Western Africa

PT 2-1

Adea
Ramos
Rubio
Tarranco

Location of Western Africa

Western Africa, region of the western African continent comprising the countries of Benin,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Cte dIvoire, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone,
and Togo. The term West Africa is also often used to refer to this part of the continent. As
conventionally understood, however, West Africa is primarily a political and economic
designation and comprises all the areas considered here except Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial
Guinea, and the Saharan parts of Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.

The region may be divided into several broad physiographic regions. The northern portion of
western Africa is composed of a broad band of semiarid terrain, called the western Sudan,
stretching from the Atlantic Ocean on the west to the area of Lake Chad on the east, a distance of
about 2,500 miles (4,000 km). It is largely a plateau of modest elevation and borders the Sahara
(desert) on the north and the Guinea Coast forests on the south. Rainfall in this region ranges
from less than 10 inches (250 mm) in its arid northern reaches to about 50 inches (1,250 mm) in
the south. The flora of the western Sudan consists of the scrub vegetation of the transitional zone
known as the Sahel in the north and a mix of tall trees and high savanna grasslands in the south.
Lying south of the western Sudan are the Guinea Coast equatorial forests, which flourish along
the Atlantic coast and extend inland for about 100 to 150 miles (160 to 240 km).

Most of the Sahara and the transitional vegetational zones to its south (the Sahel and the western
Sudan) are drained, where there is enough rainfall to support surface streams, either southward
via the Niger River system or inland to the Lake Chad basin in the east. Along the better-watered
Atlantic coastal areas, the chief features are (west to east) the Mauritanian-Senegal Basin,
drained by the Sngal River; the Fouta Djallon and Guinea Highlands; the Volta River and
Niger River coastal plains; and the uplands of Nigerias Jos Plateau and the Cameroon Highlands.

Culturally, the people of the region belong for the most part to one of three major language
families. In the northern and least-populous Saharan regions, Arabs and Imazighen (Berbers;
singular Amazigh) of the Afro-Asiatic language family predominate. South of a line connecting
the course of the Sngal River, the Niger River, and the southern two-thirds of Nigeria, NigerCongo languages are spoken. Along the middle course of the Niger River and around Lake Chad,
Nilo-Saharan languages related to those of peoples farther east predominate. These peoples are
divided into a very complex ethnic and tribal mosaic but may often be conveniently classified by
their individual languages.

Culture and Society in Western Africa

1) Religion in West African Daily Life

West Africa, like most all regions of the world, is a place where many different religions are
practiced. These range from well-known world religions like Islam and Christianity to religious
traditions that few people outside of a particular West African region have heard of. In general,
certain areas of West Africa have tended not to adopt Christianity and Islam, maintaining many
of the religious beliefs and practices of their ancestors combined with new innovations. A few
also practice world religions uncommon but present in the region, such as Bahai, Jehovahs
Witnesses, or Buddhism. As is the case throughout the world, many have combined Christianity,
Islam, or other world religions with local religious practices, which is sometimes called
syncretism. Lets take these one by one and see in more detail what religious diversity actually
exists in West Africa.

Islam and Christianity

Often the distinction is made in Africa between Islam, Christianity, and indigenous religions.
These categories can be problematic as they oversimplify the situation and tend to misrepresent
what indigenous religions are. In
many ways it does not make much
sense to group every religious
tradition that seems to have its roots
in Africa into a single category
called indigenous as these
traditions are extremely diverse.
Whats more, some of the earliest
Muslims and Christians were also
Africans, leaving a long and rich
history of these religious traditions
deeply ingrained in certain regions
of Africa. On the other hand, there is
merit in recognizing that religions
like Islam and Christianity are
religions practiced around the globe
and were introduced to many regions

of Africa in a colonial context. This does lead one to ask the question of what religious beliefs
and practices were present in Africa prior to colonization? And in what ways is it different today
to belong to a world religion in Africa like Islam and Christianity in comparison to a more
localized religious tradition that is not known and practiced as widely?

First, lets look at a brief overview of Islam and Christianity in West Africa. Islam began
penetrating into West Africa somewhere around the 9th and 10th century CE through missionary
efforts and trade networks. During the 11th century CE, various rulers throughout West Africa
began accepting Islam. Since that time Islam has continued to grow in West Africa, producing
large brotherhoods, important centers of Islamic learning, and becoming integrated into the laws,
cultures, and political economy of various regions. Those West African countries today in which
at least 50% of the population is Muslim include:
Mauritania (99%+)
Senegal (92%)
Mali (90%)
Gambia (90%)
Guinea (85%)
Niger (85%)
Sierra Leone (60%)
Nigeria (50%)

Each of these countries, and even regions within these countries, have quite a different history
and tradition of Islam. Some, such as Niger, have only come to be a majority Muslim nation very
recently, while others have a deeper history of widespread Islam in the region, such as Nigeria.
Muslims throughout West Africa share
commonalities too, such as prayer five times a
day, a calendar of religious seasons and
festivities, and upholding the Koran and the
Prophet Muhammads life and teachings.

