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The main part of the peoples of Africa includes groups consisting of several thousand, and sometimes hundreds of people, but at the same time it does not exceed 10% of the total population of this continent. As a rule, such small ethnic groups are the wildest tribes.
It is to such a group that the Mursi tribe belongs, for example.
Ethiopian tribe Mursi is the most aggressive ethnic group
Ethiopia is the oldest country in the world. It is Ethiopia that is considered the progenitor of humanity; it is here that the remains of our ancestor, modestly named Lucy, were found.
More than 80 ethnic groups live in the country.
Living in southwestern Ethiopia, on the border with Kenya and Sudan, settled in Mago Park, the Mursi tribe is distinguished by unusually tough customs. They, by right, can be nominated for the title of the most aggressive ethnic group.
They are prone to frequent alcohol consumption and uncontrolled use of weapons. In everyday life, the main weapon of the men of the tribe is the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which they buy in Sudan.
In fights, they can often beat each other almost to the point of death, trying to prove their primacy in the tribe.
Scientists attribute this tribe to a mutated Negroid race, with distinctive features in the form of short stature, wide bones and crooked legs, low and strongly compressed foreheads, flattened noses and pumped-up short necks.
Mursi's female bodies often look flabby and sore, abdomens and breasts saggy, and stooped backs. There is practically no hair, which was often hidden under intricate headdresses of a very fancy look, using as a material everything that can be picked up or caught nearby: rough skins, branches, dried fruits, marsh mollusks, someone's tails, dead insects and even incomprehensible fell stinking.
The most famous feature of the Mursi tribe is the tradition of putting plates on the lips of girls.
In the more public, who come into contact with civilization, Mursi can not always see all these characteristic attributes, but the exotic look of their lower lip is the calling card of the tribe.
Plates are made of different sizes from wood or clay, the shape can be round or trapezoidal, sometimes with a hole in the middle. For beauty, the plates are covered with a pattern.
The lower lip is cut in childhood, pieces of wood are inserted there, gradually increasing their diameter.
Mursi girls start wearing plates at the age of 20 six months before marriage. The lower lip is pierced and a small disc is inserted into it, after the lip is stretched, the disc is replaced with a larger one and so on until the required diameter is found (up to 30 centimeters !!).
The size of the plate matters: the larger the diameter, the more the girl is valued and the more cattle the groom will pay for her. Girls must wear these plates at all times, except when sleeping and eating, and they can also take them out if there are no men of the tribe nearby.
When the plate is taken out, the lip hangs down in a long round tourniquet. Almost all Mursi have missing front teeth, their tongue is cracked to the point of blood.
The second strange and frightening adornment of Mursi women is monista, which are recruited from human finger phalanges (nek). One person has only 28 such bones on his hands. Each necklace usually consists of phalanxes of five to six tassels, for some lovers of "jewelry" the monist is wrapped around the neck in several rows
Glitters greasy and emits a sweetish rotting smell of melted human fat, every bone is rubbed daily. The source for the beads is never scarce: the priestess of the tribe is ready to deprive the hands of a man who violated the laws for almost every offense.
It is customary for this tribe to do scarification (scarification).
Men can afford scarring only after the first murder of one of their enemies or ill-wishers. If they kill a man, then they decorate the right hand, if a woman, then the left.
Their religion - animism, deserves a longer and more shocking story.
Short: women are priestesses of death so they give their husbands drugs and poisons every day.
The High Priestess gives out antidotes, but sometimes salvation does not come to everyone. In such cases, a white cross is drawn on the widow's plate, and she becomes a very respected member of the tribe, who is not eaten after death, but buried in the trunks of special ritual trees. Honor was given to such priestesses due to the fulfillment of the main mission - the will of the God of Death Yamda, which they were able to fulfill by destroying the physical body and freeing the Supreme Spiritual Essence from their man.
The rest of the dead will be collectively eaten by the entire tribe. Soft tissues are boiled in a cauldron, bones are used for jewelry-amulets and are thrown on swamps to mark dangerous places.
What seems very wild for a European, for Mursi is routine and tradition.
Bushmen tribe
African Bushmen are the most ancient representatives of the human race. And these are not assumptions at all, but a scientifically proven fact. Who are these ancient people?
The Bushmen are a group of hunting tribes in South Africa. Now these are the remnants of a large ancient African population. Bushmen are notable for their short stature, wide cheekbones, narrow eyes and much swollen eyelids. Their real skin color is difficult to determine, because in the Kalahari it is not allowed to waste water for washing. But you can see that they are much lighter than their neighbors. Their skin tone is slightly yellowish, which is more typical for South Asians.
Young bushmen are considered the most beautiful among the female population of Africa.
But once they reach puberty and become mothers, these beauties are simply unrecognizable. Bushmen women have overdeveloped hips and buttocks, and their belly is constantly swollen. This is a consequence of improper nutrition.
To distinguish a pregnant bushwoman from the rest of the women of the tribe, she is coated with ash or ocher, since in appearance this is very difficult to do. By the age of 35, Bushman men become like 80 years old, due to the fact that their skin sags and the body is covered with deep wrinkles.
Life in Kalahara is very harsh, but even here there are laws and rules. The most important wealth in the desert is water. There are old people in the tribe who know how to find water. At the place that they indicate, representatives of the tribe either dig wells or remove water using the stems of plants.
Each Bushman tribe has a secret well, which is carefully laid with stones or covered with sand. During the dry season, bushmen dig a hole at the bottom of a dry well, take a plant stem, suck water through it, take it into their mouth, and then spit it out into the shell of an ostrich egg
The South African tribe of Bushmen is the only people on Earth whose men have permanent erections.This phenomenon does not cause any unpleasant sensations or inconveniences, except for the fact that when hunting on foot, men have to attach their penis to their belts so as not to cling to them. branches.
The Bushmen do not know what private property is. All animals and plants growing on their territory are considered common. Therefore, they hunt both wild animals and farm cows. For this they were very often punished and destroyed by whole tribes. Nobody wants neighbors like that.
Shamanism is very popular among the Bushmen tribes. They do not have leaders, but there are elders and healers who not only treat diseases, but also communicate with spirits. Bushmen are very afraid of the dead, and they piously believe in the afterlife. They pray to the sun, moon, stars. But they are not asking for health or happiness, but for success in the hunt.
Bushmen tribes speak Khoisan languages, which are very difficult to pronounce by Europeans. A characteristic feature of these languages is clicking consonants. The representatives of the tribe speak among themselves very quietly. This is a long-standing habit of hunters - so as not to scare away the game.
There is confirmed evidence that a hundred years ago they were engaged in drawing. Rock paintings depicting people and various animals are still found in the caves: buffaloes, gazelles, birds, ostriches, antelopes, crocodiles.
