Characterize the geography and culture of Africa based upon Part A of the Africa regional study. Be sure to include a thesis statement AND specific details to demonstrate completion and understanding of the activity.
The Sahara and Sahel regions of Africa are alike in many aspects while the Rainforest differs in multiple ways. The Tuareg of the Sahara are a nomadic group which is similar to the Fulani of Sahel. They also both have very little rainfall. The two areas are very close geographically, and therefore climatically and I feel that this could be a factor toward their similarities. The Rainforest on the other hand is more southern in Africa, and acquires much more rain, over 28 inches, annually. The high tree cover accounts for the lower temperatures and more rain. This also leads to the Baka people of the Rainforest to be hunter-gatherers instead of nomads. The Baka will have what they need when they need it, there would be no necessity to leave such a fertile land.
Picking three regions, I have diverse information pertaining to each category. To begin, some similarities in the regions of the Sahara Swahili Coast are women wearing cloth to cover their faces. There are no exact polar opposites in the cultural chart, so this means there are no differences.
In the geographic chart the Sahara and the Rainforest share the country Nigeria in the location category. Vegetation, temperature, and rainfall between the two regions, Sahara and Rainforest, are two extremes from each other. Sahara is a hot, dry desert while the Rainforest is a humid, moist, tropical forest. Swahili Coast and the Rainforest are close to each other with their average rainfall and temperature, but still are different from the Sahara region.
There are many regions in Africa that have many similarities and differences in culture and geography. Some regions practice the same religion such as Christianity. Even though the regions are so close together they all speak different languages and believe in different things. In the Sahara it's very hot and humid and it forced people to move to Sahel and work as livestock, herders, and farmers. However, in the Ethiopian Highlands it is home to 80% of Africa's tallest mountains. Many regions are similar because people either work as farmers, hunters, or herders. Each region is different because they each have their own ethnic groups. All in all, the regions in Africa are very different, but also similar in geography and culture.
The geography and culture of African regions fluctuates from region to region. The reasons for these fluctuations are the wild diversities of the history of different regions. As people populated Africa they brought their own unique culture. These groups have different languages, beliefs, and religion. The geography of the region also differs. On one spectrum you have the Sahara a region filled with plains of sand while the rainforest consists of a wide variety of plants and animals. These similarities and differences make Africa an amazing nation to study.
After completing Part A of the Africa regional study, I concluded that Africa has many different characteristics of geography and culture. Also that each region within itself has some differences between the ethnic groups. For example, the Ethiopian Highlands contains two major ethnic groups; the Amharic, and the Gurage. Both groups have different cultures due to differences in language and values. However, they are relatively close. This shows that there are many cultural changes between ethnic groups, and therefore between regions. Each region has specifically different culture because of difference in language, history and religion. Geographically, the regions are different because they are all in different locations and have different vegetations. For example, the Swahili Coast is on the east side of Africa, while the Rain forests make up the west side of Africa. Also, each regions is different in vegetation. The Ethiopian Highlands contain grassland, desert and savanna woodland, while the Swahili Coast is mostly bushland. Throughout the country Africa, there are many differences between regions, and even further between the ethnic groups in each region.
Africa has very diverse geography with plains, deserts, rainforests, and moutains, but also has a widespread culure of Islam, Sunni Islam, Jini, Hajj, and many other religions. For example in the Sahara region, the popular culture is Islam. The geography of Sahara is very diverse because it has desert, mediterranen, and tropical mountain forest. Another instance is the Rainforest region. In the rainforest region the typical religion is that of spirits, such as, Komba and Jengi, but has no set religious ceremonies. The geography of the region is not as diverse as the Sahara or the Swahili Coast because the geography is mostly made up of rainforest. Lastly, the Swahili Coast region has a multitude of different religions, such as, Sunni Islam, Hajj, and Jini. It also has a very diverse geography with different areas with costal forest, bushland, savanna and scattered woodland, and even dry grassland. These few regions show the extreme variance of religion and geography with only a few regions of Africa. Between all the regions, no two places are alike.
