tradition became more important.
West Africans used Arabic to
write

7. West African Music
Music: Communicates ideas, values, and feelings. Celebrates historic events and important occasions
Call and response: A leader sings a short phrase then the group repeats the phrase
Enslaved Africans
brought call and
response to
America

8. Instruments Balafon: Original Griot instrument.
Wooden bars laid across a frame
like a zylophone
Ngoni: Small stringed instrument
Made of hollowed out piece of
carved into the shape of a canoe

9. Kora: Harplike instrument with 21 strings
Made out of gourd that is cut in half and covered with cow skin

10. Drums: Important part of West African culture
Used during parties,
meetings, ceremonies,
and religious gatherings
Made out of hollowed out
logs and covered with
animal skins

11. Dance
Dance very important
Used for rituals, ceremonies, important events, celebrate success, educate children, seek help of spirits, and connect with ancestors
Dance movements reflect the conditions people live in

12. Masks
Masks made of wood:
very detailed
Very important for
ceremonies,
performances, and
sacred rites
Used to summon
spirits of the gods and ancestors
Inspired artists such as Picasso

13. West African Visual Art
Sculpture-used to call upon spirits and honor leaders.
Used ivory, wood, bronze
Turned practical objects into things of beauty-storage containers, utensils, furniture, baskets

14. Textiles Kente Cloth: most famous Sew together narrow strips of fabric
Colors and design have symbolic meaning
Seen today around the world especially in quilts