Geography
This geographic feature separates North Africa from Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Sahara Desert
Which religion is the most practiced religion in MENA?
Islam
What is colonialism?
When one country takes over another and exploits it for economic gain
Name a food from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Jollof rice, palm butter soup, fufu, braai, etc
Who was Lake Victoria in Sub-Saharan Africa named after?
Queen Victoria of England
What is a savanna, and where are they mainly located?
Tropical grasslands, areas near the Sahara (mostly Sub-Saharan Africa)
What are the two major branches of Islam?
Sunni & Shia
Give an example of a rite of passage and explain what is used for.
Something to celebrate a transition to a new stage of life
Ex: Sweet 16, quincenera, bar mitzvah
Name a food from the Middle East/North Africa.
Shakshuka, tagine, shawarma, hummus, tzatziki, etc
What is the main language spoken in MENA?
What is desertification?
Process of fertile land becoming a desert.
Why did Islam split into 2 distinct branches?
Split due to conflict over who would be the prophet Muhammad's successor. Sunnis wanted to elect a leader (caliph) and Shias wanted to have a descendant of Muhammad become the leader.
The African diaspora is mostly located in the Carribbean, Central and South America, and the United States. WHY?
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Describe some common themes across Sub-Saharan African art and clothes.
Bright colors, masks, intense patterns, detailed designs, beading and texture
Name 4 Middle Eastern countries.
Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, etc
What does the Middle East have in common with North Africa in terms of geography?
Mainly desert/dry
How did Christianity become the main religion in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Early established churches in 1400s, but largely Christian missionaries prior to and during the Scramble for Africa
How was Orientalism used to justify colonialism in MENA?
Perpetuated the idea that Middle Easterners were "barbaric" and incapable of creating advanced civilizations, so Europe needed to step in to 'save' them
Why is it common to see light-weight, loose-fitting clothes in MENA?
Very warm climate
Name a country in West Africa.
Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, etc
How does geography cause tensions in MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa?
Limited access to water (MENA), harsh climates like desert and tropical rainforest (Africa) that make agriculture difficult, environmental crises causing mass migration and famine
What are some of the common features among African Indigenous Religions?
Oral traditions, ancestral worship, spiritual healing, witchcraft/magic, movement/performance
How did colonialism impact the Middle East AND North Africa?
ME: European intervention divided populations of Sunnis and Shias across different countries and often installed rulers who were the opposite sect from their population
North Africa: Scramble for Africa, French colonialism in Algeria; wiping native traditions, installing oppressive tactics
Why do some Muslim women choose to wear head coverings?
Follow haya (modesty), separates women from men in public spaces, sometimes a political necessity (Afghanistan, Iran).
Name the 5 Pillars of Islam
Profession of Faith, Almsgiving, Fasting, Prayer, and Pilgrimage
Describe a way that geography impacts the way of life for people in MENA or Sub-Saharan Africa.
High ceilings b/c of heat, clothing to protect from sun/sand, border tensions for land with best water access in MENA, population centered around water sources, desertification causing issues in Africa and urbanization, geographic isolation of SS Africa leading to harder development
When Christian missionaries arrived in some areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, they found that some people were practicing a syncretized version of Christianity. What does this mean?
Christianity that mixed with indigenous traditions to create something distinct and specified to the native culture.
What is the problem with Africa's borders?
Borders were drawn by colonizers during the Scramble for Africa and did not account for ethnic diversity in the area, often splitting existing groups across multiple countries.
Why is it extremely uncommon to find Muslim religious artwork that shows the faces of important figures?
Islam warns against worshipping idols and believe that Allah (God) cannot be represented as a person.
What modern day country is the Fertile Crescent located in?
Iraq
Give at least 2 reasons why North Africa is more similar to the Middle East than it is to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Different languages (arabic vs many other languages in SS), climate (desert vs very diverse climate types and tropical forest), religions (islam vs christianity), history (islamic caliphates, ottomans, Rome/Carthage vs. Great Zimbabwe, Bantu states, West African empires), culture, etc.
How does African Christianity show traditions that are influenced by African Indigenous Religions?
Incorporating ancestors, dance and movement during worship, strong emphasis on spiritual healing and protection from bad luck/spirits
What are kinship lines, and how is the way that people in Sub-Saharan Africa conceptualize family lineage different from our own?
Kinship lines refer to social structure based on family, ancestry, and descent within a clan.
Families extend beyond the "nuclear family" or immediate family, and create bigger networks of family members.
Why is soup so common in African food and culinary traditions?
Made in large quantities to feed big communities, cheap/easy to store ingredients
What is the largest mountain/volcano in Africa called?
Mount Kilimanjaro