Cultures started out in similar ways but have evolved differently in different regions of Africa due to the various types of geography that each region provides. Every ethnic group that started out in Africa basically all evolved from ancient groups of peoples. For example, the Baka people that live in the Rainforest region, are thought to be descendants of a pygmy tribe. Another example are the natives in the Sahara region are relatives to the ancient Berber people. However, as time went on, the various groups of people were forced to adapt to the region in which they lived. For example, the people that reside in the Sahara region must adapt to the region differently than the people living in the Rainforest or even the Swahili regions. For instance, the people that reside in the Sahara must adapt themselves to its primary water source, the Nile River. In addition, the people that live in the Rainforest region have adapted to the fertile land available throughout the entire region. Also, on the other side of the continent in the Swahili Coast area, the residents have adapted to using the resources made available by the Indian River. All in all, even though people live in all eight regions of Africa, the people were forced to adapt to their own region over time resulting in various cultures even though they are all descendants of similar ancestral tribes.
The Sahara, rainforest, and Swahili Coast all have similarities but practice different cultures in the same continent. A similarity is between the Sahara and The Swahili Coast is that they both practice the same religion, Islam. The rainforest does not practice a set religion but does believe in spirits. Commonly the rainforest culture believes in spirits called the Komba. All 3 regions practice different languages. The similarity between the countries is that each region practices it's own religion. The Sahara is in the northern part of Africa while the Swahili Coast is more south east. All the countries posses their own unique traits but share some similar customs like the importance of religion and language to the region.
The geography differs depending on what region you are looking at. For example, the Sahara has a desert climate with Oasis, Regs, Ergs, and Hamadas. In contrast the Rainforest region is flooded with trees and diverse plant species. The animal diversity is much more dense in the Rainforest region than the Swahili Coast, due to the fact that it cannot support many wildlife. Not only does the geography differ, but the culture as well. The culture of Africa has some similar aspects, but also some different ones as well. Some regions have similar religion like the Sahara, with Islam, and the Swahili Coast, with Sunni Islam. In the Rainforest Region, though, the Baka do not practice a distinct religion, but they still show belief in spirits. Many, if not all, the African regions have beliefs in spirits and these beliefs are shown through the folklore that resonates in a region. The folklore also include stories of the animals in a region. The customs and traditions differ among the ethnic groups. For example the Tuareg are known for their blue veils, whereas the Swahili women wear vividly colored Kangas. The diets of the ethnic groups differ as well, which is expected because of the different animal and plant life located in different regions. People among the Swahili Coast eat much more seafood than those who inhabit the Sahara region who eat milk products from their camels.
The culture throughout Africa tends to be similar while the geography has differences. Islam religion is influenced in many cultures in Africa. The Tuareg in the Sahara have developed Islam beliefs and the Swahili practice Sunni Islam. These are two different ethnic groups that live on almost opposite ends of Africa, this shows that this religion had the ability to spread through different cultures in Africa. Although there are similarities, there are also differences within different cultures. While the Swahili and Tuareg practice Islam, the Baka do not have religious ceremonies. They believe that different Gods perform tasks. For example, the God, Jengi, is of the rainforest and turns boys into men. The geography has major differences throughout Africa. The Baka have the Congo River which provides them transportation and resources. This access of water gives an opportunity for plant life, there are 8,000 different species of plants in this region. Swahili is know for the beaches, some vegetation would be citrus and spice plants. The Tuareg is in the Sahara so it does not experience much vegetation. Even though these regions have many differences in geography they still share similarities throughout different aspects of their culture.
Although Africa is just a single continent, it is a place of great cultural and physical diversity. The three cultures studied had a similarity in their history. The Tuareg, Swahili, and Baka all have an unclear history of their origins. All three groups differ in way of religion. The Baka believe in a sort of animism, whereas the other two groups have their own traditional religion. The Tuareg and the Swahili both have established languages. However, the Baka have their own language that is not common to outsiders. All of these cultures have customs derived from their past. All three of these cultures live in very different regions. The Tuareg live in the very dry Sahara. However, the Swahili live on the beaches, and the Baka live in wet rainforests. Africa is clearly a place of tremendous culture and diversity.
