Unit 3: Sub-Saharan AfricaToday’s Topic: African Tribalism & Animism

In your notes . . .

Ancient African Kingdoms • Africa had empires that ruled vast

territories for centuries.• Nile and Kush in Northeast• Mali and Songhai in the West

• Otherwise, African culture is DIVERSE – TRIBES!

1000 different languages; 1000+ different tribes

African Tribalism • Stateless Society: Outside of north and western Africa, there are fewer organized kingdoms.

• Tribal culture changes dramatically from village to village – DIVERSITY.

• Most tribes rely on waterways such as the Nile, Congo, or Niger for survival.

The Bantu Migration

• Bantu originally came from Equatorial Africa.

• Over thousands of years, Bantu people migrated south from West Africa.

• Today, most Sub-Saharan black Africans have some connection to the Bantu people: language, religion, customs, etc.

Common Traits or Characteristics of Traditional African Tribal Life

1. The good of the group comes ahead of the good of the individual.

2. All land is owned by the group.

3. Strong feeling of loyalty to the group.

4. Important ceremonies at different parts of a person’s life.

5. Special age and work associations.

6. Deep respect for ancestors.

7. Religion is an important part of everyday life.

8. Government is in the hands of the chiefs [kings].

Structure of African Society

Kinship – Relationship to individual

relativesFamily – Related

members of a group

Clan – Group made up of related families

Tribe – Group made up of related clans

Family & Lineage • Most tribes are structured around the extended family

• parents, children, grandparents . . .

• Lived in small villages• Families were combined into larger

communities known as lineage groups/clans• Your lineage says a lot about your place in society.

• Extended family has struggled as many rural Africans have begun moving to cities – urbanization.

• Tribes are either patrilineal or matrilineal (trace heritage through father or mother’s family).

• In many tribes, women make the important decisions.

Common Features• Many societies developed village-based cultures • At heart, extended family living in one household• Families with common ancestors formed clans to which all members loyal

Specific Duties• Loyalty to family, age-sets helped village members work together• Men hunted, farmed; women cared for children, farmed, did domestic chores• Even very old, very young had own tasks; elders often taught traditions to

younger generations

Age-Sets• In some areas, people took part in type of group called age-sets• Men who had been born within same two, three years formed special bonds• Men in same age-set had duty to help each other

Social Structures

Traditional Societies: Family Descent

• Patrilineal trace ancestors through fathers

• Matrilineal trace ancestors through mothers

• 20% of African societies are matrilineal today

• The Ashanti people believed the child’s blood came entirely from the mother

• Uncle is more important than the father

Matrilineal

• Oldest son is the head of the family• Oldest son was the inheritorPatrilineal

Inheritance and Descent

Community & Education • The group is more important than the

individual.• Age Sets: Based on one’s age, a tribesperson has

different responsibilities.• Men: hunt, protect, farm• Women: raise children, prepare food, clean

• Different villages had different methods of raising and educating children:

• Congo – boys and girls were raised by mom until age 6. Learned language, family history, songs, etc.

• After that they were separated, girls to the “house of women” and boys to the “house of men”

• Traditions are handed down orally from generation to generation.

• Griots of West Africa serve as storytellers using poetry, dance, and rhythm to pass on history.

The Age Grade System

Definition

• Includes all boys or girls born in the same year

• This same age group works together for their entire lives

Purpose

• To Learn about community and shared duties

• Together they take part in special age ceremonies

Effect

• This group usually thinks similarly and works together quite well

Status of WomenSocieties that

valued women

Women could be leaders

Women were the teachers of the family

Were respected because the bore children

Bride Wealth paid to brides family

Societies that did not value women

Women did the planting, weeding, and harvesting

In some societies men married many women

[polygamy]

Viewed a wife as property of the husband

Marriage customs • Many traditional African societies are polygamous • Polygamy: having more than one spouse

• Men may only have multiple wives if he can support themBridewealth- payment a man gives a woman’s family before

marriage (land, cattle, cloth, tools)Dowry- payment a woman’s family before marriage (land,

cattle, cloth, tools)Some tribes allow divorce, some do not

Problems of Tribalism Today

Problems of Tribalism Today

1. The tribe is more important than the nation.2. Communication problems.

3. Inter-tribal warfare civil wars.

4. Tribal favorites for government jobs: Nepotism Urbanization:

Breaks down tribal traditions.Tribal intermingling on the job.

Problems Facing Modern Tribes • National unity is difficult when many

Africans show more loyalty to a tribe than the nation.

• Communication problems centered on language.

• Tribal warfare, much of which is connected to European Imperialism.

• Tribal control of government and government positions: Nepotism

• Urbanization is challenging traditional tribal practices and breaking up lineage groups/clans.

20Globalization & Diversity:

Rowntree, Lewis, Price, Wyckoff

Tribalism problem

• Tribalism is often a stronger force than nationalism.• Political

parties based on tribes

• Problem of creating nationalism artificially.

Griots of West Africa

Griots, pronounced "greeohs", are storytellers of West Africa who use poetry and rhythm to

teach villagers about their history. Their home is the territory of the

Mandinke people in the country of Mali where their tradition is alive

to this day.

"Griot" is the French term for this class of musicians; the local term

is jeli.

Music and Dance• In many societies, music, dance central to many celebrations, rituals

• Carving, wearing of elaborate masks part of these rituals as well

• Early Africans excelled in sculpture, bronze as well as terra cotta

• Traditional music performed with variety of wind, stringed instruments

Griots• Many early societies did not develop systems of writing

• Maintained sense of identity, continuity through oral traditions

• Included stories, songs, poems, proverbs

• Task of remembering, passing on entrusted to storytellers, griots

The griot profession is inherited, passed on from one generation to the next.

Griots are very different from the rest of society, almost a different ethnic group.

They are both feared and respected by people in West Africa for their wisdom and talent with words.

West Africans have preserved their history through storytelling and the written accounts of visitors.

Some of the griot poems are epics that are collected in the Dausi and the Sundiata.

Writing was not common in West Africa. People passed along information through oral histories, a spoken record of past events.

West African storytellers were called griots. They helped keep the history of their ancestors alive for each new generation.

In addition to stories, they recited proverbs. These were short sayings of wisdom or truth. They were used to teach lessons to the people.

Proverbs

• Griots passed on more than stories, they also recited proverbs• Proverbs are short sayings of wisdom or truth

West African Proverbs

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

“Talking doesn't fill the basket in the farm.”

“Rats don't dance in the cat's doorway.”

Religion in Tribal Africa • North Africa: Islam dominates

• Sub-Saharan Africa is more diverse.• For the majority of its history, Africa has

been dominated by Animism & Ancestor Worship.

• Animism: the belief that all things have some kind of spirituality

• Ancestor Worship: having deep respect for wisdom of dead ancestors

• Islam has spread beyond the Sahara.• Christianity was introduced to many parts

of Africa by Europeans (1500s – 1900s).• Today, many Africans combine Christianity with

tribal beliefs.