In their drawings there are also unusual fairy-tale characters: people-monkeys, eared snakes, people with a crocodile face. There is an entire open-air gallery in the desert that displays these amazing drawings by unknown artists.
But now the Bushmen are not painting, they are great in dance, music, pantomime and legends.
VIDEO: Shamanic ritual healing ceremony of the Bushmen tribe. Part 1
Shamanic ritual healing ceremony of the Bushmen tribe. Part 2
The many-sided Africa, on a vast territory of which in 61 countries, in secluded corners of this continent, more than 5 million people of almost completely wild African tribes still live.
Members of these tribes do not recognize the achievements of the civilized world and are content with the benefits that they inherited from their ancestors.
Wretched huts, modest food and a minimum of clothing suit them, and they are not going to change this way of life.
African tribes
There are about 3 thousand different tribes and nationalities in Africa, but their exact number is difficult to name, since most often they are either tightly mixed with each other, or, on the contrary, are cardinally divided. The population of some tribes is only a few thousand or even hundreds of people, and often only 1-2 villages inhabit. Because of this, on the territory of the African continent, there are adverbs and dialects, which sometimes only representatives of a particular tribe can understand. And the variety of rituals, cultural systems, dances, customs and sacrifices is enormous and amazing. In addition, the appearance of the people of some tribes is simply striking.
However, since they all live on the same continent, all African tribes still have something in common. Some elements of culture are characteristic of all peoples living in this territory. One of the main defining features of African tribes is their orientation towards the past, that is, the elevation of the culture and life of their ancestors into the cult.
The majority of African peoples reject everything new and modern and withdraw into themselves. Most of all, they are attached to constancy and immutability, including in everything that concerns everyday life, traditions and customs that lead their existence from their great-grandfathers.
It is hard to imagine, but there are practically no people among them who would not be engaged in subsistence farming or cattle breeding. Hunting, fishing or gathering are completely normal activities for them. Just like many centuries ago, African tribes are at war with each other, marriages are most often concluded within one tribe, intertribal marriages are very rare among them. Of course, more than one generation leads such a life, every new child from birth will have to live the same fate.
Tribes differ from each other in their own, inherent only to them system of life, customs and rituals, beliefs and prohibitions. Most tribes invent their own fashion, often stunningly bright, the identity of which is often simply amazing.
Among the most famous and numerous tribes today can be considered: Masai, Bantu, Zulus, Samburu and Bushmen.
Maasai
One of the most famous African tribes. They live in Kenya and Tanzania. The number of representatives reaches 100 thousand people. Most often they can be found on the side of a mountain that features prominently in Maasai mythology. Perhaps the size of this mountain influenced the perception of the members of the tribe - they consider themselves favorites of the gods, the highest people and are sincerely convinced that there will be no more beautiful people in Africa.
Such an opinion about oneself gave rise to a contemptuous, often even derogatory attitude towards other tribes, which became the reason for frequent wars between tribes. In addition, it is customary among the Masai to steal animals from other tribes, which also does not improve their reputation.
The Maasai dwelling is built from branches covered with dung. This is mainly done by women, who also, if necessary, take on the duties of beasts of burden. The main share of food is milk or blood of animals, less often meat. Elongated earlobes are considered a hallmark of beauty in this tribe. At present, the tribe is almost completely exterminated or dispersed, only in the remote corners of the country, in Tanzania, there are still separate Masai nomads.
Bantu
The Bantu tribe lives in Central, South and East Africa. In truth, the Bantu is not even a tribe, but a whole nation, which includes many peoples, for example, Rwanda, Shono, Konga and others. They all have similar languages and customs, which is why they were united into one large tribe. Most Bantu speakers speak two or more languages, the most commonly spoken of which is Swahili. The number of members of the Bantu people reaches 200 million. According to research scientists, it was the Bantu, along with the Bushmen and Hottentots, who became the progenitors of the South African colored race.
Bantu have a peculiar appearance. They have very dark skin and amazing hair structure - each hair is curled in a spiral shape. The wide and wings of the nose, the low bridge of the nose and the tall stature - often taller than 180 cm - are also hallmarks of the people of the Bantu tribe. Unlike the Maasai, the Bantu do not shy away from civilization and willingly invite tourists to sightseeing walks in their villages.
Like any African tribe, religion occupies a major part of Bantu life, namely, animistic beliefs traditional for Africa, as well as Islam and Christianity. The Bantu dwelling resembles a Maasai house - the same round shape, with a frame of branches coated with clay. True, in some areas, Bantu houses are rectangular, painted, with gable, shed or flat roofs. Members of the tribe are mainly engaged in agriculture. A distinctive feature of the Bantu is an enlarged lower lip, into which small discs are inserted.
Zulu
The Zulu people, once the largest ethnic group, now number only 10 million. The Zulu use their own language - Zulu, which comes from the Bantu family and is the most common in South Africa. In addition, among the members of the people are English, Portuguese, Sesotho and other African languages.
The Zulu tribe went through a difficult period during the apartheid era in South Africa, when, being the most numerous people, it was defined as a second-class population.
As for the beliefs of the tribe, most of the Zulu remained faithful to their national beliefs, but there are also Christians among them. The Zulu religion is based on the belief in a creator god who is supreme and separate from the daily routine. The tribe believes that one can turn to spirits through diviners. All negative manifestations in the world, including illness or death, are viewed as the machinations of evil spirits or the result of unkind witchcraft. In the Zulu religion, the main place is occupied by cleanliness, frequent ablutions in the custom of representatives of the people.
Samburu
The Samburu tribe lives in the northern regions of Kenya, on the border of the foothills and the northern desert. About five hundred years ago, the Samburu people settled in this area and quickly populated the plain. This tribe is distinguished by its independence and is confident in its elitism much more than the Masai. The life of the tribe depends on livestock, but, unlike the Masai, the samburu themselves raise livestock and move with it from place to place. Customs and ceremonies occupy a significant place in the life of the tribe and are distinguished by the magnificence of colors and forms.
Samburu huts are made of clay and skins, outside the dwelling is surrounded by a barbed fence to protect it from wild animals. Representatives of the tribe carry their homes with them, reassembling at each parking lot.
It is customary for samburu to divide labor between men and women, this also applies to children. Women's responsibilities include gathering, milking cows and delivering water, as well as gathering firewood, preparing meals and babysitting. Of course, the general order and stability are in the jurisdiction of the female half of the tribe. Samburu men are responsible for grazing livestock, which is their main livelihood.
The most important part of the life of the people is childbirth, sterile women are severely persecuted and abused. It is normal for the tribe to worship the spirits of ancestors, as well as witchcraft. Samburu believe in enchantments, spells and rituals, using them to increase fertility and protect.
