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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.
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