GHANA COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

COURSE: AFRICAN STUDIES COURSE: NOTES

COURSE OUTLINE NO 1: CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN

AFRICA

Overview
You are warmly welcome to the study of this very interesting and important subject called
African Studies. In this course you are going to examine very important issues that affect the
lives of every African. Although the course is titled African Studies, its scope is not limited to
the African continent, people and their activities, but it also touches on the lives and activities
of people of African descent who live in the diasporan world, be it Asia, Europe, America and
the Caribbeans (Latin America).

The course is divided into eight sessions. The session one examines culture and development
in the African setting. The second session explains African morale values and their effect on
the people of the continent and beyond. Next is the session three which analyses African
popular culture and festivals. The fourth session discusses religion and worldview in Africa
and beyond. The fifth session examines Africa’s role in the contemporary world. Session six
talks about traditional and modern leadership in Africa. Gender roles, marriage and family are
discussed in the seventh session. The last session which is the eight, explains agriculture and
its contributions to development in Africa.

At this juncture we are beginning with the first topic titled Culture and Development.

Objectives of the Study

By the end of this session students should be able to:
a) Define the concept of culture from the African perspective
b) Define development from the African perspective
c) List the culture areas of Africa
d) Explain the importance of culture to the development of Africa
e) Explain the importance of culture to development of technology

A brief History of African Studies

The study of Africa has gone through several challenges that resulted in the late development
of Arican Studies as an academic discipline. The late development of African Studies as an
academic discipline has been attributed to several reasons including the following:

1. Philosophical Reasons: The first factor that caused the delay of introducing African
Studies as an academic discipline was the attitude of Europeans towards Africa. For
example, some European historians including J. D. Fage, Arnold Toynbee, John
Burgess, William Summer, Josiah Strong and James MacQueen described Africans as
an uncivilised people whose culture does not deserve to be studied in academia. They
indicated that Africa has no history and thus has nothing to offer the civilised world.
They claimed that if Britain for example, wanted to develop Africa, she must teach
Africans that the Whiteman is superior to the Blackman and thus Africa is the
Whiteman’s burden.
 However, there are contradictory evidence to prove that Africa is not inferior to
Europe and therefore the Blackman is not Second-Class human to the Whiteman. For
example, before the coming of the European, there were several developments Africa
had made which amazed the Whiteman. Kingdoms such as Asante, Benin, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Nubia, Sudan and Nuk artistic achievements can be mentioned for example.
These Kingdoms had their records documented and kept in the European Libraries
and Archives prior to the coming of the Europeans.

2. The Historical Reasons: During the nineteenth century, some Western historians
argued that Africa has no history, and therefore has nothing to contribute to the history
and development of the world. For example, George Hegel, posits that Africa does not
form part of the history of the world. In view of this thinking about Africa, the
Europeans definition of history was narrow, because they defined history as only
written records constitute sources of historical knowledge.

However, according to Basil Davidson, the development and growth in Africa really
contradicted the European views on Africa as an uncivilised continent and people. His
assertion indicates that the fact that Africa had much illiterate societies and therefore
its history had been documented prior to the coming of the Europeans does not means
it had no history. Historians have established that oral history is an authentic source of
historical knowledge, and thus there are historians who did their Ph.D. on oral history.
The Europeans made this claim to justify colonialism and slave trade. It is improbable
for any society to exists without its history. Thus in the African context history exists
in various forms, including music, drum-beats, proverbs, stories, dance, festivals,
naming ceremonies, burial rites and enstoolment of chiefs.

3. The Coming of the Missionaries: Another factor is the coming of the European
missionaries. They denounced anything African including music, dance sculpture,
language, history, religion, culture and names. They made Africans believe that their
culture was not good enough and therefore they must adopt that of the Whiteman.
This perception contributed to the marginalisation of African Studies. The
establishment of churches, coupled with the preaching of the Christian gospel
relegated African traditional religion and practices to the background. Islam also had
some negative impact on African traditional religion and practices. The teachings of
Islam also focused on Islamic beliefs and practices which sometimes conflicted with
the African traditional beliefs and practices.