Bushmen
The most famous African tribe among Europeans for a long time is the Bushmen. The name of the tribe consists of the English "bush" - "bush" and "man" - "man", but it is dangerous to call the representatives of the tribe - it is considered offensive. It is more correct to call them "san", which in the language of the Hottentots means "alien". Outwardly, the Bushmen are somewhat different from other tribes in Africa, they have lighter skin and thinner lips. In addition, they are the only ones who eat ant larvae. Their dishes are considered a feature of the national cuisine of this people. The way of society of the Bushmen also differs from that generally accepted among the wild tribes. Instead of leaders and sorcerers, the dignitaries choose elders from among the most experienced and respected members of the tribe. The elders lead the life of the people, without taking advantage of any advantages at the expense of others. It should be noted that the Bushmen also believe in the afterlife, like other African tribes, but they do not have the ancestor cult adopted by other tribes.
Among other things, the dignitaries have a rare talent for stories, songs and dances. They can make almost all of them a musical instrument. For example, there are bows drawn with animal hair or bracelets made from dried insect cocoons with pebbles inside, which are used to beat the rhythm while dancing. Almost everyone who has the opportunity to observe the musical experiments of the Bushmen tries to record them in order to pass them on to future generations. This is all the more relevant since the current century dictates its own rules and many Bushmen have to deviate from age-old traditions and go as workers to farms in order to provide for their families and tribes.
This is a very small number of tribes living in Africa. There are so many of them that it will take several volumes to describe them all, but each of them boasts a unique system of values and lifestyle, not to mention rituals, customs and costumes.
Incredible facts
Uncharted Africa ... Mystical, incomprehensible to many, but so attractive.
Here people live according to different laws.
The most unusual in Africa
8. Being overweight is a sign of wealth
Mauritanians have a very strange belief - the fuller a woman, the richer her husband.
Even if a man is rather poor and lives on the street, but at the same time, he has a fat wife, such a person is considered a respected and respected citizen.
For this reason, girls are sent to special camps. There they are fattened up, and they leave the camp as real fatties.
Thus, while the rest of the world is counting calories in fear of gaining weight, Mauritanian women happily gorge themselves on fatty foods and rejoice at every kilogram they gain.
Disgusting food
9. In some African tribes, they feed on bedbugs
Returning to the strange taste preferences of Africans, I would like to note another type of very disgusting food.
This time we are talking about bedbugs.
These little insects are disgusting to even touch, let alone eat.
For some African peoples, this is a real delicacy.
At the same time, it is worth noting that creatures that cause only a feeling of disgust in most people do not always undergo heat treatment. Often, representatives of some tribes eat them alive.
However, if you forget about disgust, you can find a completely logical explanation for this: Africans really have serious problems with food, and these insects have all the nutrients that people need for a full-fledged diet.
The strangest customs in the world
10. Bride kidnapping in Sudan
Sudanese men have a very strange tradition: when they fall in love with a woman, instead of asking for her hand in marriage, they kidnap her.
Elderly family members of the groom then go to the bride's father and ask for permission to marry.
The father has two options to choose from: agree or deny potential future relatives.
If he agrees to have his daughter get married, he beats up the fan in recognition.
This is how a new family is born.
If the father does not agree that his daughter should marry this particular person, the groom can marry her without his approval.
It is not clear then why this whole idea of kidnapping, if in any case the wedding will take place.
Plate in the lip
11. Plates in the lips of the representatives of African tribes
While the Western world is fixated on the idea that botox, silicone and other fillers can make your lips plump and attractive, Africans have their own ideas about beauty and how a woman should look.
In some tribes across the African continent, girls have their lips pierced and huge plates inserted into the holes.
The thing is that, according to Africans, the larger the plate in the girl's lip, the more attractive it is.
As the girl gets older, the plate grows in size.
The final diameter of such a plate can reach 20 centimeters. For a modern person, such a tradition seems like complete madness.
But it also has its own logical explanation.
Such a strange custom of piercing lips among women originated a long time ago. Thus, the parents of their daughters tried to protect their children from being sold into slavery.
They deliberately mutilated the girls' lips by piercing them and inserting pegs into them. As the girl grew older, the pegs were replaced by large plates.
Sometimes the lips of women sagged so that dishes of huge diameters could fit into the holes.
This tradition serves as a great way to attract tourists these days. After all, travelers pay a lot of money to see with their own eyes such miracles in a woman's appearance.
Africa occupies a fifth of the land area of the globe. Its population is approaching one and a half billion people. Today there are 57 states on the territory of the Black Continent, of which three are still not recognized. Scientists consider Africa to be the ancestral home of mankind, because it was on its land that the most ancient remains of the probable human ancestors were found. At the same time, it is Africa that is the poorest continent on Earth, where the mortality rate is not only the highest in the world, but also exceeds all the norms available to the human imagination. Africa cannot be assessed unequivocally. For some, these are the beautiful resorts of Egypt and the azure beaches of the Red Sea, Arab palaces and the luxury of oil magnates, for others - constant hunger, disease, lack of water and absolute illiteracy. Africa is heterogeneous: there are also the poorest countries in the world on its territory, at the same time there is the Republic of South Africa, which is one of the twenty world leaders in terms of economic development. Therefore, it is worth considering life on the Black Continent, dwelling in more detail on its regions and individual countries.
General overview of life in Africa
In today's globalized world, Africa is developing quite rapidly. But unfortunately, there are virtually no countries on the Black Continent that have any impact on the rest of the world. Most people associate Africa with the poorest countries in the world. And this association is not wrong, because more than half of the continent's population lives below the poverty line, spending less than one dollar a day on themselves. For many decades, African countries have experienced political instability and constant armed conflict, which greatly complicates the life of ordinary Africans. In the overwhelming majority of African countries, the foundations of civilization and culture were brought at one time by the European colonialists, who, at the same time, brought millions of the healthiest and most efficient indigenous people to Europe and America, making them slaves.
Africa occupies a fifth of the land mass on the planet
One of the main troubles of the Black Continent is that Europeans and white people in general have always treated African land as a consumer, using it as a source of minerals and practically free labor. Africa is conditionally subdivided into several regions, differing in the degree of development. Scientists and economic analysts are used to dividing Africa into five regions.
North Africa
The North African region is the most economically and culturally developed. It has been inhabited since ancient times by peoples who came to Africa from Asia and the Middle East. The Arab conquerors, who seized almost all of North Africa, left many states as a legacy to their contemporaries, which stand out very brightly and vividly against the background of other African countries.
