Early African Civilizations Erie Pennsylvania早期非洲文明伊利宾夕法尼亚.ppt

Bantu Migrations Bantu Migrations Bantu people were able to displace, absorb, or eliminate hunter-gatherers they encountered due to: 1) Agriculture - they had a productive economy and could sustain a larger number of people in a small area 2) Iron -- used it to make tools and weapons 3) Disease -- they brought infectious diseases (like malaria) with them Bantu Africa Bantu-speaking people became divided into hundred of ethnic groups Bantu Religion Bantu people focused on ancestral and nature spirits Power of dead ancestors accessed through sacrifice rituals Charms also used -- could be activated to control the rains, defend the village, achieve success in hunting, etc. Bantu Religion Diviners = could connect to the supernatural world Used dreams, visions, charms, or trances to identify the source of misfortune and to prescribe remedies Divination Horn Bantu Arts Sculpture was an important art form Masks worn at dances ceremonies -- symbolized link between living dead Music was important -- choral singing, dances for ceremonies In what ways did the arrival of Bantu-speaking peoples stimulate cross-cultural interaction? Bantu-peoples brought agriculture to regions of Africa south of the equator, enabling larger numbers of people to live in a smaller area than was possible before their arrival. They brought parasitic and infectious diseases, to which the gathering and hunting peoples had little immunity. They also brought iron. Many Bantu languages of southern Africa retain to this day distinctive “clicks” in their local dialects. In what ways did the arrival of Bantu-speaking peoples stimulate cross-cultural interaction? Bantu-speaking peoples participated in networks of exchange with forest-dwelling Batwa (Pygmy) peoples. The Batwa adopted Bantu languages, while maintaining a nonagricultural lifestyle and a separate identity. The Bantu farmers regarded their Batwa neighbors as first-comers to the region and therefore closest to the ancestral and territori