West African Traditions

Ch. 11 West African Spiritual Traditions

7.22 Explain indigenous African spiritual traditions, including: ancestor worship, animism, and the relationship between humans and deities

Multiple Choice

Is America a patrilineal society or a matrilineal society?

• patrilineal

• matrilineal

Patrilineal

After marriage, women USUALLY take the last name of their husbands.

Children normally are given the last name of their father.

Land and titles have historically been passed down to sons.

African Villages

Villages were a mixture of patrilineal and matrilineal.

Social rank and property would be passed down to females.

Rank and social property were passed down to men.

African Villages

A family, extended family, chief, and council of elders would make up an African village.

Poll

If you lived in a West African village society, would your family, friends, or chief be most important in your survival?

• Family

• Friends

• Chief

If a village chief dies, his sister's son would be the next in line to succeed him.

Multiple Choice

Would a village chief passing his job down to his sister's son be patrilineal or matrilineal?

• Patrilineal

• Matrilineal

Spirtual Beliefs in West Africa

Islam

Indigenous Beliefs

Multiple Choice

If Native Americans are considered indigenous people, what does the word indigenous mean?

• Something that has existed and started in one area

• From India

• Immigrant

• Something that is new to an area

Multiple Choice

What religion would be INDIGENOUS to Japan?

• Shinto

• Buddhism

• Islam

Multiple Choice

Islam would be indigenous to what area?

• Arabia

• The Roman Empire

• China

• Japan

Indigenous African Religion

One great force, or all powerful god

A host of lesser gods connected to forces of nature such as mountains, rivers, trees, and rocks.

Daily religious ceremonies hosted by shamans.

Ancestor Worship

Family members always close by.

Food offerings, sacrificed animals.

Funerals were extremely important events.

Animism

Similar to Shinto, they believed spirits existed within nature in animals, plants, and trees.

Priests could spead to spirits.

Spirits influenced cycles of nature and health of family members.

Multiple Choice

Are indigenous African religions monotheistic or polytheistic?

• Monotheistic

• Polytheistic

Open Ended

How does ancestor worship help build a stronger community?

Multiple Choice

What major religion would indigenous African worship be most related to?

• Shinto

• Christianity

• Judaism

• Islam

Recording History in Africa

Relied on Oral Traditions and Storytelling

Used patterns and symbols to communicate history.

Art, Music, and Dance all involved in telling history.

Griots

Traditional African storyteller

Memorized all history of a village including names, dates, places, and events.

Told stories, act, sing, dance and TEACHER!

Served as diplomats and ambassadors to establish trade or alliances.

Open Ended

What is a griot?

Open Ended

How does the quote "When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground" match the idea of African griots?