4. The Role of Africans: Prior to colonialism in Africa, the Africans themselves had not
been able to tell their own story to the rest of the world. Also, killing the little
confidence in the African was colonisation which devastated the continent of Africa.
To worsen the situation, the Africans played a major role in the success of the slave
trade by clearing pathways, creating market centres and getting slaves ready for the
Whiteman to buy. Some fathers, uncles and chiefs from West and Central Africa
raided slaves and sold their own people to the Whiteman. Some chiefs acted as
collaborators in formulation and implementation of colonial policies in Africa, which
was commonly known as indirect rule. This created antagonism between the chiefs
and their subjects, particularly in Ghana.
 The general effects of the misrepresentation on African as an uncivilised society
contributed to the late development and introduction of African Studies as an
academic discipline.
Definition of Strands in African Studies

African Studies: African Studies is generally defined as “The Study of anything African.” In
a broader sense it is an interdisciplinary area that focuses on the study of Africa, its Culture,
the African Diaspora, the History of Africa, the position of the African continent in the affairs
of the world.

African Studies cuts across all subjects including technology, archaeology, history, religions,
literature, geography, linguistics, economics, sociology, anthropology, politics science, music,
philosophy, arts, biology, physics, chemistry and classics. Africans must adopt Afro-centric
approach in solving African problems both on the continent of Africa and the African
Diaspora. Afro-centric approach means we must look at the solutions from the African
perspective, not European. For this reason, we need to understand the term culture.

Culture: According to Onwuejeoguu, (2007:9), culture is the way of life of a people living in
a community, country or continent who are mindful of their beliefs, rituals, norms and
practices. Every culture thrives in an area and also the activities carried out by the people in
the area. In view of this the notes discusses some culture areas in Africa, and the activities
carried out by the people to foster development in Africa.

What is Culture Area: A culture area is therefore defined as a geographical location

occupied by interdependent ethnic-groups who have similar identities including religious,
economic, social, architecture, political, linguistics. For example, the Gảs, Akans and Ewes in
Ghana have different ethnic-groups among them, yet they share some common practices such
as festivals, funerals, marriage and taboos. Although there may be some minor differences in
the practice, the general picture is usually the same.

A brief History of Culture: Several researchers have attested to the fact that culture is
dynamic and thus can be transferred from one person or society to another. Therefore, from
the origin of humans, cultural practices have been transferred from one society or generation
to the other. In spite of the modifications, there are cultural traits that can found in people
who occupy a culture area that can be traced to the beginning of the first human on earth.
Philosopher Herskovits and his colleagues are of the view that culture cannot spread without
human contact, and therefore if one can account for human contacts then cultural diffusion is
justified. When migrants settle in an area, they leave their cultural traits which are usually
adopted by the people in the area.

Types of Culture Traits: There are two types of culture traits, namely, material culture and
non-material culture. The material culture refers to tangible items made by humans that can
be felt even years after. For example, buildings, machines, vehicles, paintings and carvings.
People can see and feel these things and make value judgements on even years after.
However, the non-material culture constitutes speeches, songs, proverbs, language, habits,
beliefs, norms, emotions, love, body-language. Non-material culture can easily fade away as
different cultures come into contact with each other, and as a result a new non-material
culture emerges. These two types of culture traits intertwine to foster development in African
societies/communities.
In Africa, there are over thousand ethnic groups, each with distinctive cultures and
development. These ethnic groups exhibit both material and non-material traits. However, in
this lecture premium is placed on material culture more than non-material culture as the
development of Africa is concerned. To this end, we are going to discuss a few of the African
societies and their development in relation to their material culture:

1. The Hottentot
The Hottentot are found at the southern tip of the African continent. Presently, their territory
has been taken over by the white Boers. The white Boers are farmers from Europe,
particularly Spain who settled in South Africa during the colonial era.

Material Culture of the Hottentot

 A herding people
 Premium is placed on cattle
 They drink sweet milk not sour
 They utilise animals as beast of burden and sustenance
 Their huts are better shelter than the Bushman
 They have a complicated social life compared to the Bushman
 Cattle are given in marriage to furnish the wedding feast
 They have a good sound for their language click

2. Bushman
The Bushman is believed to be an indigenous people who settled on the continent of African
and occupied the central part of Southern Africa, between the Hottentot and the Congo.

