Chapter 17, section 2

Central Africa

History

• Great African Kingdoms and European colonizers have influenced the history of Central Africa.

• One of the most important early kingdoms was the Kongo Kingdom.

• Kongo people traded animal skins, shells, slaves, and ivory.

• 1400s Europeans wanted forest products and other resources.

• 1800s Europe divided Central Africa into colonies.

• Borders ignored homelands of ethnic groups

• After independence, ethnic differences caused conflict.

• United States and Soviet Union used Central Africa in the Cold War .

Culture

• The culture of Central Africa includes many ethnic groups and languages, but it has also been influenced by European colonization.

• About 100 million people live in Central Africa

Language

• People speak hundreds of different languages

• People also speak different dialects

• Angola Umbundu, Kimbundu, Kongo, Chokwe, Lwena, Lunda

• Burundi Kirundi, Rundi, Swahili• Cameroon Fang, Bulu, Fulani, Yaunde, Duala,

Mbum• Central African Republic Sango, Gbaya, Banda,

Swahili, Hausa, Arabic• Chad Arabic, Sara, Maba, Teda, Mbum Congo

Lingala, Kongo, Kituba Democratic Republic ofthe Congo (Zaire) Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba, Ngala, Luba, Mongo, Kinyarwanda, Zande, Rundi, Mangbetu, Chokwe

• Equatorial Guinea Bubi, Fang, Igbo • Gabon Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou, Eschira,

Bandjabi, Bantu family (100 subfamilies)• Rwanda Kinyarwanda, Swahili • Uganda Luganda, Nkole, Chiga, Gisu, Toro, Nyoro,

Lango, Acholi, Alur, Teso, Karamojong, Lugbara, Madi, Swahili Zambia Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyangja, Tonga, Tumbuka

Language

• Most ethnic groups have their own language or dialect

• Many people speak Bantu languages, but might not be able to understand each other because of the many dialects

Religion

• Europeans introduced Christianity

• Christianity is the major religion of Central Africa

Religion

• Many Muslims live in northern Central Africa

• Zambia also has Hindus

Arts

• Famous for sculpture, wooden masks, and cotton gowns

• Makossa is a type of dance music

• Likembe is a thumb piano

This African tribal mask made from woven sisal

and then brightly painted, is used in ceremonies by ethnic tribes in the country of Zambia, north of South Africa

The clothing of women in Central African Republic