Africa, a continent with many diverse climates and ecosystems, plays host to a variety of regional cultures that are adapted to exploit the region’s specific resources and topography. For example, the Baka’s, indigenous to the rainforests of southeast Cameroon, beliefs revolve around the gods of the forest. However, the Tuareg do not believe in super naturals of the forest because they are surrounded by an infinity of sand and have been in frequent contact with the Islamic religion. Therefore, cultures develop in accordance with a region’s particular climate and ecosystem that consequently lead to a vast assortment of distinct ethnic groups.
The Swahili natives of the Swahili Coast and the Baka of West Africa’s rainforest best reflect the great diversity of culture. Aside from language, religion is a defining factor of a culture. The Swahili have celebrated Sunni Islam for generations and participate in Muslim holidays. The Baka, meanwhile, resist assimilation with a greater vigor; they do not practice a set religion. Instead, they place their faith in the gods of the rainforest, Komba and Jengi. Jengi is the spirit that transforms a boy into a man according to Bakan beliefs. Additionally, both the Tuareg and the Swahili have adopted popular languages; the language Swahili is a very widespread throughout Africa. The Baka, however, have not adopted the language of the local farmers. They continue to use their native tongue to communicate amongst themselves. While there appear to be striking differences between the Tuareg, Swahili, and Baka, they also share similarities.
The topography of the Swahili Coast and the topography of the rainforest on the east coast of Africa share a few, defining characteristics. Both environments provide a method of transportation for both native inhabitants and civilizations. For example, the Congo River offers a viable means of transportation for the Baka. In addition, the Swahili Coast contains many ports and harbors for ships to seek reprieve from the Indian Ocean. Additionally, the Tuareg and the Swahili both took advantage of trading opportunities to gain power and influence. The Tuareg raided caravans for valuables to trade. The Swahili exploited the slave trade to become a very influential group in the 19th century.
Cultures are able to maintain their indigenous beliefs and customs when they are able to sustain themselves without the aid of modern civilization. The Baka who continue to practice their traditional way of life, the rainforest fulfilling their needs, best exemplify resistance to cultural imperialism. The Swahili, however, practice Arab and Islamic beliefs that result from their frequent contact with outsiders. The Tuareg are finding it more difficult to survive as the Sahara becomes more arid. The dry Sahara challenges herders and farmer to exist. The Tuareg have moved south, into the Sahel, and epitomize cultural syncretism. The Tuareg have adopted Islamic beliefs while still maintaining their core beliefs and traditions. Conclusively, the multifarious quantity of ethnic groups dispersed throughout a continent is attributed to the varying climates and ecosystems. The climate of a region determines the availability of vital resources for cultures to remain independent and avoid assimilation into the popularized culture.
African cultures differ because of the different geographical settings each culture and religion are based in. Africa has grown more diverse over the years but each region differs because of what the area is like. This is why different cultures developed differently. The Sahara region is a drought area and are mostly nomads or farmers. The rainforest is filled different animal and plant life and so they are hunters, fishermen and gatherers. The regions that the people live in make them differ how they live and how their cultures and religions develop.
The geography and culture of Africa differs between the various regions, but is generally similar throughout the continent. The Ethiopian Highlands, the Savanna, and the Swahili Coast are examples of variation between regions of Africa. All of these regions have spots of dry lands, however, the Ethiopian Highlands contain many mountains and the countries of the Swahili Coast touch many bodies of water. Also, most regions practice tribal religions and some Christianity, but some like the Swahili Coast practice forms of Islam. A trend in all regions is that there are many different languages present for the various ethnic groups, influenced by other cultures. For example, the people of the Savanna region mostly speak English, Swahili, Gikuyu, and Maa, and there are still ones that are not recorded. In conclusion, all regions differ in some ways but are the same in others. This is probably because of the different ethnic groups' influences on each region and the factors that influenced and shaped them.