Material Culture of the Mushman

 Poor material culture
 They have very early stratum of African cultural life
 Agriculture and herding are lacking
 They are hunter-gatherers
 The dog is the only domesticated animal they use for their food

3. East Africa Cattle Area

The area covers Eastern coast to the Great Lakes region and beyond, where the Bantu and the
Nilotic languages are widely spoken. The region places more emphasis on cattle in their
social and economic lives. Researchers have identified the area and isolated it as the cattle
complex is a major component of their material life. The area is so called the cattle complex
because the existence of cattle, their place in the life of the owners and their part in the
culture of the people are significant. Important roles played by cattle in their culture are listed
below:
 Cattle serves as a means of capital accumulation
 Cattle determines a man’s social position and prestige
 Cattle are used in special ceremonies associated with life such as birth, marriage,
puberty, death, funeral and festival
 It is a privilege for owners of cattle to take good care of them to them by names
 Cattle milk is precious to them
 Women are prohibited in most of the areas to care for cattle
Much as cattle play a major role in the daily life of the people in the East Africa Cattle Area,
there are also some economic activities they carry out to complement their living. This takes
us to the economic organisation of the people:

Economic Organisation
The following are some of economic activities the people embarked on:
 Clans owned family lands which are free for every family member to move his cattle
on to graze
 The right to work tracks of land for agricultural purposes is highly recognised
 Food is obtained from the produce of the field but remains the work of women
 Iron and wood working are pursued by men who specialised in the craft
 Bows and Arrows are important hunting tools and also a protection for humans and
animals
 Hoes are the regular farming implement for producing food, although it is not valued
like cattle
The well-planned economic activities of the people allowed them to organise their political
system effectively and efficiently. We then move on to their political organisation

Political Organisation
The following are the political systems of the people of East Africa Cattle Area:
 Gerontocracy is practiced where the adult is given the prominence to rule in society
and lead in ritual practices. In this society the young are always in subject.
 The political system is organised in such a way that roles are assigned to individuals
based on their age limit
 In some part of the northern area in the region chiefs are appointed to rule over cattle
instead of humans
 The Zulu have a centralised political system and standing army with a formidable
military organisation

Complementing the political system is the social organisation, which is our next point of
discussion.

Social Organisation
The social organisation of the people took the following pattern.
 The society practice both patrilineal and matrilineal succession system, but dominated
by patrilineal
 Polygamy is allowed and the number of wives a man has depends on his wealth,
particularly number of cattle
 Dowry is given in the form of cattle, although other items are accepted
 Land is held by the head of the “tribe” in trust for the rest of the people
 Individuals do not own absolute ownership of land, but tracks of land can be allocated
to capable men to work on base on arrangement.
 Grazing land is free
 The people live in villages usually along cattle kraals
 Thatched and mud plastered houses are found in almost every part of the community
 Houses in the south are round shaped, while those in the north rectangular
 Bantu is spoken south of the Lake Victoria to the north where the Nilotic languages
are spoken
Religious activities play important roles in the cultural practices of the people of East Africa
as discussed under the following heading.
Religious Organisation
The religious activities are as follows:
 Ancestral worship is at the centre of their religious practices
 The ancestors mediate between the people and the supreme being
 Belief in ancestor worship is a demonstration of the fact that the people believe in life,
death and hereafter
 Various rituals and events are performed on daily and specific days to appease the
gods and to seek their protection.
 Use of charms and amulets for protection purposes is common in the society
 The use of magic and divination are part of their daily life of the people

4. West Africa Sub-Area

This is small very area occupied by the Ovaherero, Ovambo and Ovimbunda among others in
modern day Namibia. Their material culture is similar to that of the East Africa Cattle Area.
The following are the basis of their material culture:

Material Culture
 They have the cattle complex which serves as economic, social and ritual power
 They have locations to house their pens and ensures good health and prosperity
 Women are forbidden to touch and handle cattle
 Their clothing and housing are distinct from that the Congo, the Bushman and
Hottentot

5. The Congo
The Congo culture area covers the vast region of modern Central Africa, including areas such
as the basin of Congo River which comprises Gabon, Central African Republic, Angola,
Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Material Culture
 The presence of tsetse fly has resulted in the absence of cattle
 Abundant rainfall supports agriculture
 The slash and burn method of tilling land is known in the area
 Shifting cultivation in agriculture allows the land to regain its fertility for replanting
 Iron tools including knives use for protection and major occupations are fashioned out
by smelting
 The variety of animals in the area encourages the people do hunting as a by product
 Fishing in the Congo River is done as an economic activity
 The people specialise in trades such as basketry, wood carving, pottery, mat weaving
and metal works.
Couple with the economic activities in their social organisation which is discussed as follows.

