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Cultural Legacy of Africa

Cultural Legacy of Africa. Early Peoples/Government. First hunter-gatherers Settled Farming communities- Slash and burn agriculture Villages develop: power shared; no central authority. Family. Some families patrilineal: inheritance passed through father ’ s side

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Cultural Legacy of Africa

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  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

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