Egypt is considered the oldest of the states In the Northern region, Egypt is considered the most developed state, which ranks second on the continent in terms of economic development. Almost all the states of the Maghreb (a political union of the countries of North Africa, with the exception of Egypt) are Islamic, they derive their main income from their land, rich in oil and gas deposits. The Arab Spring that swept across the territory of the Maghreb and Egypt largely undermined the economic foundations of the North African states. For example, before the war Libya exported more than $ 70 billion of oil, but now its potential has dropped by almost five times. The inhabitants of North Africa are mostly Arabs, so black skin is not typical for the population of these countries. The immigration policy of the Maghreb states is aimed at creating an impenetrable wall for their much poorer neighbors on the continent in order to avoid a massive influx of illegal immigrants and their further advance into prosperous Europe.
West africa
The western region includes many relatively small states, most of them adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean.
The countries of West Africa are developed unevenly, the economic and political leader in the region is Nigeria, whose population exceeded 187 million in 2017. West Africa is home to the continent's most populous city and one of the world's largest cities in terms of population. This is Lagos, the capital of Nigeria. The number of its inhabitants reaches 21 million people, if you take into account the inhabitants of the numerous suburbs.
West Africa is made up of many small states West Africa during the colonial period was the main supplier of black labor. The colonial legacy has left an indelible mark on the mentality of the indigenous people of this region. At the same time, the Western colonialists built many ports on the Atlantic coast, which were created as centers of the slave trade. After gaining independence, African countries began to use the economic potential brought by Europeans and Americans.
There are many minerals in West Africa, including gold and diamonds, which attracts mining companies from Europe, America, Russia and China to West African countries. The largest suppliers of gold and diamonds are Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Most West African countries speak English, with the exception of Guinea and Senegal, which were formerly French colonies. The deadly Ebola virus had a very negative impact on the development of the region, which claimed tens of thousands of lives in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in 2014-2015 and stopped the flow of investment in the economies of these small African states. The standard of living of the population of West Africa is catastrophically low.
Central Africa
The countries of Central Africa are landlocked, which greatly limits their economic development. The territory of part of the Central African states is occupied by the Sahara Desert.
Central Africa is considered the poorest region of the continent Central Africa is the poorest and most undeveloped region of the continent, it is here that the standard of living of the population defies any comparison at all. Today, geological surveys are underway in the region; the region is rich in deposits of precious metals, metal ore, uranium and nickel.
Central African countries are the least controlled by international organizations. The "Great Silk Road" of drug and arms dealers runs through the southern regions of the Sahara. Drugs are grown in West Africa and thus end up in the Middle Eastern countries, and weapons are consumed by local gangs and are used in inter-tribal and inter-ethnic conflicts, in particular in Mali, Chad, South and North Sudan, where the echoes of a long bloody war are still heard. Therefore, in the Central African countries, there is practically no state power, it exists only nominally. The real power belongs to arms dealers, drug dealers and local gangs.
East africa
In the East African region, Tanzania is the undisputed economic and political leader. She also owns a kind of world tourist Mecca - the island of Zanzibar. East Africa is washed by the waters of the Indian Ocean; its development was significantly influenced by immigrants from the Middle East and India, who have colonized the East African coast from time immemorial. Living standards in East Africa are comparatively low, and the economy is based on maritime trade and the extraction of minerals, including precious metals and stones.
Tourists from all over the world go to the island of Zanzibar South Africa
There is still no consensus on how many countries are included in the South African region. Some experts believe that there are thirteen of them, while the UN micro-zoning limits South Africa to only five countries.
Leading in the South African region of South Africa, which is not only the most developed country on the continent, but also one of the world's economic leaders. South Africa is a clear exception to the pan-African rule. Wages in this country are at the level of European, American and Australian standards, the standard of living of the population is very high. The main role in the political and economic development of the republic was played by the large white population, which only relatively recently transferred political power to the representatives of the black race. Today, hundreds of thousands of labor migrants from all over the world are looking for work in South Africa, but getting it in this country is quite difficult, because you need to be a very high-class specialist in demand in its economy.
South Africa is among the world's economic leaders General characteristics of natural conditions and epidemiological situation
Natural conditions in Africa are extremely different. In the north of the continent is the largest desert of the Sahara land, while the main part of the continent is covered with savannas and humid equatorial forests. The equator cuts the continent almost in half. The main problems of African countries, in addition to catastrophic poverty, are the lack of an adequate level of medical care (often of any kind of medical care at all), the difficult epidemiological situation in the vast majority of regions, the lack of fresh water and incessant armed conflicts. At the same time, Africans are fighting with extreme cruelty towards their fellow tribesmen who support the other side of the conflict or belong to a different group of tribes. For example, the war between the tribes of both North and South Sudan claimed more than one and a half million lives in twenty years. A significant proportion of the Sudanese victims died as a result of ethnic cleansing and epidemics. According to some estimates, two million Sudanese died in this civil war, and four more became refugees. The eleven years' war in Sierra Leone claimed more than three hundred thousand lives. Local residents who did not want to go to serve in the armed formations of the United Revolutionary Front (RUF) were cut off their arms or legs so that they could not serve in government forces. And today in this country on the streets you can see many people who do not have an arm or a leg. In addition, the war was marked by a huge number of atrocities against the civilian population.
Africa is a huge fertile field for investment in its development. But this field can also become sand, into which the invested money will go like water. This is due to the economic, political, epidemiological and ethnic instability of African countries, which scares off Western investors. It is believed that investing money in most African states is a kind of gamble. Lack of investment significantly hinders their economic, political and cultural development.
Video story about life in Madagascar
The poorest wealthiest African countries
In 2017, according to the UN, the Central African Republic became the poorest country in the world. It leads the world in the number of AIDS patients (as a percentage of the total population), and its GDP per capita is only $ 540. The United Nations has also identified Somalia, which is even poorer, as a “competitor” in terms of poverty. But the incessant civil war does not actually allow us to speak today of Somalia as a single state.
In third place in terms of poverty is Chad, which is also part of the Central African region. 85% of Chad's population lives below the poverty line.
Liberia ranks fourth among the poorest countries in Africa, with its economy and infrastructure completely destroyed by two civil wars, followed by neighboring Sierra Leone, which is still struggling to recover from a prolonged civil war. The level of GDP per capita in these countries does not exceed 550 dollars per year, while there is a great social stratification of society.
Most of the population of poor African countries lives in slums The three richest African countries look like this: South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria... At the same time, the Republic of South Africa somewhat slowed down the rate of economic growth, which gives Egypt the prospect of taking a leading position on the continent. As for Nigeria, its economic power is based on huge reserves of oil produced both on the continental part of its territory and on the continental shelf. But the huge population does not allow the government of the country to pursue a pragmatic and balanced social policy. Therefore, today Nigeria can in no way be considered a prosperous and developed African country. The drama of the situation is added by the armed inter-tribal conflict on its territory, a very high level of crime and a strong social stratification of Nigerian society.