Social Organisation
 Majority of the people practice matrilineal descent
 Their marital system is uxorilocal where the husband resides in the family house of
the wife
 In the matrilineal system the dominant man in the family of a wife has control over
the children of the wife, but not the biological father of the children
 Polygamy is an acceptable practice in the society
  Dowry price is considered a token and does not necessarily stabilise the marriage
because the loyalty of the wife is to the dominant man of her family but not the
husband
 The people live in a rectangular house
 Raffia weaving is a common occupation in the Congo basin
 Market days which are scheduled on special days are present.
 Barta system and exchange promoted inter-ethnic coexistence and respect
The next to be discussed is the religious organisation.

Religious Organisation
 Masks are used in rituals and ceremonies to represent the ancestors
 Marks and tattoos are made in the human body to signify religious reasons, ethnic
identity and beautification
 They carve images in the form of humans to represent their deities
 They preserve their culture through rituals, religious life and sacrifices
 Charms are significant in their religious life
 The formation of secret societies is allowed to protect societies
 Ancestral worship is a very important aspect of their religious life

Political Organisation
 There were proliferation of political groupings and activities in the area
 There was a mixture of centralised and decentralised political system of government
 The Suku people of Congo are centralised and have a monarchy
 There were several paraphernalia for the political elite
 The Suku King MeniKongo was surrounded by a number of taboos and was not to die
aa natural death
 The formation of warrior groups was based on age limit of which the Zulus were
noted for their bravery and fighting spirit
 Courtiers assisted the monarch at court, while the elderly in society held powers of
adjudication and political authority

6. The Guinea Coast Sub-area

This area is on the bend of the West Coast of modern-day West Africa.

Material Culture
 Their social and political organisation is more complex than the Congo area
 Distinctive art is the characteristic of the area
 Larger animals were domesticated
 There is the presence of bi-lateral system of descent
 The principle of exogamy is practiced
 There are differences in the languages spoken by the ethnic groups

7. The East Horn of Africa

This area is connecting to East Africa and stretches to the north-east of Africa.

Material Culture
 The practice of age classes in common in the area
 Horse and camel are equally important as the cattle
 Common languages spoken by the people are Danakil, Somali and Galla
 Women care for cattle
  Animal skin is used in making clothing
 The spread of Islam has influenced the culture of the people
 The family lineage is patrilineal
 Iron working employment are lowly occupations

7. The Eastern Sudan

The Eastern Sudan region situated just above the Equator.

Material Culture
 They are nomadic people who live in a hard desert condition
 Their culture is organised around their livestock ensuring that their animals are
properly fed and watered
 Islam is their religion
 They practice paternal culture
 Milk from camel is the principal source of sustenance
 Camel is given as a marriage gift
 The use of clothing is popular in the area
 The people are nomadic and mostly live in tents
 The head of each group is the Sheikh who controls the movement of the group

8. The Western Sudan

This area lies in the Sahel dominated by Islam. The area is made up of great kingdoms such
as Benin, Bornu, Hausa, Fulbe and Yoruba.

Material Culture
 Flowering political organisation ruled by powerful dynasties with rich historical
background and internal conflict
 Economic life depends on herding, agriculture and trade
 There is divergent language spoken similar to the Guinea sub-area
 Arts works are famous particularly the use of terra-cotta and wood carving

8. The Desert
The area is made up of present-day Sahara-desert.

Material Culture
 The majority of the population are nomadic
 Trading is a major occupation
 Camel and horses are used for economic purposes
 Islam remains the dominant religion in the area.

9. Egyptian Area
The area runs through the Nile basin of present-day Egypt.

Material Culture
 The Hamitic cultural practices make Egypt distinct from other area
 The area is the cradle of African civilisation
 The ancient history, pyramids, architecture remain a proud heritage of African
historians
The notes above show how cultural practices in some African countries portray their social,
economic and political activities. These activities indicate the level of civilisations enjoyed by
the people who lived in those territories. Their social, political, economic and religious
practices also contributed to the development in the area.
Self-Assessment Questions

1. Briefly explain what development means to the African.

2. Mention three of the typical African societies you know.

3. Mention five of the tangible material culture of the East Africans.

4. State five of the features of the political organisation of the Congo.

5. Mention five of the material culture of Sudan.

COURSE OUTLINE NO 2: AFRICAN MORAL VALUES

Overview
Anthropologists have defined culture and moral values in various forms. Each definition is in
line with different cultural and moral values that pertain to different social and ethnic group
around the world, particularly Africa. However, the significance of moral values differs from
society to society. However, this session of the notes explores some moral values practiced in
Africa and their significance to the development of Africa, and by extension the world.

