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Chapter 8 Section 3 Objectives: In this section you will: • Find out how geography has affected the development of East African cultures. • Learn how and why ideas about land ownership are changing in East Africa. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Key Terms • Swahili (swah HEE lee) n. an ethnic group in East Africa that resulted from the mixing of African and Arab ways more than 1,000 years ago; also a language • heritage (HEHR uh tij) n. the values, traditions, and customs handed down from one’s ancestors The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 East Africa is a large, coastal region bordering the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Like West Africa, East Africa is a land of great cultural diversity: • mixture of traditional and modern ways of life • many languages • many religions The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 East Africa The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 East Africa’s diversity is tied to its location along the Indian Ocean. The ocean provided a travel route, linking Africans with people living in lands to the east. For centuries, East Africa’s port cities were centers of trade among Africans, Arabs, and people from as far away as India and China. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Contact among different cultures resulted in the exchange of customs, languages, and ideas. Over time, this exchange changed life for people in East Africa. For some, a new culture resulted—one that blended elements of African and Arab traditions. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Today, the Swahilis are one of hundreds of ethnic groups found in East Africa. The Swahili language, however, is spoken throughout the region. Swahili is: • a Bantu language containing Arabic words • taught in schools • used for business and communication The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Swahili Culture Nearly 2,000 years ago, Arab traders settled in East Africa. Africans took on elements of Arab culture. Arab settlers took on elements of African culture. The Swahili ethnic group emerged from the mixing of African and Arab ways. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Promoting Swahili helps East Africans preserve their heritage. Yet, with so many different ethnic groups in the region, many other languages are also spoken. This variety of languages is due to the long history of migrations of people throughout the continent, including the Bantu migration. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Most East Africans know more than one language, and many speak three languages or more. Ethiopia 80 languages spoken Kenya 40 languages spoken Sudan 1,000 languages spoken The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 East Africa: Languages Each major language group, shown here, includes many different languages. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Religions in East Africa Islam introduced by Arab traders Christianity spread into Ethiopia from North Africa when it was part of the Roman Empire Traditional religions practiced throughout the region The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Attitudes toward the land are an important part of East African culture. For centuries, extended families farmed plots of land to feed family members. • Men cleared the land and tended livestock. • Women worked in the fields and harvested crops. • Land was not bought or sold. These ideas changed when Europeans took over parts of Africa. The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Changing Ideas about Land Ownership Before European Colonization • no individual ownership of land • most land farmed by extended families During European Colonization • individuals own land • some landowners created plantations After Independence • plantations divided and sold to individual Africans • most fertile farmland sold • some land disputes remain The Cultures of East Africa Chapter 8 Section 3 Today, urban areas are growing in East Africa. Yet many city dwellers still feel a strong bond to the land. They think of “home” as the village of their family or clan. Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, shared this feeling: • served as president in Dar es Salaam • returned to his home village after retirement The Cultures of East Africa