Christianity in West Africa has a shorter

history than Islam. It did not come to that
region of Africa until the era of European
exploration and colonialism, apart from a few
Christians who lived earlier on in the Sahara

desert. This period of the spread of Christianity in West Africa began in the 15th century and
continued into the 20th century. Many European Christians (and eventually Christians from other
regions of the world too) began going to Africa as missionaries to convert Africans and civilize
them. This, of course, wrongly assumed that Africans did not already have sophisticated
civilizations and traditions, just as people in Europe did. Since colonization began, however,
many Africans have adopted Christianity as their own religion. Some found that although
missionaries often presented Christianity alongside European racist and ethnocentric
assumptions, they could discover their own interpretations of Christianity that could challenge
these. Today in West African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria, certain Christian churches
are growing at a rapid pace. Those West African countries today in which at least 50% of the
population is Christian include:

Cape Verde (majority)

Ghana (62%)
While there are few West African countries with majority Christian populations, there are still a
large number of Christians in general in West Africa.

Other West African Religious Traditions

While Christianity and Islam are very important religions in West African societies, there are
many more religious traditions that are upheld in this region. Just take a look at this list of
countries that are considered to have a majority of the population (more than 50%) whose
religion would fall into the indigenous religions category:

Benin (70%)
Togo (70%)
Liberia (70%)
Burkina Faso (65%)
Cote dIvoire (60%)
Guinea-Bissau (50%+)

Obviously many people practice indigenous religions in West Africa. But what are these
religions and how are they practiced? It would be too much to try to list here the details of every
religious tradition from West Africa. They are all unique in many ways, but they also share some
common points such as belief in the supernatural, belief in a creator, certain rites and rituals that
are performed, and teachings about right
behavior and relationships in the world (all
characteristics that are also present in Islam
and Christianity).

The photos below are just a few examples

of the types of indigenous religious
practices that one can find in West Africa.
The first photo is of a divinersomeone
who seeks knowledge about the future or
something else unknown, usually with the
aid of supernatural powers. The second
photo shows a man exiting a shrinea place where homage is paid to a saint or deity. The third
photo is a religious celebration in Nigeria. Again, these are just a few of many ways that West
Africans express themselves through religious traditions that have developed in West Africa.

One final word on indigenous religions in West Africa is that it is important to remember that
they are always dynamic and changing. This is, of course, true of all religions. We should not
think of African indigenous religions as relics from the past which have not changed for
thousands of years. Rather, they are as modern of religions as Islam, Christianity, or any other
world religion. Each of these religions are rooted in a certain tradition and history, but each also
adapts to contemporary circumstances to meet the needs of the people who practice the religion.

Such ideas about being modern or traditional can lead some Christian or Muslim groups to
be critical or judgmental of some of the indigenous religious practices in West Africa. Other
times Christians and Muslims are very tolerant and respectful of different religions.

Other World Religions Present in West Africa

Through missionary efforts, migration, and travel around the globe, other world religions have
come to be practiced by West Africans as well. Some of these include Bahai, Jehovahs
Witnesses, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. While these communities are generally small,
they are also an important part of society in West Africa.

Syncretism: Is There Really Any Other Possibility?

At the beginning of this section on West African religions, we mentioned the word syncretism,
meaning the combination or fusion of different religions. This term is often used to talk about
how Africans have combined pre-colonial religious beliefs and practices with Christianity or
Islam. But, as mentioned above, it is the nature of all religions to change over time. This has
been the case for Christianity, Islam, and pre-colonial African religions. As groups of human
beings with different cultures and religions come into contact with one another, there is bound to
be an exchange of some kind. This is the phenomenon that the word syncretism attempts to
describe. West Africans have, like all humans throughout history, combined various religious
traditions that they have come into contact with as it best suits their needs.