Objectives of the Study

At the end of the study students should be able to explain
1. What constitute moral values in Africa
2. How has Modernity Influence African Moral Values
3. Identify Specific Issues that Constitute Morality
4. How can African Moral Values Foster Development in Africa

Definition of morals: They are the accepted practices in a society of which the offender is
usually punished by fine, banishment, or to the extreme execution, (Tylor 1958).

Definition of values: Values refer to attitude, beliefs, behaviours and actions that are
acceptable in a society, Falade et. al., (2009).

African Moral Values: The Traditional Africans have different moral and societal values that
govern the behaviour of the people. These values are meant for the smooth running and
development of the community. They are to prevent members of the community from
becoming rebellious and to endanger the society. Some of the traditional societal/moral
values/laws are as follows:

1. Respect and Honour for the Elderly

2. Regard and Appreciation for one’s Family and Sponsors
3. Self-control and Politeness
4. Forgiveness, Harmony and Peaceful-co-existence
5. Diligence and Industry
6. Truth and Honesty
7. Unity and Co-operation
8. Love and Best wishes
9. Selflessness and Support for One-Another
10. Care for One’s Family

Besides the individual moral values/laws outlined above, there are several African proverbs
that teach moral lessons in the African societies.

1. Failure to give regard to other is the fundamental cause of societal abnormality.

2. We should not point at our father’s house with the left hand
3. Mind your own business
4. Unless we overlook the past misdeeds, we will not able to relate
 5. Hard work is the cure for poverty
6. Truth does not make mistake, falsehood lead astray
7. One hand cannot lift a heavy load to the head
8. Beauty does not pay up a debt
9. It is when a chief has good counselors that his reign becomes peaceful
10. There is no wealth where there are no children
11. The reasons two dear walk together is that one has to take the mole from the other’s
eye
12. Goodness is the prime characteristics of God
13. Humility has no boundary
14. When a person dies, he is not really dead
15. It is by individual effort that we can struggle for our head
16. Knowledge is like a garden, if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested
17. Life is mutual aid
18. Absence does not bring up a child
19. He who gets blisters from the hoe handle will not die of hunger
20. Only he who goes into the forest comes back with firewood
21. What one cultivates is what one harvests
22. Good character is a person’s guide. An unpleasant truth is better than a pleasant
falsehood
23. When wealth comes and passes by nothing comes after
24. The wise person is spoken to in proverbs
25. The beauty of a woman is due to her husband
26. Treat your guest as a guest for two days, on the third day give him a hoe
27. There is nothing you get out of laziness than poverty

African Moral Values and Modernity

In spite of the long lived African Moral Values, the Modern Africans continue to observe
them in the modern trend of events. We can conveniently discuss some of the traditional
African moral values that are harmonious with the modern cultures. A few of them are as
follows:

Humility and Brotherhood: The traditional Africans recognise the dignity and integrity of
humans as the creature of God, and thus there is only one common family to which all
humans belong. This trend can commonly be found in Modern Africa.

Communalism and individualism: Africans believe in the sharing of a common social life
for the good of the community, appreciation of mutual obligation, caring for others,
independence and solidarity. The efforts of individuals are recognised, but extreme
individualism is abhorred.

Morality: In this field the interest of the community supersedes that of the individual. Good
character traits are esteemed as the well-being of the society is always ensured.

The Family: Marriage is considered very important because it is through that family is
produce. Without family kinship systems can not be established. The family life is to be
enjoyed by husband, wife and children if any. However, the extended family members are
also respected and they share in the responsibility of training the children and the joy accrued
aftermath.
Economic Life: The African is required to be industrious and to own property. The African
society is communal one and thus economic gains are supposed to be shared by all in the
community because resources are owned by the entire community. Even though communal
property is the practice, individual ownership of property is also recognised.

Political System: Tue chief does a lot of consultation during his administration of policies
and justice. The governance system is seen as community responsibility and hence the people
must have a say on issues affecting the entire community. The community work through the
council of elders who primary serve as the advisory body to the chief.

Human Right: The principles of human right in enshrined in individual responsibility,

dignity, integrity, the use of family property, access to food and security, fair trail, own
property.

Acquisition of Knowledge: Knowledge is acquired through observation and experience.