The geography and culture of Africa based on Part A of the Africa regional study is very diverse. In the Sahara, the main religion is Islam, while in the Rainforest region, there are mostly animist religious views. The languages of Africa are also very different. In the Sahara, they speak mainly Tamasheq. In the rainforest region, the language is mostly Baka. In the Swahili Coast the people speak mostly Kiswahili. Geographically the regions are also very different. The Sahara is a desert where very little vegetation grows. The rainforest region is very different and has over 8,000 plant species growing in it. The Swahili Coast a little bit of both with sandy beaches and with a fertile strip of land further inland.
The diversity among the topography, languages, regions, and people of Africa make it one of the most intriguing places on Earth. From the shifting sands of the Sahara region, to the tall mountains of the Ethiopian Highlands, and across to the lush rainforests, the people of Africa have adapted to the wide range of environments present through this continent. However, the differences in these adaptations is quite evident. Each of these regions has a different dialect, or two as in the case of the Ethiopian Highlands.These Ethiopian dialects include Amhara and Gurage. Sahara dialects include Tamasheq, Hausa, Songhay, and French. While the Baka people of the rainforests speak Oubangian. In addition, each region practices one or more religions, from Christianity and Islam, to the traditional spiritual beliefs. Although these regions do differ in many ways, they unfortunately share a similar trend, their futures are uncertain due to abuse of the lands. Over cultivation of the land for coffee in the Ethiopian Highlands, and deforestation in the rainforests, may cause irreversible hardships on the people of those regions. In conclusion, due to the varying regions of Africa, the people of this vast continent must adapt to different conditions and as such develop different languages and practice different religions. However, they all face a similar threat to their communities through the rapid proliferation of globalization (ex. coffee production and cutting down trees for various reasons).
Africa has many different regions throughout the continent. All of the regions have a different climate and vegetation. but they also have different religions, languages and history. Each region also may have different ethnic groups that make up the region. For example in the Sahara region, they practice Islam as their religion. The south African region has three different ethnic groups, Zulu, San, and the Xhosa. All three of the ethnic groups have different religions, speak different languages and have a different history. In the South Africa region the Zulu believe in one supreme being. The San use religion to explain all of the problems they have and in the world. The Xhosa believen in one being or god just like the Zulu. In the rainforest region the Baka don't practice religious ceremonies but believe in spirits. The spirit that they believe in is called Komba. Each of the regions also speak very different languages. In the Sahara region they speak Tamashea. All three ethnic groups in South African speak different languages. The Zulu speak isZulu. The Xhosa speak isiXhosa. The climate and vegetation of each region is also different. The only similarity between the regions is the ethnic groups have been around for over 1,000 years.
The cultures and geography of Africa varies throughout the continent and there are distinctive similarities and differences. In areas like the Rainforest, the native people speak a language that is Oubangian-related while in areas like the Swahili Coast the official language is Kiswahili. The religions are also very similar throughout the regions. The ethnic group located in the Swahili Coast believe in a spirit called Jini. On the other side of Africa in the Rainforest region, the ethnic group there worship a spirit called Komba. The geography changes between each region and there are barely any two regions that have identical features. The region of the Sahara has features like oasis's a d ergs, while regions like the rainforest has features like the tropical rainforest. Through this activity I can clearly compare the regions of Africa and have better understanding of the continent.
These regions experienced similar historical and climate changes. Each region had some sort of trading relationship with another ethnic group that either changed or survived. The Swahili have been trading with the Hindu and Arabic people since 1,000 B.C.E. the Tuareg raided and traded with Arabs, helping themselves survivce the massive climate change that cursed the Saraha to become a vast desert, forcing the nomadic herders to move southward. Finally, the Baka were supplied with living necessities from the tribes/tribesmen who lived/moved near the coastal areas to thrive. Each region's people had different rules for women and their rold either in the community or the household. Swahili women were respected mothers, despite their forms of discipline. Baka women gathered food, built huts, etc. And Tuareg women, neglecting the Islam religion, do not cover their head. Tuareg women also hold economic, social, and political power based upon who they are descended from. They can also own their own home, which is frowned upon in many other cultures in Africa.
