User:Kasasa jane/sandbox

Overview

Introduction

Africa is the second-largest continent on the planet and home to many diverse cultures in over 50 countries

. African culture has the longest history of any other place on Earth. Human life began here more than 2 million years ago! This rich heritage is reflected in the wide variety of cultural traditions practiced across the continent today. Historically speaking, Africa is the birthplace of the human race.

African culture has the longest history of any other place on Earth. Human life began here more than 2 million years ago! This rich heritage is reflected in the wide variety of cultural traditions practiced across the continent today. Historically speaking, Africa is the birthplace of the human race.

African Foods Food in Africa varies from one region to another, but there are some dishes that can be found all over the continent. Maize is a staple and widely used ingredient in many African dishes.

Here are some African firm favourites:-

Nshima or Ugali, a thick porridge made with water or milk and cornmeal. It is a traditional Zambian food but is cooked throughout Africa. Fu-fu consists of boiled cassava served with peanut butter. Fufu is a West African dish that typically includes fresh or fermented cassava and various veggies, spices, meat, or fish. It can be found in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Benin, Togo, Nigeria, the Congo (Zaire), Cameroon, the Central African Republic. Mageu, a drinkable sour porridge made from fermented cornmeal is a traditional Southern African, non-alcoholic drink. It is popular among many of the Chewa/Nyanja, Shona, Ndebele, Nama Khoikhoi and Damara people, Sotho people, Tswana people and Nguni people. In Uganda they enjoy especially the baganda of central Uganda matooke and luwombo.

The drink is still popular in home brewing, but it may also be found at many supermarkets and made in factories. The beverage's flavour is largely derived from lactic acid produced during fermentation, although commercial mageu is frequently flavoured and sweetened much like commercially available yogurt. In other areas of Africa, similar beverages are prepared. Clothing The types of clothes people wear also vary greatly depending on the region one goes to. However, the most popular type of clothing for men is the Dashiki which can be seen all across the African continent. Women also wear traditional African clothes like the kaftan, the caftan or the kanzu that are worn in many different countries. The main difference between these garments and western dress is colours; traditional fabrics tend to use brighter and more vibrant colours.

The History of clothing in Africa This is quite difficult to trace owing to the lack of a written record and actual historical evidence. Much is derived from diverse sources such as traditional robes being passed down through generations, word-of-mouth (oral history), theater (masquerades) and artwork and artifacts that depict sculptural representations of apparel.

In contrast to the European part of the world, clothing was not necessary for warmth or protection in most regions of Africa because of its pleasant and welcoming climate, and many ethnic groups in fact wore very little. Seashells, bones, ostrich eggshell fragments, and feathers were used to create jewellery and headwear. Religion Africa is a vast continent with numerous religions, and within the same tradition, there have been significant variations. The primary three religious traditions are African traditional religion, Christianity, and Islam.

According to the most recent studies, Christianity and Islam each represent around 40% of Africa's population. Christianity is more prevalent in the south, whereas Islam is more prevalent in the north.

Traditional African religions are more about lived traditions than faith traditions. They are more focused on rituals, ceremonies, and lived practices rather than teachings.

Largely common throughout Africa is animism. Animism is the view that everything, including people and creatures, has a distinct spiritual essence. Animism may perceive all things—including animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and even words—as alive and animated. Animism is a term used in the anthropology of religion to characterize many Indigenous people's belief systems.

African Art and Crafts Traditional art forms in African culture include pottery which is created by moulding the clay and the use of the potter's wheel. Popular art forms include paintings, drawings, calligraphy and sculptures which are all used to express the inner self or tell a story about Africa's rich culture.

One of the most famous forms of art that come from Africa are masks that were used for many different purposes such as ceremonies, rituals, dances or even to scare off enemies!

As a means of maintaining social stability, African artwork was used (and still is in some cultures) as a tool for religion, social order, and social control. Art that has a function can be found in Western as well as non-Western civilizations.

The history and culture of the world have been strongly influenced by African art. The notion that Africa is the birthplace of human history is almost unquestionable.

The history of African art dates back to ancient times and is lost in the mists of time. Rock paintings are hundreds of years old, while shell beads made for a necklace have been found in a cave on the south coast of South Africa's most distant point that are estimated to be 75 000 years old. Also people didn't know how to read and write