Acquired knowledge is supposed to be seen the practical life of every member of the society.
Aesthetics: Beauty is supposed to be seen not only in words, but more in conduct such as
humility and respect.

The above moral values complement other important characteristics in Africa to foster social,
political, economic and religious development both in traditional and the modern African
societies.

Self-Assessment Questions

1. Briefly explain what constitute morality if Africa.

2. Mention ten African Moral Values you know.

3. Give five of the Modern African Moral Values

4. In your own assessment in two pages describe the importance of the African Moral
Values to the development of technology in Africa.
COURSE OUTLINE NO 3: AFRICAN POPULAR CULTURE AND FESTIVALS

Overview
The session deals with specific cultural practices and festivals that are common in Africa, and
their influence on the people of the African continent and beyond. We will examine each of
the popular culture and their effects on the continent of Africa and the rest of the diasporan
Africa.

Objectives of the Study

The study will offer students the opportunity to understand
1. The Definition of African Popular Culture
2. Types of African Popular Culture
3. The Relevance of African Popular Culture to Africans
4. The Effects of Social Change on African Popular Culture

Definition of African Popular Culture

Summing the definitions of E.B Tylor, Sarpong and Ember and Ember define African Popular
Culture as “the sum total of the way of life of a people including learned and acquired
behaviours and traits that enable them to master and live in their society in a more
meaningful way”. This definition shows that culture influences the way of life of a people in
a society

African popular culture is used to explain African cultural activities where large numbers of
people in African communities are involved. There are a number of African popular culture
such as dance, drama, festivals, music and funerals. The study will further explain each of
these cultural practices. The following are features of African Popular Culture

Features of African Popular Culture

The following are some features of African popular culture:
1. It is learned because we are not born with it. Societies share their cultural values
among themselves which is usually referred to as cultural traits
2. Culture is distinctive in nature as individuals master their culture to make livelihood
3. Culture is a shared responsibility of every member of the society
4. Culture is dynamic and it takes strong will for a society to change its cultural values
5. Culture satisfies the common needs of the society practicing it

To this end we want to discuss in details specific popular cultures practiced in Africa.

1. African Dance
Dance is an important aspect of the life of an African community. To African dance is a way
of life, way of thinking, way of living and way of communication. During rites of passage
such as birth, puberty, marriage and death, dance permeates the fabrics of the society. In the
events like recreation, sorrow, love, hatred, war, peace, sowing, harvesting, divination and
other ritual practices Africans dance as part of the cultural heritage.

The African dance is always accompanied with singing, clapping, acrobatic display,
drumming and stamping. Children are taught the goodness of traditional African dance from
infancy. The African dance is made public and it is owned by the entire society and has both
social and economic benefits to the people in the community.

Types of African Dance

Recreational Dance: Examples are Adakam (Akan of Ghana), Adoa (Akan of Ghana), Gobi
(Banda of Ghana), Lalba (Acholi of Uganda). These dances are usually performed for
entertainment.

War Dance: They are used to direct the formation of the battle troops. For example, how to
carry weapons, how to retreat, how to advance, how to crouch, how to slaughter and how to
surrender. Some war dances are Atsiagbekor dance (Ewe of Ghana), Fontofrom (Akan of
Ghana), Asafo (Fante of Ghana) and the Tutsi (Rwanda).

Ritual Dance: According to Mbiti (1991: 67-68), Africans enjoy celebrating life, therefore
when people meet together for public worship they dance and this may last a whole day or
several days. The nature of the dance will depend on the demand by the object of worship.
There are several ritual dances found in Africa including Damba (Mole Dagbani of Ghana),
Kundum (Nzema of Ghana), San trance (Bushman of Botswana), Akom and Abofo (Akan of
Ghana), Zande beer (Sudan), M’Deup (Senegal), Bakweri Elephant (Cameroon), Turu
harvest (Tanzania), Zangbeto (Porto Novo), Egungun and Oro (Yoruba), Mmo and Ekpo (Ibo
Nigeria), Poro and Sande (Sierra Leone). These ritual dances have several functions as have
been outlined below:

Functions of Dance
1. Individuals demonstrate their creative art.
2. They build self-esteem.
3. They communicate ideas of love, geniality, goodwill, solidarity and security.
4. They serve as public speech and social control.
5. They have an entertainment value.
6. They call for blessings from the supernatural.
7. Individuals who communicate with the spirit medium become possessed.
8. Spiritual churches display their spirituality during the process.
9. They serve as a sign of protection from the spirit of wild animals, particular for
hunters.
10. They promote cohesion and harmonious living among members of the society.
11. They serve as curative process and spiritual relief for the spiritually afflicted in
society.
12. They tell the history of the society, for example, victories and defeats.
13. They signify the unique identity of the society.
14. They promote healthy conditions among the living.