The Sahara and Sahel regions of Africa are alike in many aspects while the Rainforest differs in multiple ways. The Tuareg of the Sahara are a nomadic group which is similar to the Fulani of Sahel. They also both have very little rainfall. The two areas are very close geographically, and therefore climatically and I feel that this could be a factor toward their similarities. The Rainforest on the other hand is more southern in Africa, and acquires much more rain, over 28 inches, annually. The high tree cover accounts for the lower temperatures and more rain. This also leads to the Baka people of the Rainforest to be hunter-gatherers instead of nomads. The Baka will have what they need when they need it, there would be no necessity to leave such a fertile land.
ReplyDeletePicking three regions, I have diverse information pertaining to each category. To begin, some similarities in the regions of the Sahara Swahili Coast are women wearing cloth to cover their faces. There are no exact polar opposites in the cultural chart, so this means there are no differences.
ReplyDeleteIn the geographic chart the Sahara and the Rainforest share the country Nigeria in the location category. Vegetation, temperature, and rainfall between the two regions, Sahara and Rainforest, are two extremes from each other. Sahara is a hot, dry desert while the Rainforest is a humid, moist, tropical forest. Swahili Coast and the Rainforest are close to each other with their average rainfall and temperature, but still are different from the Sahara region.
There are many regions in Africa that have many similarities and differences in culture and geography. Some regions practice the same religion such as Christianity. Even though the regions are so close together they all speak different languages and believe in different things. In the Sahara it's very hot and humid and it forced people to move to Sahel and work as livestock, herders, and farmers. However, in the Ethiopian Highlands it is home to 80% of Africa's tallest mountains. Many regions are similar because people either work as farmers, hunters, or herders. Each region is different because they each have their own ethnic groups. All in all, the regions in Africa are very different, but also similar in geography and culture.
ReplyDeleteThe geography and culture of African regions fluctuates from region to region. The reasons for these fluctuations are the wild diversities of the history of different regions. As people populated Africa they brought their own unique culture. These groups have different languages, beliefs, and religion. The geography of the region also differs. On one spectrum you have the Sahara a region filled with plains of sand while the rainforest consists of a wide variety of plants and animals. These similarities and differences make Africa an amazing nation to study.
ReplyDeleteAfter completing Part A of the Africa regional study, I concluded that Africa has many different characteristics of geography and culture. Also that each region within itself has some differences between the ethnic groups. For example, the Ethiopian Highlands contains two major ethnic groups; the Amharic, and the Gurage. Both groups have different cultures due to differences in language and values. However, they are relatively close. This shows that there are many cultural changes between ethnic groups, and therefore between regions. Each region has specifically different culture because of difference in language, history and religion. Geographically, the regions are different because they are all in different locations and have different vegetations. For example, the Swahili Coast is on the east side of Africa, while the Rain forests make up the west side of Africa. Also, each regions is different in vegetation. The Ethiopian Highlands contain grassland, desert and savanna woodland, while the Swahili Coast is mostly bushland. Throughout the country Africa, there are many differences between regions, and even further between the ethnic groups in each region.
ReplyDeleteAfrica has very diverse geography with plains, deserts, rainforests, and moutains, but also has a widespread culure of Islam, Sunni Islam, Jini, Hajj, and many other religions. For example in the Sahara region, the popular culture is Islam. The geography of Sahara is very diverse because it has desert, mediterranen, and tropical mountain forest. Another instance is the Rainforest region. In the rainforest region the typical religion is that of spirits, such as, Komba and Jengi, but has no set religious ceremonies. The geography of the region is not as diverse as the Sahara or the Swahili Coast because the geography is mostly made up of rainforest. Lastly, the Swahili Coast region has a multitude of different religions, such as, Sunni Islam, Hajj, and Jini. It also has a very diverse geography with different areas with costal forest, bushland, savanna and scattered woodland, and even dry grassland. These few regions show the extreme variance of religion and geography with only a few regions of Africa. Between all the regions, no two places are alike.
