In a power-sharing system, members of a village rather than a single leader would make decisions based on consensus. What role did women play in many West African villages? Women took a dominant role in many African societies, acting as peacemakers and as decision makers in the marketplace.
How did power sharing work in small African societies?
How was ruling power shared in some of the smaller African societies? Power was usually shared by several people; groups of elders made major decisions; decisions were made by consensus.
Which is the basic unit of African society?
While emerging ideas in the west especially among elite groups attempt to view the family as simply one among several institutions, which has lost its traditional significance in society, the family has remains consistent as the basic, natural unit of African societies (Carlson, 1999).
Why do you think art literature and religion inspired a sense of unity within medieval African communities *?
Why do you think art, literature, and religion inspire a sense of unity within medieval Africa? I think art, literature and religion inspire a sense of unity within a region as it brings people together in different ways.
What do we call the communities of extended family units in African villages?
By the early sixteenth century, most West Africans were farmers. They usu- ally lived in hamlets or villages composed of extended families and clans called lineages. Depending on the ethnic group involved, extended fami- lies and lineages were either patrilineal or matrilineal.
How important was family in medieval African society?
Belonging to a particular family, lineage, or clan gave people a sense of community with shared responsibilities to that community. An individual’s place in some medieval African societies was also determined by a system of age grades.
How did a person’s kinship impact their place in society in Africa?
How did an individual’s family ties affect life in medieval African societies? Belonging to a particular family, lineage, or clan gave people a sense of community, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to create social ties beyond the family.
What is family in Africa?
Family is very important throughout Africa. Families, not individuals, are the building blocks of African society. Most people live in households that include not only the nuclear family (mother, father, children) but also members of their extended family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and others).
Why were griots important to African society?
Griots were an important part of the culture and social life of the village. The main job of the griot was to entertain the villagers with stories. They would tell mythical stories of the gods and spirits of the region. They would also tell stories of kings and famous heroes from past battles.
Which African civilization prospered from the salt trade?
Timbuktu manuscripts, c. 14th century: Timbuktu became a permanent settlement early in the 12th century. After a shift in trading routes, Timbuktu flourished from the trade in salt, gold, ivory, and slaves. It became part of the Mali Empire early in the 14th century.
What role did the Berbers play in African trade?
What role did Berbers play in African trade? they carried trade across the desert, helping to make countries and kingdoms prosper.
Why was music and storytelling important in African societies?
Storytelling in Africa has been manifested in many ways and was used to serve many purposes. It was used to interpret the universe, resolve natural and physical phenomena, teach morals, maintain cultural values, pass on methods of survival, and to praise God.
What role did ancestors play in African religion?
Ancestor worship and belief is an extension of a belief in and respect for elders. Followers of traditional African religion believe that ancestors maintain a spiritual connection with their living relatives. … To please these unhappy ancestors, usually offerings of beer and meat are made.
Who are the extended family members?
An extended family is a family that extends beyond the nuclear family, consisting of parents like father, mother, and their children, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins, all living in the same household. Particular forms include the stem and joint families.
What are the roles of extended family members?
One significant role that grandparents and extended family members play is to provide extra support that children need when parents have to work, care for siblings, or just need a break. This can be sharing in childcare duties or just providing support and guidance.
What role does each family member play in African culture?
Family plays a central role in African society. It shapes such daily experiences as how and where individuals live, how they interact with the people around them, and even, in some cases, whom they marry. It can determine a person’s political identity and the way money and property are transferred.