The following is another Popular African Culture

 2. African Drama
African Drama is another key popular culture among the African societies. Among the
Greeks, drama is defined as an enactment which people enjoy when they see it. Thus, drama
occurs when one or more humans isolate themselves in an imaginative act to one another of
before others. Therefore, elements in drama are: enactment, one or more actors, imitative
representative, stories, with or without music, entertaining to audience(s). A typical African
drama is the Concert Party play and the Akan Dramas in Ghana. Elsewhere, for example, the
Yoruba of Eastern Nigeria has the Okumkpa, Kote Koma Nyanga (Sierra Leonne), Gemshok
(Khomani Bushman).

Features of African Drama

African drama has the following features:
 The musical prelude that precedes the play is short and serves as an entertainment to
the audience.
 Comedies and jokes are performed to wet the appetite of the audience.
 The third stage is the play itself with a prologue by a narrator who announces the title
of the play. The sources of the paly numerous such as marriage, domestic struggles,
polygamous homes, historical events, childlessness and funerals.
 The last part is the concluding remarks and music.

Functions and importance of African Drama

 It is a source of entertainment to the performers, observers and the entire community.
 The participation of the audience, for example, applauds motivate the performers to
do more to add value to the play
 It is a medium of communication that educates both the participants and the
observers.
 It also tells the history and portrays the cultural values of the community involved.
 It serves as a period for the community to reflect and do self-assessment for
corrections and enhance good behaviour.
 Satire and comic plays give the people some psychological relief as people are able to
go through emotional changes by learning from life experiences.

3. African Festivals

What is a festival? It is a ceremony when a community/communities come(s) together to

showcase the cultural values of the society. The ceremony involves purification, drumming,
dancing, singing, recital of societal values and the history of the community.

Types of Traditional Festivals

 Harvest festival
 Commemorative
 Ritual festival or Festival for the gods
 Recreational festival
 Religious festival

Features of African Festivals

 They tell the history of the community involved
 They give a sense of reconning time
  Some of festivals bring a peaceful period in the society which is good for planning.
For example, the ban on drumming during the Homowo festivals of the Gả people of
Ghana, Accra.
 There is the ritual cleansing and purification during the period.
 There is also the period of mourning the dead loved ones.
 There is the drumming and the dancing period which bring entertainment to the actors
and the audience.
 There is the durbar of chiefs, renewal of allegiance and payment of tribute to the
overlord.
 There is fund raising in aid of economic and social development.
 The spiritual fathers of the community perform rituals to the determine the future of
the community.
 The gods receive thanksgiving from the people in appreciation of what they have
done for them.
 They create an opportunity for people to engage in economic activities such as
trading, transportation and showcasing creativity.
 They bring family reunion.
 They bring tourists to communities and this sometimes foster economic and social
growth.
 They portray the material culture of the people.
 They bring unity, sense of belonginess and solidarity into the community.
 Settlement of family and clan disputes bring peace and mutual co-existence to the
community.
 They serve as training sessions for the young ones who will take up community
responsibility in future.
 They serve as research grounds for anthropologies and others.
 They have the potentials of attracting foreigners into Africa.

Generally, the above discussions also serve as the importance of all African Popular Cultures.

Self-Assessment Questions

1. What do you understand by African popular Culture?

2. Mention the three types of African Popular Culture.

3. In your own assessment, why do you think we should study African Traditional
Popular Culture in the university circles?

4. Summarise five features of three African festivals you know.

5. What is the didactic purpose of African Popular Culture to the development of

technology in Africa?
REFERENCES

Yayo, W. K. (2014), African Studies. University Printing Press, Cape Coast.

Gadzekpo, S. K. (2008), History of African Civilisations. Rabbi Books.

Borgmann, Albert. (1984), Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life. University
of Chicago Press.
Okyere, V. N. (2000), Ghana: A Historical Survey. Vinojab Publications, Accra.

Gyekye, (2002), African Cultura Values: An Introduction. Sankofa Publishing Company.

Awoniyi, Sunday. African Cultural Values: Past, Present and Future. Adenkule Ajasin
University Press.