Islam influences on west africa in architecture, language and art
What were geometric designs used to decorate in West Africa before Islam reinforced the practice?
Geometric designs decorated textiles, and everyday objects like pots and ceramics.
What is the call and response music style, describe in detail?
West African style of music known as call-and-response, a leader plays or sings a short phrase referred to as a call. A group of people, the chorus answered by playing or singing a short phrase the response.
Who did not practice Islam strictly in Songhai?
The early rulers of Songhai did not practice Islam strictly.
What is oral tradition in West Africa?
West Africa’s oral tradition includes hundreds of old stories called folktales. West Africans used folktales to pass along their history and to teach young people morals and values.
True or False Muslims emphasized education and many universities and Quran learning centers were built.
true
After returning from hajj, who did Mansa Musa convince to build some structures in Mali? What is one of the famous structures?
Mansa Musa convinced Al Saheli, an architect from Spain, to build some structures in mali. One of these is the famous structure Djingareyber.
What is the most popular dance in West Africa? Where is African dance performed? What did dancers wear?
Gwara dance has become one of the most popular dance styles in West Africa. African dance performed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dancers usually wear elaborate masks.
How did the King of Ghana react to the arrival of Islam in Ghana?
He did not convert to Islam nor did he let his people convert to Islam. However, he allowed Muslims to establish settlements within his empire.
What are folktales and how are they significant in the West African culture?
They serve to communicate morals and traditions to the young in preparation for life's obstacles.
What is the name of the trading city that became a learning center under the Mali and Songhai rule? What was the most famous university at the time?
Timbuktu, Sankore University.
What were 2 influences of Islam in Africa's Decorative Arts?
They wear a billowing, long, white robe, as the Arabs wore. Calligraphy to decorate items like costumes and fans, along with textiles, with gods' words were two of the influences of Islam on the decorative arts of west Africa.
What makes African art unique?
Often depicting the abundance of surrounding nature, the art was often abstract interpretations of animals, plant life, or natural designs and shapes.
What did Toure do in order to support Islam in his kingdom? Name all of them.
He established and enforced rigid controls. He led a series of wars to convert non-Muslims to Islam.
What are proverbs in African literature?
Proverbs have become a tool that African writers use to justify the actions of characters and criticize bad ethical and immoral behaviors. Through the use of proverbs, African writers try to express the wealth of philosophy; wisdom, and perception of life as they affect and control their communities.
What were 3 changes that Islam brought to the government and law of west Africa?
The inheritance line changed from matrilineal to patrilineal. Kings exercised much more control over their local rulers and adopted Muslim titles like Sultan. The adoption of sharia replaced the old laws of west Africa and it was written and exercised in courts with Qadis.
What were a few topics that Scholars wrote about in the Arabic language?
They described how people used animal and plant parts and minerals to cure diseases. They discussed ethical behavior for business and government. They told us how to use the stars to determine the seasons. They recorded the history of the Songhai. They also wrote about Islamic law.
Describe how West African drums are made and how Africans play them. How does the music drum form? Describe in details
West Africa drums are made of hollowed-out logs or pieces of wood. The drums are covered with animal skins. Drummers in West Africa play in ensembles, or groups, which include different types and sizes of drums, along with bells and rattles.
What were the effects of Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca on the other regions of the world?
European mapmakers produced a map of West Africa with Musa’s image prominently displayed. Mali and Islam were popularised greatly to the world. He also gave away a huge amount of his wealth, creating inflation in Cairo.
What is written tradition in West Africa?
Written traditions in Africa came into play when outsiders from the North began to keep travelogues of their experiences in Africa and Muslims published works in Arabic. These writings are preserved in Mosques and Quran learning centers.
How do Ibn Battuta’s writings about the Islamic culture in west Africa form our opinions and perspectives on it?
He describes elusively how they practice the Islamic tradition and blend it with their own religions. These Writings help us identify details and behaviors and see a different perspective on the whole. Historians can use these primary sources to analyze what happened and how it happened, and what were the rituals too.
How did the Arabic language affect the civilizations in West Africa?
The Arabic language became a unifier that connected traders and kings so that they could communicate and write records. It was a language of religion, and the Quran was written in the language. This means all Muslims had to learn the language to read the Quran and cite texts from it. Arabic was used to write history and the current events at the time, it was also used to record a variety of topics of learning.
Why were oral traditions important in West Africa?
African oral tradition involves both the material that is spoken in the oral art and the setting in which it is spoken. Although very old, oral tradition remains alive and meaningful for many Africans. Oral tradition is very important in African culture, as it ensures the passage of cultural practices from one generation to another. Listening is an equally important skill, which has been perfected by the traditional oral practices.
Give 3 examples of people of West Africa blending Islamic culture with their own local traditions.
They started praying to God in Arabic and building mosques as places of worship. They prayed 5 times a day and adapted the Arabic language to communicate and learn the religion of Islam and the holy book Quran.
What written and oral traditions did West Africa create? Why is written tradition important in West Africa?
West Africans created proverbs, stories, praise songs, poems, historical accounts and genealogies, and folktales. Historians writing traditional history cite their sources, which establishes both authority and credibility. So the transmission of knowledge, history and experience in West Africa was mainly through the oral tradition and per- formance rather than on written texts.
How did Islam affect education and culture in West Africa?
Islam introduced literacy as well as Muslim education into West Africa. literacy made it possible for scholars to preserve the history and the oral traditions of some of the states in books. With the arrival of Islam, Muslims also made many universities and learning centers. Africans followed it so devoutly that they put their children in chains if they didnt learn the Quran by heart.