Cultural Diversity of Sub-Saharan Africa

​Cultural Diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa

​Vocabulary

​Objectives/Goals

1. Describe unique traits of Sub-Saharan Africa's diverse cultures 

2. Identify how culture can present challenges to a society 

3. Describe apartheid in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Animism

• Apartheid

• Ethnic Group

• Griot

​Essential Question: What unique aspects of culture can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Word Cloud

What are some ways that people celebtrate culture?

​Ethnic Groups

• Diversity of Ethnic Groups

  • Each ethnic group has their own culture

  • 20 of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world are located in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • This is partially due to the boundaries Europeans drew up during the Berlin Conference

• Example: Chad

  • 8 million people

  • 100 different ethnic groups

  • More than 100 different languages

​Cultural Diversity

• Example: Maasai

  • Located in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya and Tanzania

  • 800,000 Maasai people in total

  • Maasai land disputes (nomadic people vs. sedentary lifestyle)

    • Indigenous lands taken for private use or national parks

  • Coming of Age Rituals

    • Boys and Isolation vs. Education

  • Lion Hunts

    • Lions are threatened species

​Apartheid in South Africa

• 1948-1991 (South Africa) was controlled by a system of Apartheid (separation of people based on their ethnic group)

  • National Party (minority political party) was in power - most members were descendants of white, Dutch settlers

  • Classified people into 4 groups: Whites, Asians, Colored (people of mixed race) and Black (native Africans)

• What was Apartheid?

  • Laws limiting the rights of certain groups

    • Interracial marriage was illegal

    • Register their race with the government

    • separate Schools, beaches, hospitals

    • Blacks denied citizenship

  • Housing Segregation

    • Removed from their homes

    • Forced to live in the poorest sections

Fighting Apartheid

• Internal Resistance

  • Nelson Mandela: a lawyer who fought to end Apartheid and was imprisoned for 27 years

  • Advocated for non-violent protests

  • 20,000 people were killed during Apartheid

• International Opposition

  • United Nations and other nations began to ban trading with South Africa

  • South Africa was banned from participating in the Olympics

• The End of Apartheid

  • Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1991 - He fought to end Apartheid; free elections

  • Mandela was elected as president of South Africa in 1994

    • Wrote a new South African Constitution and Created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

• The Legacy of Apartheid

  • South Africa still has extreme economic inequality

  • Deep racial division still exists

​Diversity of Languages

• 2,000 different languages spoken in Africa

  • Bantu is the most commonly spoken language

  • English is the language of trade and business

• Example: Nigeria

  • 525 languages spoken

  • English is the official language in Nigeria (promote unity vs. favoritism)

  • Pidgin: a Nigerian language that combines different languages into one

  • Cultural Diversity leads to Cultural Complexity (governments)

​Religion in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Christianity

  • 60% of Sub-Saharan Africa's population

• Islam

  • 30% of Sub-Saharan Africa's population

  • Mostly in Northern Africa

• Local Religion

  • 3% of Sub-Saharan Africa's population

  • Animism: a belief that spirits exist in nature, such as animals, plants, and natural objects

​African Art

• Mbira: a traditional instrument of the Shona people

• Bikutsi: celebration dance in Cameroon

• Yoruba Wood carvings

• Griots: traditional storytellers that use instruments and dances

• Ashanti and EWe people: bright color clothing

• Nollywood: Nigerian film industry

• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Nigerian author

• British J.M. Coetzee: Nobel Peace Prize winner - Apartheid

• Aziza Brahim, Jimmy Omonga: musicians

​Homes in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Physical Geography impacts the construction of these homes

• Examples

  • Ojo, Nigeria: wooden frame and mud

  • Makoko, Nigeria: Homes on stilts

  • Johannesburg, South Africa: walled homes

  • Kalabougou, Mali: clay (pottery)

  • Xhosa people, South Africa: Rondavel

  • Basotho people, Lesotho: Grass roofs

  • Hausa people, Nigeria: Adobe houses

​Sports

• Football (Soccer)

• Track and Field

• Laamb - (Wrestling)

• Capoeira

• Donkey Racing

• Nguni Stick Fighting