Life expectancy in African countries is much lower than in the rest of the world. For example, residents of Morocco live the longest - 76.5 years, almost the same in Algeria and Libya. The average life expectancy in Sierra Leone is 57 years, while in Chad it is only 49 years. These are official UN data, but they do not take into account the fact that in backward African countries not all residents have passports, and no one takes into account the children who died in infancy, because there are simply no official government institutions nearby. In the tribes, no one keeps track of the "personnel" at all, the number of which is not always known even to the leader. Therefore, in fact, the situation with life expectancy can be even more depressing.
Features of the mentality
If we look at the situation as a whole, we can distinguish two types of mentality of the inhabitants of Africa, despite its five official regions. The first type is North African. The inhabitants of North African states are overwhelmingly Orthodox Muslims, they strictly observe the traditions of their faith.
Muslim traditions are strong in North Africa North Africa has a rich and eventful history stretching back far beyond our era. After all, it is not for nothing that Egypt is considered the most ancient state in the world, which is located precisely in North Africa, and many more ancient Roman authors have written about Carthage. The population of this part of the continent is closer in spirit to the Middle East and Europe than to people from the African jungle. The predominant language is Arabic, and the languages of nomadic tribes, such as Berber, are also common. French is recognized as the second state language in Algeria and Morocco. There are many Europeans in North Africa, including immigrants from the CIS countries. Libya is still home to a large number of Russians who came to this country during the regime of Colonel Gaddafi, ousted as a result of the Arab Spring. In Egypt, many Russians and their CIS neighbors are employed in the tourism business, both as employees and as its owners and co-owners.
Ghana, in comparison with its neighbors, is quite a pleasant country, people live there relatively tolerably, and the middle class is even quite decent - people respect education, are not concerned about politics, they like to dress nicely, eat tasty food and chat with friends. Ghanaians are a wise people, benevolent, with a good sense of humor. Remember the cartoon about Anansi the spider who outwitted the boa constrictor? Here he is, this Anansi - a Ghanaian from the Ashanti tribe. Well, of course, to the level of Europe and America they still have to walk, walk and walk, but they walk, and at a faster pace than you and me.
vlad_n_van
https://travel-africa.livejournal.com/
Some Africans still adhere to tribal traditions. The mentality of the inhabitants of the rest of the continent is very different from that of North Africa. Representatives of the black population of Africa are very committed to tribal traditions, they, as a rule, perceive people of the white race in terms of material benefits. A significant imprint on the character of Africans living in the west, center, east and south of Africa was imposed by the colonial yoke, when the indigenous population was massively taken into slavery and the colonialists brutally imposed their policies and rules of life. Local African beliefs are widely spread in these regions; shamans, sorcerers and other representatives of the local cult have a significant role and authority in society.
Most African countries have no official religion, apart from North Africa. Here you can find Christians, Catholics, Protestants, and Sunni or Shiite Muslims. The foundations of Christianity were brought in by missionaries who built many churches in virtually every African country. Muslims predominate in East Africa, which is due to the historical trends in the development of this territory by immigrants from Arab countries.
In most African states, the attitude towards other religions is quite tolerant. An exception may be Nigeria, where inter-religious armed conflicts have repeatedly occurred, as a result of which tens of thousands of people have died.
Christianity was brought to Africa by European missionaries A peculiar culture of violence has developed in Africa, when for several generations the violent resolution of disputes has been accepted as normal. And a boy of 8-10 years old is already a warrior and a murderer, and there are many countries where this is in the order of things. Until now, rituals of human sacrifice are practiced here, often children become victims of these rituals. There are tribes who, as a gift to the bride, must present the genitals of their enemy. Until now, there are ethnic groups that did not obey and will not obey any of the governments and do not pay taxes.
Sergey Borisov
https://myslo.ru/club/blog/gulbarij/xHNNc0hmREix1YpD82jHBA
Separately, a few words should be said about the Republic of South Africa. Arriving in South Africa, you might at first think that you are somewhere in southern Europe. Only a large number of native Africans are striking, as well as a nature unusual for Europe. Otherwise, this country is very similar to a southern European state or, for example, Australia. More than half of all food consumed on the African continent is produced in South Africa. Also, a significant part of them are exported to other regions of the world. Industry and agriculture are developed in South Africa. The country has the largest reserves of gold and diamonds on the planet, the extraction of which plays a significant role in its economy. The abolition of the apartheid regime, which provided for the undivided domination of the whites, led to an increase in the number of the black population and its role in the political and economic life of the country. This could not but have a negative impact on the pace of economic development, as well as on the worsening of the crime situation. For example, in Johannesburg, the country's largest financial and industrial center, there are separate neighborhoods for blacks and whites. The white population tries to protect itself from the indigenous inhabitants of Africa with high fences and armed guards. But this trend in South Africa is the exception rather than a widespread phenomenon.
Video about Namibia
Myths and misconceptions: what really is
Having visited Africa in passing, you can get a not entirely objective impression of life on the Black Continent. For many compatriots, basic knowledge about him is limited to a school course in geography and a children's tale about Dr. Aibolit, which is alarming in relation to Africa. Therefore, in the minds of the average Russian or, for example, Ukrainian, life on this continent is painted in terrifying black tones, diluted with the dark green of the jungle and the blue oceans that wash the continent. So, are some of the common judgments about Africa true, or are they wrong?
Table Mountain in Cape Town is a big credit. But you need to spend not a couple of hours on it (as I did last time), but a day or two. Wander along the very top, "stick your nose" in the most distant places. The views are stunning. At the same time, there is no need to strain too much - tourists are thrown there by a funicular. They are filming them from above. And at the same time, be sure to stop by the Cape of Good Hope, feel the power of the ocean and the vastness of the vastness and ride along a very beautiful path.
Evgeny Kaspersky
https://eugene.kaspersky.ru/2015/07/02/top-100-afrika/
Myth one: Africa is a priori dangerous for a white man
For a white man, Africa can be dangerous only in two cases: if he first set foot on its land or went unprepared into the desert, jungle or savannah. Africa really resembles a parallel reality, the locals, their homes, culture and way of life are so unusual to the European view.
For an amateur, Africa can be dangerous because a person who is accustomed to safely wandering the streets of Paris or London finds himself in a densely populated quarter of an African city and does not understand the difference. Here he is clearly not expected, although they often smile. It is unlikely that someone will cut or choke him, but you should not vouch for the integrity of the wallet. The Africans themselves call their thieves Ali Baba. No one still knows where this name came from from an old oriental tale. But Africans are quite tolerant of ali-babas, since they, as a rule, steal from whites. Initially, threats to the life of a white person simply because he has the wrong skin color practically do not exist in Africa. In the worst case, Africans can only be interested in his wallet.
