Bantu

Ban-tu

(no prefixes or suffixes)

The Bantu make up a significant amount of Africa’s total population.

ethnic group – farmers who migrated from West Africa to Central Africa 2000 years ago. Bantu is one of two dominant language families in Africa, having

some 200 different dialects

Sub-saharan

Sub Sa-har-an

Sub = under

The sub-saharan area of Africa is slowly expanding into a desert.

an area in Africa south of the Sahara Desert

Sahel

Sa-hel

(no prefixes or suffixes)

The sahel region stretches across six nations, from Senegal to Chad.

a semiarid area that lies between the Sahara and moister regions to the

south in northern Africa

Standard of Living

Stand-ard Of Liv-ing

Standort = standing point

The United States enjoys a very high standard of living compared to many other nations.

level of subsistence and comfort in everyday life enjoyed by a community, class, or individual

Bantu People

Bantu

• The term Bantu refers to both a language and an ethnic group

• The Bantu migration, which spanned many centuries, influenced the development of many ethnic groups and languages in Sub-Saharan Africa

• It is estimated that 2/3 of the people living in Africa today have roots in the Bantu language & ethnic group

History

• Archeologists have uncovered scratches on rocks, massive stone pillars, and tools that have placed the Bantu people in Angola since 50,000 BC or earlier

• Their original language appears to have evolved in present-day Cameroon and then spread eastward and southward

• Today the Bantu are in countries from the equator to southern Africa

Bantu Influence

• The migration of Bantu speakers had important effects on African life

• They brought new ways for growing food• They began to raise cattle and used tools

made of iron, which others began to use

Language

• About 60 million modern day Africans can trace their language back to those of the Bantu of long ago

• Approximately 400 African languages have Bantu roots

• Some believe that Bantu is more of a language group than a culture group because of this incredible diversity

Religion

• Whether Islam or Christian, many Bantu retain their traditional beliefs that precede both those religions.

• They believe in the power of magic and curses

Bantu Muslims

• Local Muslim leaders forbid some Bantu drum playing and dancing as inappropriate

• Bantu Muslims are more liberal in their beliefs than many other Muslims

Women’s Roles

• Women can work in the fields• Women dress modestly by American

standards, but don’t have to wear the hijab, which most Muslim women must wear in public