ReplyDeleteCultures started out in similar ways but have evolved differently in different regions of Africa due to the various types of geography that each region provides. Every ethnic group that started out in Africa basically all evolved from ancient groups of peoples. For example, the Baka people that live in the Rainforest region, are thought to be descendants of a pygmy tribe. Another example are the natives in the Sahara region are relatives to the ancient Berber people. However, as time went on, the various groups of people were forced to adapt to the region in which they lived. For example, the people that reside in the Sahara region must adapt to the region differently than the people living in the Rainforest or even the Swahili regions. For instance, the people that reside in the Sahara must adapt themselves to its primary water source, the Nile River. In addition, the people that live in the Rainforest region have adapted to the fertile land available throughout the entire region. Also, on the other side of the continent in the Swahili Coast area, the residents have adapted to using the resources made available by the Indian River. All in all, even though people live in all eight regions of Africa, the people were forced to adapt to their own region over time resulting in various cultures even though they are all descendants of similar ancestral tribes.
ReplyDeleteThe Sahara, rainforest, and Swahili Coast all have similarities but practice different cultures in the same continent. A similarity is between the Sahara and The Swahili Coast is that they both practice the same religion, Islam. The rainforest does not practice a set religion but does believe in spirits. Commonly the rainforest culture believes in spirits called the Komba. All 3 regions practice different languages. The similarity between the countries is that each region practices it's own religion. The Sahara is in the northern part of Africa while the Swahili Coast is more south east. All the countries posses their own unique traits but share some similar customs like the importance of religion and language to the region.
ReplyDeleteThe geography differs depending on what region you are looking at. For example, the Sahara has a desert climate with Oasis, Regs, Ergs, and Hamadas. In contrast the Rainforest region is flooded with trees and diverse plant species. The animal diversity is much more dense in the Rainforest region than the Swahili Coast, due to the fact that it cannot support many wildlife. Not only does the geography differ, but the culture as well. The culture of Africa has some similar aspects, but also some different ones as well. Some regions have similar religion like the Sahara, with Islam, and the Swahili Coast, with Sunni Islam. In the Rainforest Region, though, the Baka do not practice a distinct religion, but they still show belief in spirits. Many, if not all, the African regions have beliefs in spirits and these beliefs are shown through the folklore that resonates in a region. The folklore also include stories of the animals in a region. The customs and traditions differ among the ethnic groups. For example the Tuareg are known for their blue veils, whereas the Swahili women wear vividly colored Kangas. The diets of the ethnic groups differ as well, which is expected because of the different animal and plant life located in different regions. People among the Swahili Coast eat much more seafood than those who inhabit the Sahara region who eat milk products from their camels.
ReplyDeleteThe culture throughout Africa tends to be similar while the geography has differences. Islam religion is influenced in many cultures in Africa. The Tuareg in the Sahara have developed Islam beliefs and the Swahili practice Sunni Islam. These are two different ethnic groups that live on almost opposite ends of Africa, this shows that this religion had the ability to spread through different cultures in Africa. Although there are similarities, there are also differences within different cultures. While the Swahili and Tuareg practice Islam, the Baka do not have religious ceremonies. They believe that different Gods perform tasks. For example, the God, Jengi, is of the rainforest and turns boys into men. The geography has major differences throughout Africa. The Baka have the Congo River which provides them transportation and resources. This access of water gives an opportunity for plant life, there are 8,000 different species of plants in this region. Swahili is know for the beaches, some vegetation would be citrus and spice plants. The Tuareg is in the Sahara so it does not experience much vegetation. Even though these regions have many differences in geography they still share similarities throughout different aspects of their culture.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough Africa is just a single continent, it is a place of great cultural and physical diversity. The three cultures studied had a similarity in their history. The Tuareg, Swahili, and Baka all have an unclear history of their origins. All three groups differ in way of religion. The Baka believe in a sort of animism, whereas the other two groups have their own traditional religion. The Tuareg and the Swahili both have established languages. However, the Baka have their own language that is not common to outsiders. All of these cultures have customs derived from their past. All three of these cultures live in very different regions. The Tuareg live in the very dry Sahara. However, the Swahili live on the beaches, and the Baka live in wet rainforests. Africa is clearly a place of tremendous culture and diversity.
