African Peoples Cultures And Traditions

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Africa is the birthplace of civilization. There have been so many societies that started on this continent, and some would dare to call it the birthplace of humanity. There are many different religions, different people, and so many cultures to take in.

Weddings

Every society has some sort of wedding ceremony. The centerpieces of weddings in any culture have always been religion and spirituality as a rule, though in Africa there is a sense of family. This is more than two people joining, this is an entire family. The traditions involved in the ceremony date back hundreds or thousands of years.

Even up to this time, here and now, the continent of Africa is still defined heavily by it’s level of religious diversity. There are Muslim traditions, and even Christian or Hindu. Some of the regions are exclusive to this continent.

Weddings will always be complicated. They are not like the wedding ceremonies that you have become used to seeing in other nations. In fact if you attend such a wedding you might find that it can last for several days and involve many different couples.

When you’re dealing with Africa, polygamy is quite common. In the Sudan a man can have up to four wives. The groom will pay the bride’s family a fee, also known as a bridewealth for the loss of their daughter. In many cases it will be paid in livestock instead of currency.

Prearranged marriages are also a part of African culture and are common in many African countries. In fact, it is not at all uncommon for a girl to be engaged before she is even born. These agreements are made between families who are either close friends or have some sort of business arrangement.

Throughout these weddings, there will be many different elements. Such elements can include songs, dancing, and even bright colors which are supposed to represent a transition. This is the transition from childhood to the world of adulthood. Many from western cultures might not consider them to be adults however, as they are barely reaching adolescence in many cases.

You won’t find much evidence of divorces in African culture, and therefore it is not done very often. Typically problems that could be seen as a divorce are discussed and a solution will be found. It is an investment by the entire family, as the two families are joined once the wedding ceremony is completed.

Music

We already mentioned how important music and dance are to African culture. Reading and writing were latecomers to the continent, meaning that the primary forms of communication involved dance and music. African music is very different. It is defined by it’s rhythms, it’s beats, as well as it’s unique harmonies. In the beginning the African musicians knew and played many different instruments, though the main instrument is the drum.

To learn more on African traditional culture and traditions and listen to free African traditional music at the African Side site.

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