African Culture

Religion, Crafts, Folklore, Cuisine, and Music

African culture can be divided into two broad groups, North African and Sub-Saharan African culture. North African culture is dominated by Islam while Sub-Saharan Africa is divided into a great multitude of religions and cultures. Various African tribes have a highly advanced tradition of arts and handicrafts. In particular, African masks often incorporate sophisticated designs and represent an important contribution to African culture. Shells, such as seen in the above image, are often used by various African cultures and tribes to make jewelry. As is common among most indigenous tribal cultures, folklores and folktales represent an important part of African culture. Various African tribes have a rich oral tradition and mythology and legends are an important part of that tradition. One important part of African culture is the cuisine which traditionally is a combination of native fruits and vegetables, dairy and native wild game. Alcoholic beverages are common among various African cultures and a common alcoholic drink in Sub-Saharan Africa is an Ethiopian wine called "Tej." Interestingly meat is not commonly consumed by most East African tribes. Domestic animals such as sheep, goats and cattle are often used as currency and therefore are not consumed by many African cultures. One of the most popular beverages in the world has its origin in African culture; coffee is native to Africa and is thought to have been first cultivated by Ethiopians. Later the African tradition of drinking coffee was spread to Arabia and later became common worldwide. Another important influence of African culture on the world is its music, whose musical rhythms and dances have had a profound influence on music the world over.