In the African market, the white man is immediately targeted by local thieves. A European should not go alone to the African jungle, savannah or desert. In order to feel relatively safe there, it is advisable to take a local guide with you. In Africa, there are indeed many wild animals that, when meeting a person (regardless of his skin color), can perceive him exclusively as food. In addition, there are many other threats: poisonous snakes, scorpions, tarantulas and other representatives of small but deadly living creatures. In Africa, you need to be careful even on city streets, since such representatives of the fauna feel calm in megacities.
Sometimes the main criterion for hiring in Africa is the ability of a foreign specialist to live and work on the Black Continent, because the statistics of surveys in Russia indicate that only a fifth of those with higher education are ready for this.
The second myth: having arrived, you can "catch" a deadly disease
If the first myth can be called such only relatively, then the risk of a fatal disease is indeed the pure truth. In civilized countries, they have long forgotten what plague, cholera, typhoid fever are, they rarely remember dysentery. In Africa, however, all these deadly ailments can be found at every step. It is especially worth keeping an eye on the cleanliness of your hands, cutlery, and in no case drink water from local sources. After drinking some water from a well, in a few days you can prepare with almost one hundred percent certainty for a long and painful treatment for dysentery or jaundice.
Malaria mosquitoes are especially dangerous. There is no guaranteed vaccination against malaria, since the malaria plasmodium (virus) has more than one and a half dozen varieties and it is almost impossible to guess which of them will be infected by a mosquito that has bitten. Local residents sometimes endure several dozen cases of malaria throughout their lives, which for them is akin to the usual domestic flu. To a certain extent, Africans are immune to this disease. But for a white man from Russia, it can be fatal. Not everyone can endure the first attack of malaria. Without taking medications, a similar situation can result in death. It is even worse when a European who has visited Africa, for example, from Ukraine, comes home and a month later falls ill with malaria, and in these latitudes there is practically no medicine for it. In this case, a fatal outcome is also quite likely. It should be said that the incubation period of this insidious disease can last up to two years. Usually, after being bitten by an anopheles mosquito, a person gets sick within a week or two.
Africa has deadly epidemics Those who have traveled in West Africa in the past few years are familiar with roadblocks on African roads with armed police and military personnel, as well as an electronic device for checking body temperature and the mandatory requirement to wash your hands with a special sanitizer. In this African region, the deadly Ebola virus was discovered in 2014, which claimed tens of thousands of lives. Among the dead were European doctors who fought a deadly epidemic as part of UN international humanitarian missions.
A prerequisite for crossing the border of any sub-Saharan African country is yellow fever vaccination. This procedure should be completed at home, the vaccination is valid for ten years.
Myth three: everything is cheap in Africa
Just the opposite. In Africa, it is customary to bargain, and even in stores. For a white foreigner, the price of food, clothing or services can sometimes be ten times higher than for the local population. Therefore, having arrived in Africa, it is advisable to immediately learn the methods of communication with sellers who initially do not take seriously any person who immediately agreed to their price. In general, prices in Africa are very high. This applies to both high-quality food products imported from abroad, as well as clothing, household appliances, and medicines. After all, practically none of this is produced on the Black Continent. Except, of course, South Africa, Morocco or Egypt. Products and clothing made in these countries are much cheaper than European or American ones, which is due to their territorial proximity.
African sellers welcome the white man: you can take more from him Actually, yes, here to speak, meet, or just nod to an unfamiliar African - it's just in the order of things. Somehow a matter of course. Here it is so easy for the first person you come across to wave your hand, to say hello. Another question is that such immediacy is common in many regions of the world, not only in Africa.
https://golos.io/ru-afrika/@griphon/afrikancy-negry-ili-zhiteli-afriki
The fourth myth: there are few cars in the country and very bad roads
The statement about roads and cars is only partly true. Roads in Africa can be of two types. The first are impassable trails in the jungle or savannah. There are practically no roads in the deserts. The second ones are comparable in quality to the German autobahns. Africans are attracting foreign companies, primarily Chinese and Turkish, for the construction of infrastructure, including highways. Roads are being built for a long time, but conscientiously. In addition, their good quality is due to the absence of large temperature fluctuations, unlike in Russia.
New African roads are very high quality There are a lot of cars in Africa, but almost all of them are in a terrible, from the point of view of a European, technical condition. A typical picture for Africa: a representative of a local business / criminals who have become rich in gold or diamond mining paints a serious scratch on the side of a brand new Ferrari with a brush, another can flatten a dent in an expensive jeep with an ordinary metal hammer.
Traffic on African roads is chaotic, traffic rules practically do not apply. Therefore, it is very undesirable for an inexperienced European to drive on African highways. Locals, seeing a white man behind the wheel, will try to deliberately expose their car under attack in order to “cut down” the damage from it.
A few words about corruption
In the situation described above, the police officers who arrived at the scene of the traffic accident will do their best to prove the innocence of their compatriot. If he manages to get damage from a white foreigner, then he will definitely share part of it with his native police. It is not for nothing that African countries occupy the top third of the list of countries in the world where corruption is rife. Almost everything is possible for money in Africa. And for a lot of money, everything. The countries of the Maghreb and South Africa more or less control the level of corruption. Even in Egypt, it is quite high. Any CIS businessman who decides to open his own business in an African country will surely face the need to bribe a large army of officials. If he thought that he was tortured by corruption in his homeland, he will understand that he has fallen "out of the fire and into the fire."
Corruption in most African countries is very high African children
Those who are not sad, simple-minded and open to communication - African children sometimes surprise with their spontaneity and credulity. Of course, one cannot talk about the same deplorable situation of children throughout the continent. Children of Egypt, South Africa, Morocco or Tunisia have the opportunity to attend school, for the most part they are well-fed, dressed and shod. In other countries, such as Liberia, Zimbabwe or the Central African Republic, the vast majority of children have never attended school.
Most African countries do not have birth control, so families can have 10-15 children. In disadvantaged states, almost every third child does not live to be three years old. Much of the African continent lacks any health care for young Africans, let alone mass vaccinations and periodic checkups. Women give birth, as a rule, at home, and the birth is taken by local healers.
Today, doctors in the UN humanitarian missions go to work in large quantities in Africa, the purpose of which is to prevent and prevent infectious diseases, curb the development of the epidemic and improve the general hygienic and medical culture of the African population. Children most often suffer from infectious diseases: typhoid, malaria, hemorrhagic fevers, rickets. The latter ailment develops in them from hunger and a chronic lack of essential vitamins. This situation, as already mentioned, is not observed everywhere. It is worst in West, Central and South Africa (with the exception of South Africa). The eastern part of the continent has the best level of medicine in Tanzania, while the rest of the countries in the region are experiencing similar problems.