ReplyDeleteAfrica, a continent with many diverse climates and ecosystems, plays host to a variety of regional cultures that are adapted to exploit the region’s specific resources and topography. For example, the Baka’s, indigenous to the rainforests of southeast Cameroon, beliefs revolve around the gods of the forest. However, the Tuareg do not believe in super naturals of the forest because they are surrounded by an infinity of sand and have been in frequent contact with the Islamic religion. Therefore, cultures develop in accordance with a region’s particular climate and ecosystem that consequently lead to a vast assortment of distinct ethnic groups.
ReplyDeleteThe Swahili natives of the Swahili Coast and the Baka of West Africa’s rainforest best reflect the great diversity of culture. Aside from language, religion is a defining factor of a culture. The Swahili have celebrated Sunni Islam for generations and participate in Muslim holidays. The Baka, meanwhile, resist assimilation with a greater vigor; they do not practice a set religion. Instead, they place their faith in the gods of the rainforest, Komba and Jengi. Jengi is the spirit that transforms a boy into a man according to Bakan beliefs. Additionally, both the Tuareg and the Swahili have adopted popular languages; the language Swahili is a very widespread throughout Africa. The Baka, however, have not adopted the language of the local farmers. They continue to use their native tongue to communicate amongst themselves. While there appear to be striking differences between the Tuareg, Swahili, and Baka, they also share similarities.
The topography of the Swahili Coast and the topography of the rainforest on the east coast of Africa share a few, defining characteristics. Both environments provide a method of transportation for both native inhabitants and civilizations. For example, the Congo River offers a viable means of transportation for the Baka. In addition, the Swahili Coast contains many ports and harbors for ships to seek reprieve from the Indian Ocean. Additionally, the Tuareg and the Swahili both took advantage of trading opportunities to gain power and influence. The Tuareg raided caravans for valuables to trade. The Swahili exploited the slave trade to become a very influential group in the 19th century.
Cultures are able to maintain their indigenous beliefs and customs when they are able to sustain themselves without the aid of modern civilization. The Baka who continue to practice their traditional way of life, the rainforest fulfilling their needs, best exemplify resistance to cultural imperialism. The Swahili, however, practice Arab and Islamic beliefs that result from their frequent contact with outsiders. The Tuareg are finding it more difficult to survive as the Sahara becomes more arid. The dry Sahara challenges herders and farmer to exist. The Tuareg have moved south, into the Sahel, and epitomize cultural syncretism. The Tuareg have adopted Islamic beliefs while still maintaining their core beliefs and traditions. Conclusively, the multifarious quantity of ethnic groups dispersed throughout a continent is attributed to the varying climates and ecosystems. The climate of a region determines the availability of vital resources for cultures to remain independent and avoid assimilation into the popularized culture.
African cultures differ because of the different geographical settings each culture and religion are based in. Africa has grown more diverse over the years but each region differs because of what the area is like. This is why different cultures developed differently. The Sahara region is a drought area and are mostly nomads or farmers. The rainforest is filled different animal and plant life and so they are hunters, fishermen and gatherers. The regions that the people live in make them differ how they live and how their cultures and religions develop.
ReplyDeleteThe geography and culture of Africa differs between the various regions, but is generally similar throughout the continent. The Ethiopian Highlands, the Savanna, and the Swahili Coast are examples of variation between regions of Africa. All of these regions have spots of dry lands, however, the Ethiopian Highlands contain many mountains and the countries of the Swahili Coast touch many bodies of water. Also, most regions practice tribal religions and some Christianity, but some like the Swahili Coast practice forms of Islam. A trend in all regions is that there are many different languages present for the various ethnic groups, influenced by other cultures. For example, the people of the Savanna region mostly speak English, Swahili, Gikuyu, and Maa, and there are still ones that are not recorded. In conclusion, all regions differ in some ways but are the same in others. This is probably because of the different ethnic groups' influences on each region and the factors that influenced and shaped them.
