African Ethnic and Religious Groups PDF

African Arab, Ashanti, Bantu, & Swahili © Brain Wrinkles • This is a group of people who share a common belief system. • A religious group is identified based on mutual religious beliefs and practices. • They believe in the same god (or gods) and have a common sacred text with a specific set...

African Arab, Ashanti, Bantu, & Swahili © Brain Wrinkles • This is a group of people who share a common belief system. • A religious group is identified based on mutual religious beliefs and practices. • They believe in the same god (or gods) and have a common sacred text with a specific set of rules about how to live. © Brain Wrinkles • Religious groups have many things in common: • God(s), prophets, prayers, history, sacred text, religious laws, holy days, etc. • People from different ethnic groups may share the same religion; however, they may be from different cultures. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Many Africans practice traditional religions that have been passed down for generations. • Traditional religions are part of everyday life in Africa. • These beliefs influence foods Africans eat, clothes they wear, how they marry, treat illness, bury their dead, etc. © Brain Wrinkles • • • Most Africans today are either Muslim or Christian. Arabs from Southwest Asia brought Islam to Northern Africa around 700 CE. • They converted many Africans and Islam slowly spread throughout Northern Africa over time. Christianity first came to Africa in the middle of the first century. • Since then, missionaries have continued to spread their beliefs across sub-Saharan Africa. © Brain Wrinkles • This is a group of people who share common cultural characteristics. • They are identified on the basis of religion, race, or national origin. • Ethnic groups can have many things in common: • Shared history, common ancestry, language, religion, traditions, beliefs, holidays, food, etc. © Brain Wrinkles • These characteristics have been part of their community for generations. • All of these things make up a common culture that is shared by the members of the ethnic group. • There are more than 3,000 ethnic groups in Africa, but some of the main ones are the Arabs, Ashanti, Bantu, and Swahili. © Brain Wrinkles Ethnic Groups in Africa © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Most of Africa’s Arab population is found in the countries of Northern Africa. • While the majority of Arabs are in North Africa, the gold and salt trade spread the Arab culture beyond the Sahara into the Sahel region and beyond. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Arab people began to spread into North Africa in the late 600s, when the first Muslim armies arrived in Egypt. • Arab armies, traders, and scholars soon spread across northern Africa all the way to Morocco. • Wherever the Arabs went, they took Islam and the Arabic language with them. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Arabic was necessary to be able to read the Quran, Islam’s holy book. • The Arabic language, the religion of Islam, and many other aspects of Muslim culture became part of Africa. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Most Arabs practice Islam, while small numbers of Arabs practice other religions. • Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. • Islam consists mostly of two different groups. • The majority of Muslims practice Sunni Islam, and most others practice Shi’a Islam. • Sunnis and Shi’a disagree about who is in charge of the Muslim world. © Brain Wrinkles The mosque in Djenne, Mali is the oldest mud brick building in the world. © Brain Wrinkles • Sunni Islam dominates in most Arab areas, especially in North Africa. • Shi’a Islam is dominant among the Arab population in most of Southwest Asia. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • The term “Arab” refers to an ethnic group made up of people who speak the Arabic language. • Most Arabs, whether they are Muslim or Christian, speak Arabic. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles Arab Girls’ School in Egypt © Brain Wrinkles • The majority of Arab people are found in Southwest Asia and northern Africa. • The language of the Arab people is Arabic. • Most Arabs, but not all, practice Islam. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa. • Today, they live predominately in Ghana and Ivory Coast. • The total Ashanti population is over 7 million. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • In 1701, a meeting of all the clan chiefs in the region was held. • In this meeting, it was said that a Golden Stool was produced from the heavens by a priest and landed on the lap of Osei Tutu, the first king. • The Golden Stool was declared to be the symbol of the new Ashanti kingdom. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles Golden Stool of the Ashanti (Replica) • The Golden Stool is sacred to the Ashanti, as it is believed that the kingdom will last as long as it remains in the hands of the Ashanti king. • The Golden Stool is an Ashanti legend and has only been seen by the tribe's royalty. • Only the king and trusted advisers know the hiding place of the stool. © Brain Wrinkles Bells are attached to the side to warn the king of impending danger. © Brain Wrinkles • Ashanti religion is a mixture of supernatural and animist powers. • Animism is the belief that plants, animals, and trees have souls. • Ashanti believe in a supreme god who takes on various names depending upon the region of worship. • They believe lower gods, like spirits, are on earth to assist humans. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • The major dialect of the Ashanti language is called ‘Asante’, or ‘Twi’. • It is spoken in and around Kumasi, the capital of the former Ashanti empire, and within the current sub-national Asante Kingdom in Ghana. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • They live predominately in Ghana and Ivory Coast. • Most speak Twi (or Asante). • The Ashanti religion is a mixture of spiritual and supernatural powers. • They believe that plants, animals, and trees have souls (animism). • The Golden Stool legend is very important to Ashanti culture. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Bantu generally refers to nearly 600 ethnic groups in Africa who speak Bantu languages. • The Bantu people are distributed throughout central and southern parts of the continent. • Bantu make up about two-thirds of Africa’s population and cover the southern half of the continent. • The word “bantu” means “the people”. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • In Angola, archeologists have uncovered scratches on rock, massive stone pillars, and tools that place the Bantu people there about 50,000 BCE. • From there, they evolved and spread eastward and southward. • As they spread across the continent, they met many new people, learned new skills, and shared their customs and beliefs. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • They intermarried with the people, accepting new traditions and blending them with Bantu culture. • Bantu-speaking people settled as far south as the southern tip of Africa. • The Bantu migration was one of the largest movements of people in Africa’s history. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Many Bantu people settled in areas where there was a strong Arab presence and are now Muslim. • Other Bantu people were influenced by missionary efforts in Africa and are now Christian. • Whether Muslim or Christian, many Bantu retain their beliefs that precede both those religions. • They believe in the power of curses and magic. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • There are over 650 different Bantu languages and dialects. • Today, close to 70 million people across the southern half of Africa speak Bantu-based languages and share some part of Bantu culture. © Brain Wrinkles High School Classroom © Brain Wrinkles • The Bantu people are found throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. • Bantu is a mixture of nearly 600 different ethnic groups combined. • There are over 650 different Bantu languages and dialects. • Bantu practice Islam, Christianity, & traditional African religions. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • The Swahili people mostly inhabit a narrow strip of land along the southern coast of East Africa (in Kenya, Tanzania, & Mozambique). • Members also live on several nearby islands in the Indian Ocean, including Zanzibar. • The total population is 1,328,000. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • The Swahili community developed along the coast of East Africa when Arab traders began to settle there and intermarry with the local Bantuspeaking population. • The group’s name comes from the Arabic word “Swahili,” which means “one who lives on the coast”. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • Islam established its presence in the region during the 9th century, when Arab traders made contact with the Bantu people. • The Swahili are all Muslims and Islam has been one of the factors that helped create a common identity for such a diverse group of people. • Since Islam is a way of life, and religious holidays are very important, the Arab culture is a vital part of Swahili culture. © Brain Wrinkles © Brain Wrinkles • The Swahili speak the Swahili language as their native tongue. • While the Swahili language is considered a Bantu language, there are many Arabic words and phrases included as a result of interactions with early Arab traders. • Many also speak English. © Brain Wrinkles Swahili Islamic School © Brain Wrinkles • The Swahili people are found in eastern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, & Mozambique). • The language they speak is Swahili, which reflects Bantu and Arab roots. • The majority practice Islam. © Brain Wrinkles