How was West African society organized?
By the early sixteenth century most West Africans were farmers. They usu- ally lived in hamlets or villages composed of extended families and clans called lineages. Depending on the ethnic group involved extended fami- lies and lineages were either patrilineal or matrilineal.
This paradox clarifies the existing social inequalities in Africa where the three groups lower-middle class upper-middle class and “wealthy ” make up around 18% of the population and share around 40% of the income while 82% of the population the floating class (from two to four dollars per day) and the “poor ” …
What are the cultural characteristics of West Africa?
West Africa forms the westernmost region of the African continent. People have occupied the area for thousands of years and its population is ethnically diverse though culturally relatively similar. The beliefs of native cultures include Islam Christianity and various traditional African religions.
What were the key characteristics of West African society?
What were the key characteristics of West African society? West African societies varied in size from small kingdoms to large empires. Most people lived by farming but there were also many skilled artisans. Religion and family ties were central to West African life.
What was the lineage system in West African society?
Lineages=building blocks of W.African society. the general “lineage” isname for a family that decended from a single ancestor.. Clans in villages:: larger group of related families. Each clan in a village shared a common ancestor. villages are made up of several clans.
The slaves were the largest strata one at the bottom among the Soninke like other West African ethnic groups and constituted up to half of the population. The slaves among the Soninke people were hierarchically arranged into three strata.
What are African groups called?
- Hamitic (Berber Cushitic) + Semitic (Ethiopian Arabic)
- Hausa (Chadic)
- Bantu.
- “Guinean” (Volta-Niger Kwa Kru)
- “Western Bantoid” (Atlantic)
- “Central Bantoid” (Gur Senufo)
- “Eastern Bantoid” (Southern Bantoid)
- Mande.
What were African lineage groups?
African Societies. Throughout Africa the basic unit of society was the lineage-group or clan. This would normally be a cluster of households. In some societies which were sparsely scattered across the land such a group might form its own hamlet or small village.
The major components of social structure are statuses roles social networks groups and organizations social institutions and society. Specific types of statuses include the ascribed status achieved status and master status.
What was the traditional culture of early West Africa?
What are some West African traditions?
- The courtship dance of the Wodaabe. …
- The lip plates of the Mursi. …
- The bull jumping of the Hamar. …
- The red ochre of the Himba. …
- The spitting of the Maasai. …
- The healing dance of the San.
What is African culture and tradition?
What caste groups made up West African society?
What caste groups made up West African society? The caste groups were made up of Emperor Nobles Traders/Free people Skilled Workers and Slaves.
In what ways did geography impact cultural differences among West African civilizations?
The geography of Africa helped to shape the history and development of the culture and civilizations of Ancient Africa. The geography impacted where people could live important trade resources such as gold and salt and trade routes that helped different civilizations to interact and develop.
What is West Africa known for?
What is the importance of lineage in West African society?
How was lineage important in West African societies? Lineage ties determined not only family loyalties but also inheritances and who people could marry. How did slavery differ in Africa? People were not born into slavery and they could escape bondage.
How were kinship lineage and ethnic groups connected in West Africa?
Kinship or connection based on family relationships was very important to West African society. … Families with related lineages formed larger family groups called clans. Several related clans would live together in village. Villages that shared a culture and language formed an ethnic group.
Are African societies matrilineal?
Matrilineal societies are found in various places around the world such as in parts of Africa Southeast Asia and India. … The Asante or Ashanti of Ghana are one of the few matrilineal societies in West Africa in which women inherit status and property directly from their mothers.
Social classes included leaders merchants religious leaders labourers free citizens and the slaves. The leaders were people who founded a community or settlement their lineage naturally became the new leaders of the communities as the years went by.
The social stratification of the Amhara people of Ethiopia includes castes. According to Donald Levine – a professor of Sociology specializing in Ethiopian society the Amhara society has consisted of high-ranking clans low-ranking clans caste groups (artisans) and slaves.
How many cultural groups are in Africa?
A Diverse Africa
There are over 3 000 different ethnic groups speaking more than 2 100 different languages in all of Africa.
What defines an ethnic group?
(ETH-nik groop) A group of people who share a similar culture (beliefs values and behaviors) language religion ancestry or other characteristic that is often handed down from one generation to the next. They may come from the same country or live together in the same area.
How many cultures are in Africa?
What was the role of lineage groups in African society?
Slaves were farmers and domesticate servants women were given more power as a result of Africa’s matrilineal society and their ability to tell stories lineage groups provided a sense of worth and play an important role in the governing of non-centralized societies.
What were the major characteristics of African society and culture?
These peculiar traits go on to include the people’s language dressing music work arts religion dancing and so on. It also goes on to include a people’s social norms taboos and values.
What was society like in ancient Africa?
The government was often very centralized usually around a single ruler and controlled resources trade and the military. The people of ancient Africa worshipped several local religions that were mostly polytheistic meaning they had several deities.
What is sociological group?
What do we mean by “social organization?” Social organization refers to the network of relationships in a group and how they interconnect. … The social organization of a group is influenced by culture and other factors. Within the social organization of a group of people there are leaders.
How did West African culture influence the Americas?
The shared cultural practices of the diverse West African ethnic groups brought to the United States through the middle passage had a powerful impact on the culture of enslaved African Americans most evident in slaves’ folklore music religion rituals and language.
What two activities are commonly performed in West African culture?
The various nations that make up this region are home to vibrant cultures rooted in music singing oral storytelling historic dance and food.
What is considered one of the oldest cultures in West Africa?
One of the first cultures to develop during the early Iron Age in West Africa was the Nok Culture in modern day Nigeria. The culture appears to have begun around 1000 BCE and lasted until 300 CE. Because they did not leave any writings behind we don’t know what the Nok people actually called themselves.
Music accompanies and celebrates every rite of passage birth and christening initiation into adulthood and finally death and mourning. Dance is a very important aspect of African music as can be seen in the close relationship between body movement and music.
Is Traditional African Culture Socialist?
How Diverse is Africa?
African Culture and Tradition
SOUTH AFRICA’S Unique Ethnic Groups & Music