ReplyDeleteThe geography and culture of Africa based on Part A of the Africa regional study is very diverse. In the Sahara, the main religion is Islam, while in the Rainforest region, there are mostly animist religious views. The languages of Africa are also very different. In the Sahara, they speak mainly Tamasheq. In the rainforest region, the language is mostly Baka. In the Swahili Coast the people speak mostly Kiswahili. Geographically the regions are also very different. The Sahara is a desert where very little vegetation grows. The rainforest region is very different and has over 8,000 plant species growing in it. The Swahili Coast a little bit of both with sandy beaches and with a fertile strip of land further inland.
ReplyDeleteThe diversity among the topography, languages, regions, and people of Africa make it one of the most intriguing places on Earth. From the shifting sands of the Sahara region, to the tall mountains of the Ethiopian Highlands, and across to the lush rainforests, the people of Africa have adapted to the wide range of environments present through this continent. However, the differences in these adaptations is quite evident. Each of these regions has a different dialect, or two as in the case of the Ethiopian Highlands.These Ethiopian dialects include Amhara and Gurage. Sahara dialects include Tamasheq, Hausa, Songhay, and French. While the Baka people of the rainforests speak Oubangian. In addition, each region practices one or more religions, from Christianity and Islam, to the traditional spiritual beliefs. Although these regions do differ in many ways, they unfortunately share a similar trend, their futures are uncertain due to abuse of the lands. Over cultivation of the land for coffee in the Ethiopian Highlands, and deforestation in the rainforests, may cause irreversible hardships on the people of those regions. In conclusion, due to the varying regions of Africa, the people of this vast continent must adapt to different conditions and as such develop different languages and practice different religions. However, they all face a similar threat to their communities through the rapid proliferation of globalization (ex. coffee production and cutting down trees for various reasons).
ReplyDeleteAfrica has many different regions throughout the continent. All of the regions have a different climate and vegetation. but they also have different religions, languages and history. Each region also may have different ethnic groups that make up the region. For example in the Sahara region, they practice Islam as their religion. The south African region has three different ethnic groups, Zulu, San, and the Xhosa. All three of the ethnic groups have different religions, speak different languages and have a different history. In the South Africa region the Zulu believe in one supreme being. The San use religion to explain all of the problems they have and in the world. The Xhosa believen in one being or god just like the Zulu. In the rainforest region the Baka don't practice religious ceremonies but believe in spirits. The spirit that they believe in is called Komba. Each of the regions also speak very different languages. In the Sahara region they speak Tamashea. All three ethnic groups in South African speak different languages. The Zulu speak isZulu. The Xhosa speak isiXhosa. The climate and vegetation of each region is also different. The only similarity between the regions is the ethnic groups have been around for over 1,000 years.
ReplyDeleteThe cultures and geography of Africa varies throughout the continent and there are distinctive similarities and differences. In areas like the Rainforest, the native people speak a language that is Oubangian-related while in areas like the Swahili Coast the official language is Kiswahili. The religions are also very similar throughout the regions. The ethnic group located in the Swahili Coast believe in a spirit called Jini. On the other side of Africa in the Rainforest region, the ethnic group there worship a spirit called Komba. The geography changes between each region and there are barely any two regions that have identical features. The region of the Sahara has features like oasis's a d ergs, while regions like the rainforest has features like the tropical rainforest. Through this activity I can clearly compare the regions of Africa and have better understanding of the continent.
ReplyDeleteThese regions experienced similar historical and climate changes. Each region had some sort of trading relationship with another ethnic group that either changed or survived. The Swahili have been trading with the Hindu and Arabic people since 1,000 B.C.E. the Tuareg raided and traded with Arabs, helping themselves survivce the massive climate change that cursed the Saraha to become a vast desert, forcing the nomadic herders to move southward. Finally, the Baka were supplied with living necessities from the tribes/tribesmen who lived/moved near the coastal areas to thrive. Each region's people had different rules for women and their rold either in the community or the household. Swahili women were respected mothers, despite their forms of discipline. Baka women gathered food, built huts, etc. And Tuareg women, neglecting the Islam religion, do not cover their head. Tuareg women also hold economic, social, and political power based upon who they are descended from. They can also own their own home, which is frowned upon in many other cultures in Africa.
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