JTA - Misconception vs. Fact

Africa - Misconception vs. Fact

By Elizabeth Gall

• ​When generalizations are made about a group/area/etc based on limited information, stereotypes are formed

• The media may want to portray only a certain image

• Our own life experiences and implicit bias impact our actions and behaviors

Why do misconceptions exist?

Misconception - "a false or inaccurate perception"

​https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

https://​www.aperianglobal.com/debunking-common-myths-stereotypes-africa/

As you go through each slide, consider what misconception the question/statement may be addressing.

​

After each question, ​review the factual information to clarify the common misconception.

​

​See if you can unlearn any of your own misconceptions about Africa today!

Directions:

Multiple Choice

Africa is a...

• City

• State

• Country

• Continent

Misconception: Africa is a country.

Africa is the second largest continent, made up of 54 separate nations. It is larger than the USA, China, Japan, India and the majority of Western and Eastern Europe COMBINED!

https://africafreak.com/misconceptions-about-africa​

Multiple Choice

People from Africa share the same culture.

• True

• False

Misconception: People from Africa all share the same culture.

​There are more than 3,000 ethnic tribes in Africa. Each ethnic group has its own set of cultural beliefs and may be shown through dress, piercings, skin marking, food and other tribal traditions. Some are more well-known, like the Zulu, while others keep to themselves and avoid contact with the modern world.

https://www.africa.com/10-common-misconceptions-and-stereotypes-about-africa/​

https://www.signatureafricansafaris.com/africa-facts/​

Multiple Choice

How many languages are spoken in Africa?

• 1

• 54

• 300

• more than 2000

Misconception: Everyone in Africa speaks the same language of "African"​.

There are over 2,000 different languages spoken throughout the continent of Africa, making it the most multilingual continent. Some of the most common languages include Arabic, Swahili, French and English. There are at least 75 languages in Africa that have more than 1 million speakers. "African" is not an actual language.

​https://owlcation.com/misc/Top-5-Common-Misconceptions-About-Africa

Multiple Choice

The land in Africa is primarily...

• Deserts

• Rainforests

• Savannas/ Grasslands

• Mountains

Misconception: The land in Africa is all deserts.

More than half of the African continent is covered by savanna or grassland, though desert, rainforests and mountains all exist throughout Africa.

​https://letstalkscience.ca/sites/default/files/styles/x_large/public/2020-02/acacia-tree.jpg?itok=9FPIhtDf

Multiple Choice

Which of the following images was NOT taken in Africa?

Misconception:​ Africa is not just dirt roads and straw huts.

Victoria Falls is located on the Zimbabwe and Zambia border.

Nairobi is the largest city in Kenya.​

This hut is located in Puerto Rico, NOT Africa.

Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania.​

Multiple Choice

All of the people in this picture identify as Africans.

• True

• False

• Indigenous people from Southeast Asia, India and Oceania may have equally dark complexions as those of African descent.

• North Africa's population is made up ​of Arabs, Berbers, Egyptians and Libyans

• 9.5% of South Africa's population consists of White Africans

Misconception: All Blacks are Africans and all Africans are dark-skinned.

​https://owlcation.com/misc/Top-5-Common-Misconceptions-About-Africa

Multiple Choice

The temperature in Africa...

• Is mostly hot

• Is mostly cold

• Varies based on location

Misconception: It is always hot in Africa.

• It snows in Morocco, which also has ski resorts.

• Africa's high elevations experience snowfall and locations in South Africa experience below-freezing temperatures throughout the winter

• Africa contains deserts, rainforests, mountains and savannas.

• The continent is large so the temperature variation is vast

​https://www.aperianglobal.com/debunking-common-myths-stereotypes-africa/

Multiple Choice

Countries in Africa do not have access to modern technology.

• True

• False

Misconception: Africa is lacking innovation and technology.

• ​Cell phones are as popular in Nigeria and South Africa as they are in the United States - about 9 out of 10 people own one

• Mobile banking is common in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya

• Traffic-Regu​lating Robots were invented to regulate traffic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

• It is true that some African countries have limited access to resources and cannot keep pace with the rest of the world, but this is not true for ALL of Africa.

​https://www.aperianglobal.com/debunking-common-myths-stereotypes-africa/

Multiple Choice

Which of these would not be seen in South Africa?

Misconception: All countries in Africa look the same.

• Although each picture is from somewhere in Africa, the pyramids are located in Morocco.

• South Africa has ​more than 200,000 windmills

• ​South Africa is a popular destination for tourists and is not dependent on one prime resource.​

​https://www.aperianglobal.com/debunking-common-myths-stereotypes-africa/