Cultures in Africa

1. Cultures in Africa By: Emily Edwards 

2. Arabic • Perhaps the most common Arab characteristic is adherence to the Islamic faith. Muslim Arabs comprize about 93 percent of the Arab population and belong to several different sects including Shia (Ithna Ashari and Ismaili), Alawi, Zaidi, and Sunni, which is the largest. The other 7 percent of Arabs are largely Christian or Druze.

3. Bantu • After the Bantu migration, culture in the civilization spread through Africa. Since the Bantu were dispersed, their iron working and animistic beliefs ran rampant through Africa. • The Bantu also developed farming after they emerged from their nomadic stage; they were earlier to move from hunter/gatherer to farmer than other civilizations. • The Bantu civilization was not like the Romans or Greeks, geographically for one and culturally for another. They Bantu were divided into groups spread all over the lower Half of Africa connected by their same religion and purpose.

4. Swahili • The Swahili are Sunni Muslims; even though their former Omani rulers of the sultanate of Zanzibar were Ibadhi, the Swahili were shown religious tolerance. The first mosques on the coast date from about the mid-tenth century, the identity of Swahili as Muslims dating also from that period. The central building of every town is its mosque, typically placed in a space between the two moieties; the male population assembles there on Fridays (women are not permitted to attend).

5. Ashanti • The Ashanti are a group living in central Ghana in western Africa near the coast. The Ashanti are a major ethnic group of the Akans in Ghana. Like people of Western religions, the Ashanti believe in one all-powerful, all-knowing god who created all things. According to Ashanti beliefs, however, this god, known as Onyame, has withdrawn himself from the world and now has no direct contact with