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Historical and Artistic Traditions. 7.4.5. The Big Idea Because the people of West Africa did not have a written language, their cultures have been passed down through oral history, writings by other people, and the arts. Oral History. Main Idea 1:
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Historical and Artistic Traditions 7.4.5 The Big Idea Because the people of West Africa did not have a written language, their cultures have been passed down through oral history, writings by other people, and the arts.
Oral History • Main Idea 1: • Storytellers helped maintain the oral history of the cultures of West Africa.
Oral History • Writing was not common in West Africa. • So, people passed along information through oral histories, which is a spoken record of past events. Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?
Oral History • West African storytellers were called griots. • They helped keep the history of their ancestors alive for each new generation.
Oral History • In addition to stories, they recited proverbs. These were short sayings of wisdom or truth. They were used to teach lessons to the people. • A donkey knows no gratitude • One cannot both feast and become rich. • The poor man and the rich man do not play together. • Do not tell the man carrying you that he stinks. • The pillar of the world is hope. • -- African Proverbs • All good things must come to an end. • Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today. • As you sow, so shall you reap. • Things are not always what they seem • -- English Proverbs
Written Histories Develop • Main Point 2: • Visitors to West Africa from other lands wrote histories and descriptions of what they saw there.
Written Histories Develop • The people of West Africa left no written histories of their own. Much of what we know about early West Africa comes from the writings of travelers and scholars from Muslim lands such as Spain & Arabia.
Written Histories Develop • One of the first people to write about West Africa was al-Masudi. • He described the geography, customs, history, and scientific achievements of West Africa. Heck yes I did!
Written Histories Develop • Ibn Battutah described the political and cultural lives of West Africans.
Written Histories Develop • Leo Africanus was the last major Muslim visitor to West Africa. • Leo lived and wrote in Europe, so for a long time, his writing was the only source about life in Africa available to Europeans.
Art in West Africa • Main Idea 3: • Traditionally, West Africans have valued the arts.
Art in West Africa • Of all the visual forms, the sculpture of West Africa is probably the best known. • The sculpture is mostly of people. • It was made for religious rituals. • Artists were deeply respected.
Art in West Africa • They wove cloth such as kente, a hand-woven, brightly colored fabric.
Art in West Africa • Music and dancing were important. • These activities helped people honor their history and were central to many celebrations. Click on the sound icon to hear a West African song.
Art in West Africa • Artists carved elaborate masks, used mostly for rituals as they danced around fires. Smokin!
Art in West Africa • Masks were often created in the likeness of people who had died • Dances were then done to make contact with those spirits EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!!
13. What is the correct definition of a griot? • A West African storyteller that helped keep • Africa’s history by passing it down through stories. • A spiritual priest who helped make contact with • the spirits. • A mask worn during a West Afican dance. • A hand woven cloth that was worn in West Africa. E. I don’t know
14. Who introduced a new religion and language to West Africa? A. Buddhists from Asia • Christians from Europe • Muslims from Arabia • Hindus from India E. I don’t know
15. Why did West Africans wear masks during their dances? A. To hide their faces from the evil spirits. B. To make contact with the spirits of their ancestors. • To help griots tell stories. • To freak out the Muslim travelers. E. I don’t know
7. The Ghana Empire started in South Africa. A. True B. False - It started in West Africa.
8. The Ghana Empire grew to great heights along the ____ River. A. Nile • Senegal • Mali • Niger E. I don’t know
9. The Empire’s of Ghana and Mali grew because of… A. their iron weapons. • their Muslim faith. • their commerce. D. All of the Above E. Both A and C only
10. Sundiata was A. the battle where Mali defeated Ghana. B. the king of the Mali Empire. • the king of the Ghana Empire. • the capital city of the • Ghana Empire. E. I don’t know
11. Most people of West Africa were members of large related families called… A. tribes • villages. • kins. • clans. E. I don’t know
12. Your cousins and your grandparents would be considered your kin. A. True B. False
13. The leader of a West African clan was often the … A. king. • common ancestor. • village chief. • kin. E. I don’t know
14. Why did some West African people get loaned out as slaves by their clan? • Because nobody liked • them. • Because their kin had • sold them for money. • Because the clan had lost • a battle and was conquered. • Because the clan was in debt. E. I don’t know
15. Most West African’s were…. A. diviners. • fisherman. • blacksmiths • farmers. E. I don’t know
16. Blacksmiths and fisherman also had farms to grow food. A. True B. False
17. The capital of Ghana was… A. a center for commerce (business). • a center mining gold. • the only place taxes where taxes were not collected. • too far for Arab traders to reach. E. I don’t know
18. Which statement is correct about Ghana? • Ghana became rich and powerful only • because of their gold. • Ghana became rich and powerful because of • commerce that passed through their kingdom. • European merchants came to the capital of • Ghana to live and make money. • Ghana did not collect a lot of money from taxes. E. I don’t know
19. All of the following are true about salt except… A. it preserved food. • it flavored food. • there was a lot of salt in • West Africa. • it had an equal value with gold in West Africa. E. I don’t know
20. Which kingdom benefited from the gold trade? A. Ghana • Mali • Both Ghana and Mali • Gh-old-a E. I don’t know
21. All of the following are true about the religion of ancient West Africa, EXCEPT… • They believed that only their emperor could • determine their fate. • They believed in a spirit world. • They believed diviners could talk with the spirits. • They believed dances would help them make • contact with the spirit world. E. I don’t know
22. Who did West Africans honor with worship? A. Only the spirits B. emperors and relatives • diviners • Mr. Pine E. I don’t know
23. Why did most West Africans convert to Islam? • Because the Mandinke converted • to Islam. • Because the kings of Ghana and Mali converted • to Islam. • Because it stressed a sense of brotherhood and • family. • Because the spirits said they would haunt their • souls forever if they did not. E. I don’t know
24. Why did the Arab Muslims come to West Africa? A. Because they wanted to spread their religion. B. Because the trade their was so profitable. • Because of they wanted to get away from the • deserts in the Middle East. • Because the Kings of Ghana and Mali • had invited them to share their religion. E. I don’t know
25. The Mandinke Africans helped spread Islam throughout Africa. A. True B. False
26. Which part of West African culture was NOT impacted by Islam? A. religion • language • government spending • farming E. I don’t know
27. What language did Muslim traders from the Middle East bring to West Africa? A. Hebrew B. Arabic • Swahili • Soninke E. I don’t know
28. The ruler of Ghana was a strong supporter of Islam, and his kingdom thrived because of it. A. True B. False - It was the ruler of Mali.
29. Which of the following statements is true about Mali? • Mali was overtaken by the Berber tribes of • North Africa. • Mansa Musa required his citizens to make the • pilgrimage to Mecca. • Mansa Musa let his people worship any way • they wanted. • Mali did not take part in the gold-salt trade. E. I don’t know