African children learn to work early on an equal basis with adults According to WHO forecasts, the situation will not change for the better in the near future. Despite the fact that thousands of doctors, teachers, volunteers are sent to Africa under the auspices of the UN, humanitarian aid is sent regularly, all these efforts are insufficient to normalize the situation. Most African children continue to experience an acute shortage of basic necessities. In addition to objective reasons (poverty, wars and epidemics), there is one more explanation for this. African parents almost always give up the upbringing of their children “to the will of fate,” therefore very few people are purposefully engaged in educating and educating the younger generation. Such is the character of Africans, nothing can be done about it ... The degree of care a Russian mother takes for her child cannot be compared with the attitude of an African woman to her child.
The trouble with humanitarian aid is that it undermines the foundations of the agricultural sector in African countries, whose workers, armed with shovels and hoes, are unable to really compete with modern food production technologies. Why work yourself in the sweat of your brow, if good white uncles from across the ocean will bring everything for nothing ...
Video about the terrible life of children on the Black Continent
The life of Russian immigrants
Quite frankly, the Black Continent is not an immigrant's dream. Russian immigrants in Africa can be divided into three categories.
The first category also includes Soviet specialists who came as part of the assistance and exchange of experience with their African colleagues. There are many doctors, teachers and engineers among them. Compared to the Soviet Union, they were paid in Africa simply fabulous (for the USSR) money. Some local governments have offered to stay, further increasing motivation. Having settled in an African country, Soviet specialists moved their families to their place, and their children had already become immigrants in the second generation.
In contrast to Russia, pharmacies have all the medicines without exceptions and queues. The prices for good European medicines are cheaper than in Russia. I suffered from malaria several times - I didn't even notice and suffered it like a common cold. A doctor is expensive - a call is about 1000 rubles. But if you do not climb the jungle and national parks, and live by the ocean - then everything is fine.
novikovski
http://pora-valit.livejournal.com/3060236.html
The second category includes girls and women from the CIS countries who, after the collapse of the USSR, married wealthy Africans and moved to their husbands. Most of the former compatriots today are in South Africa and the Maghreb countries. There are many of them in other states of the Black Continent. Most often, the acquaintance took place at home, when future husbands studied at universities in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. And there were many of them, because education in higher educational institutions of the CIS is famous in Africa for its quality and low price, while opening up excellent prospects at home. After all, African countries are experiencing a catastrophic shortage of their specialists in almost all sectors. And no one will force the nostrification of the CIS diploma in Africa, especially when it comes to a compatriot.
Starting a family is one of the most common reasons for Russians to move to Africa The third category of immigrants consists of those who have moved to Africa to work or do business. Many immigrants from the CIS moved to South Africa back in the 90s, found work and already managed to become citizens of this country. The rest of the immigrants came to Africa either to work for Western or Russian companies operating there, or they themselves opened a business, risking investing in the unpredictable economies of African countries. The largest number of immigrants from the CIS countries today is in South Africa, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea.
There are rich neighborhoods - for white people - where renting apartments is more expensive than in Moscow. I live in a simpler area, but this is not a cesspool or a slum. It is quite safe here, everything is fenced with barbed wire fences, several guards with machine guns walk around the clock. At the same time, I know where you can run into trouble - it's not so far from my house, only two kilometers. It is better for a white man not to appear alone in the slums. Almost the only option for me to move is to order an Uber. In Nairobi, there are also unofficial taxis whose drivers periodically rob people. Among the locals, matatu is a popular minibus, where the crowd crowds.
Mikhail Lyapin, Kenya
http://www.the-village.ru/village/business/opyt/268316-v-afrike
In the eyes of Russian immigrants, Africa looks like a different planet. After all, the realities of life, doing business, nature and the somewhat African bustle of life itself are significantly different from what they are used to at home. If a Russian immigrant is asked about how, in his opinion, life in Africa differs from life in Russia, he will say that to everyone. On the Black Continent, perhaps South Africa is a bit like Europe. Nothing at all resembles Russia.
Video about life in South Africa
How Russians work in Africa
Working conditions in Africa can be more comfortable than at home. 99% of specialists from Russia and other CIS countries come to Africa to earn money to buy housing, a car, etc. For the most part, these are doctors, civil engineers, hydroengineers, and power engineers. Several large hydroelectric power plants are under construction in Africa, for example, in Equatorial Guinea and large reservoirs in the eastern region. In this way, African countries are trying to cover the shortage of electricity and water resources, which are vital not only for the development of countries, but sometimes for the survival of their citizens themselves.
Foreign specialists who come to work on the Black Continent earn quite decent money. The average monthly salary for a doctor in Tanzania is in the region of five to six thousand dollars, and a geologist in Sierra Leone receives about seven thousand "evergreens." A hydroengineer or a power engineer can earn about five to seven thousand, depending on the construction site. Specialists come for several years under a contract, which allows them to bring home a decent amount at the end of the contract.
Only those offices that are run by Europeans or Americans are relatively tolerable, and the process of work proceeds promptly and also relatively smoothly, only when you complain to your superiors - a "pale-faced", and they, in turn, write a pendel for a negro-performer. The magic pendel has, unfortunately, a short-term temporary effect, and the pale-face must be complained about, and he has to write out the next pendel regularly. Naturally, if you want to spend a reasonable amount of time on your question. Unfortunately, so far their bodies are physically in the second decade of the 21st century, and morally and mentally they are at best in the middle of the 20th. On the plus side, being even in such a cesspool of life circumstances, they are cheerful and mostly friendly.
They also have great genetics and natural health!Dimetrio
http://www.bpclub.ru/topic/38917-%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BD%D1%8C-%D0%B2-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1 % 80% D0% BD% D0% BE% D0% B9-% D0% B0% D1% 84% D1% 80% D0% B8% D0% BA% D0% B5-% D0% BF% D0% B5% D1 % 80% D1% 81% D0% BF% D0% B5% D0% BA% D1% 82% D0% B8% D0% B2% D1% 8B /
Most often, Russians find themselves at work in Africa as temporary invited specialists. The advantage of working in Africa for specialists will be the absence (in most cases) of the need for nostrification of higher education documents and high salaries. At the same time, you can earn much more in Africa than in Europe, and it is very difficult for a specialist with an unconfirmed CIS diploma to find a job in the EU. Well, the potential threats described above will become significant disadvantages of employment in Africa: wars, epidemics, crime. But the economic crisis continuing in the CIS is forcing an increasing number of people to think about working in Africa every year.
