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AFRICA. Pg. 382-383 and 396-399. Early Peoples’ Way of Life. A typical West African family was an extended family : which included the father, mother, children, and close relatives in one household West African society expected each person to be loyal to his or her family
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AFRICA Pg. 382-383 and 396-399
Early Peoples’ Way of Life • A typical West African family was an extended family: which included the father, mother, children, and close relatives in one household • West African society expected each person to be loyal to his or her family • In some areas people became part of age-sets- in these groups, men born within the same two or three years formed special bonds-women also formed age-sets • Loyalty to family and age-sets helped people of the village tow work together
Gender Roles • Men hunted, farmed, and raised livestock • Women farmed, collected firewood, ground grain, carried water, and cared for children
Religion • Many West African believed that their ancestors’ spirits stayed nearby • To honor these spirits, families marked places as sacred by putting specially carved statues there • They also offered food to their ancestors • Another common West African belief was animism- the belief that bodies of water, animals, trees and other natural objects have spirits
Inventions • They found that they could heat certain kinds of rock to get a hard metal called iron • Used iron for making tools and weapons
Language • Writing was not common- none of the major civilizations of West Africa developed a written language • Arabic was the only written language they used • The lack of a native written language does not mean that they didn’t know their history • They passed along information through oral histories • Oral history is a spoken record of past events- remembering and telling Wes African history was entrusted to storytellers
Literature • Storytellers of early West Africa were called griots • Griots were highly respected and helped keep history alive for each new generation • The griots’ stories were about accomplishments of ancestors, actions of kings and warriors, and entertainment • Griots recited proverbs or short sayings of wisdom or truth • Used proverbs to teach lessons to the people
Literature • Some of the griot poems are epics- long poems about kingdoms and heroes • For example the epic poems Dausi and the Sundiata • Dausitells the history of Ghana • Sundiata is about Mali’s great ruler
Art • Sculpture is the best known of all art • West Africans made ornate statues and carvings out of wood, brass, clay, ivory, stone, and other materials • Most statues are of people usually made for religious rituals to ask for the ancestors’ blessings and some were made as gifts for gods • Artists were respected
Masks and Clothing • Artists also carved elaborate masks • Masks were made of wood and bore the faces of animals such as hyenas, lions, monkeys, and antelopes • People wore masks during rituals as they danced around fires • Famous for the cloth they wove • The most famous of these cloths is called kente • Kente is a hand-woven, brightly colored fabric • Kings and queens wore garments made of kente for special occasions
Music and Dance • Singing, drumming, and dancing were great entertainment, but they also helped people honor their history and mark special occasions • For example: Music was played when a ruler entered the room • Many West African cultures used dance to celebrate specific events or ceremonies • For example: They may have performed a dance for a wedding or funeral