How white people are treated in Africa
In addition to the points already described above, the black population treats whites as a consumer, perceiving them as a big wallet that is periodically opened. But the attitude is more servile than respectful. The white man feels like a black sheep in black Africa, to which everyone pays attention. But at the same time, if he has money, everything is available to him. And no one will ask unnecessary questions. It practically does not matter in which country this happens, unless in the states of the Maghreb, Egypt or South Africa.
White people bring many benefits of civilization to Africa Arriving at the airport of Dakar (the capital of Senegal), in the coastal zone of the Atlantic from a height of half a kilometer, white "lambs" of waves are visible. There are very, very many of them, it seems that it is storming below. But now the liner is descending, and inexperienced passengers sitting near the windows, with horror understand that these are not the crests of waves, but myriads of plastic bags and other debris, a wide strip of which stretches for several kilometers towards the ocean.
Where can you invest in Africa
Businessmen from the post-Soviet countries also slowly reached the African continent. The most promising, from their point of view, areas of investment on the Black Continent are:
- mining industry, including mining of gold, diamonds, uranium, nickel (usually West Africa);
- oil industry (Nigeria, Libya, in the latter, experts predict a significant increase in black gold production in the next two to three years);
- tourism industry (Egypt, Zanzibar island, Morocco, Tunisia);
- infrastructure construction (most countries on the continent);
- the development of air services and the construction of airports (in demand in most countries);
- safari tours (southern region of Africa).
In addition, Africa provides excellent opportunities for the import of tropical fruits, coffee, cocoa and their transportation to European countries and the CIS. Africa itself is the largest (after Southeast Asia) consumer of rice. But on her land it grows in few places, so rice is brought from other regions of the world.
Gemstone mining is a good investment destination The greatest profit is not for those who extract raw materials, but for those who have a manufacturing industry and produce a finished product from it. Diamonds from Sierra Leone are cut outside the country. For example, in Israel, where diamond processing is one of the leading economic items, despite the fact that Israel does not have its reserves at all. Or in Belgium, which is one of the world centers of the jewelry industry (jewelry production there accounts for 12% of GDP). Africans, on the other hand, practically do not have their own jewelry industry.
Denis Kazansky
http://deniskazansky.com.ua/ukraina_vs_africa/
Africa is a continent of contrasts, where luxury and terrible poverty, modern skyscrapers and huts of tribes forgotten by civilization coexist. A working trip to the Black Continent or moving for other reasons will require a very balanced and deliberate decision. For its adoption, you should first study all the information about Africa, its regions and directly about the country to which you are planning to move. This will greatly help to protect yourself from possible risks and mistakes.
Africa is a place where people live, adhering to the rules of life, traditions and culture, which developed several centuries ago, have survived to this day almost unchanged and are a clear guide in the everyday life of the population. The inhabitants of Africa still successfully subsist on fishing, hunting and gathering, without feeling the need and urgent need for the objects of modern civilization. This does not mean that they are not familiar with all the innovations of civilization, they simply know how to do without them, leading a secluded life, without contacting the outside world.
Peoples inhabiting Africa
The African continent has sheltered many different tribes with different levels of development, traditions, rituals and outlook on life. The largest tribes are Mbuti, Nuba, Oromo, Hamer, Bambara, Fulbe, Dinka, Bongo and others. Over the past two decades, tribal residents have been gradually rebuilding themselves to a commodity-money structure, but their priority is to provide themselves and their families with the necessary foodstuffs in order to prevent prolonged famine. We can say that the tribal population has practically no economic relations, which is why various conflicts and contradictions often arise, which can even end in bloodshed.
Despite this, there are tribes that are more loyal to modern development, have entered into economic relations with other large nations and are working to develop social culture and industry.
The population of Africa is quite large, therefore, from 35 to 3000 people live on the continent per square kilometer, and in some places even more, because due to the waterlessness and unfavorable climate of the deserts, the population is unevenly distributed here.
In northern Africa, Berbers and Arabs live, who, over a dozen centuries of living in this territory, passed on their language, culture and traditions to the local residents. Arabian ancient constructions are still pleasing to the eye, revealing all the subtleties of their culture and beliefs.
In the desert area, there are practically no inhabitants, but there you can find a large number of nomads who lead whole caravans of camels, which is their main source of life and an indicator of wealth.
Culture and life of the peoples of Africa
Since the population of Africa is quite diverse and consists of more than several dozen tribes, it is quite obvious that the traditional way has long lost its primitiveness and, in some aspects, has borrowed the culture from the neighboring inhabitants. Thus, the culture of one tribe reflects the traditions of another and it is difficult to determine who was the founder of certain rituals. The most important value in the life of a tribal people is the family, and it is with it that most beliefs, traditions and rituals are associated.
In order to marry one of the girls of the tribe, the guy must compensate the parents for the damage. Often these are domestic animals, but recently the ransom has also been accepted in monetary terms. It is believed that this tradition helps families to unite, and in the event of a good ransom, the father of the bride is convinced of the son-in-law's solvency and that he can properly provide for his daughter.
The wedding should only be played on a full moon night. It is the moon that will indicate what the marriage will be like - if it is bright and clear, then the marriage will be good, abundant and fertile, if the moon is dim, this is a very bad sign. The family in the tribes of Africa is distinguished by polygamy - as soon as a man becomes financially wealthy, he can afford several wives, which absolutely does not bother the girls, since they equally share the responsibilities of household and childcare. Such families are surprisingly friendly and direct all their efforts for the good of the tribe.
Upon reaching a certain age (it is different for each tribe), young people must undergo a rite of passage. Boys and sometimes girls are circumcised. It is very important that the guy does not scream or cry during the ceremony, otherwise he will forever be considered a coward.
Traditions and customs of the peoples of Africa
The inhabitants of Africa spend a lot of time trying to protect themselves from evil spirits and get closer to the good gods. To do this, they perform ritual dances (causing rain, fighting pests, receiving a blessing before hunting, etc.), stuffing tattoos, cutting out masks that should protect them from evil spirits.
Sorcerers and shamans play a special role in the life of the tribe. They are considered servants of the spirits, it is to them that the leaders of the tribes listen and the commoners come to them for advice. Shamans have the right to bless, heal, they hold weddings and bury the deceased.
African people honor their ancestors with particular enthusiasm, performing a number of rituals to worship them. Often this worship of deceased ancestors, after whose death more than a year has passed, they, with the help of some ritual actions, are invited back into the house, giving them a separate place in the room.
Before marriage, girls are taught a special language for married people, which only they know and understand. The bride herself must walk to the groom's house and bring her dowry. Marriage can be entered into from the age of 13.
Another feature of tribal culture is the scars on the body. It is believed that the more of them, the better the man is a warrior and hunter. Each tribe has its own drawing techniques.