2) The influence of colonialism and globalization on the West

African market
Colonization in Africa has in many ways paved the way for economic relations that exist today
in West Africa. During the colonial period, European colonizers made cash crops an important
part of the markets of their colonies. Cash crops are grown to be sold, rather than used by the
farmer her/himself. Colonial economies emphasized a pattern of exporting raw materials to be
manufactured outside of West Africa. Manufactured materials then would be imported and sold
back in West Africa. This system provided industrialized nations in Europe with cheap raw
materials to fuel their economies. You can still see this trend in the chart below that lists primary
exports and imports of each West African country today. As you read through them, you will
note that exports tend to be raw materials (such as cotton, crude oil, or minerals) and imports
tend to be manufactured goods (such as machinery, electrical equipment, or textiles). You will
also note that in almost every case, one of the principle trade partners for each West African
country is its respective former colonizer (noted in bold type). (Liberia is not included in this
categorization because it is not usually considered to have a formal colonizer, although it was
established as a country by the United States). Finally, you will notice in the chart below that
only a few of the primary trade partners are with other African countries (noted in red). Thus,
international trade relations of West African countries are oriented for the most part towards
more highly industrialized nations rather than other countries in their region. And international
trade laws and agreements tend to favor industrialized nations interests rather than the
agricultural sector in African countries. For example many African nations are critical of wealthy
nations agricultural subsidiesmoney supplemented by governments to farmers from wealthy
nations so that they can export crops competitively. Africans argue that this makes it nearly
impossible for African farmers to compete with prices on the world market. It is difficult for
Africans to work towards changing this situation as it has become so engrained into international
relations.

3) Daily Work in West Africa

We have just looked at the West African economy on a grand scale in the last section, focusing
on international trade. But what goes on within countries of West Africa in peoples day-to-day
lives? What kind of work are people doing to earn a living? And are they earning enough to meet
their needs?
A large number of West Africans are engaged in agricultural workgrowing crops, raising
livestock, or fishing. Some do this work to raise food for their own families, some work on
someone elses field for payment, and others sell their goods raised for cash. If the growing
season is good, farmers can find adequate resources to meet their needs. Sometimes hired

workers do not get paid well, just squeaking by from day to day. Situations will vary in different
parts of West Africa.
There are many more jobs that people do throughout West Africa as well. Some of these include
teacher, politician, butcher, business person, mechanic, barber, journalist, computer technician,
university professor, doctor, nurse, shop keeper, miner, taxi driver, cook, and factory worker.
Each country in West Africa is different in terms of the salaries that people earn and whether this
is enough to meet their needs financially. Sometimes problems arise, such as when West African
governments and other employers do not pay their employees in a timely manner. Or sometimes
the income earned from a job is not enough to cover the cost of living in a certain area. But there
are also many cases throughout West Africa of people being able to have a comfortable life
through earning a decent salary and people pooling resources together to support one another.
CASE STUDY: Cte dIvoire, Labor Migration, and Civil War
We have so far given a general overview on religion, international economic relations, and daily
work situations in West Africa. Each are important components of culture, society, and
production in West Africa, although by no means all-inclusive of the daily workings of life in
this region of the world. Having now discussed each of them briefly, lets take a look at how they
are related in a particular place in West Africathe country of Cte dIvoire.
Cte dIvoire and the Global Economy
Cte dIvoire is an economic hub of West Africa, representing at least 40% of the UEMOAs
(West African Economic Union of eight former French colonies using the CFA currency) GDP.
As such, people come from all over West Africa to look for work there. Before the recent
conflict began in 2002, one third of Cte dIvoires population were immigrants. Some of the
largest groups were:
Burkinab (people from Burkina Faso): 3 million
Malians: 1 million
Nigerians: 1 million
The majority of these immigrants come to Cte dIvoire to work on cocoa and coffee plantations.
And large international corporations such as Nestle, Hersheys, Archer Midland Daniels, and
M&M/Mars own most of these plantations. Cte dIvoire supplies about 40% of the worlds
stock of cocoa, and it is one of the 10 major coffee exporters in the world. It has been reported
that working conditions on many of these plantations are in violation of internationally
recognized human rights. For example, child labor is used on some farms and workers are often
not paid or treated well. Nevertheless, people have continued to migrate to Cte dIvoire, looking
for work in spite of these difficult working conditions. Many of these migrant laborers come
from regions of West Africa where it is difficult to grow enough food to last through the entire
year, and other employment opportunities are scarce.

Migration and Ethno-Religious Diversity in Cte dIvoire

Ivoirian (the term used to describe things or people from Cte dIvoire) society is composed of
many different cultural and religious traditions. As mentioned above, many migrants come to
Cte dIvoire from all over West Africa. Some of them are there only seasonally, while others
settle permanently. In addition to the cultural and religious diversity that migrants bring to Cte
dIvoire, there are many other ethno-linguistic (over 60) and religious groups that have lived in
Cte dIvoire for many generations. The
majority (60%) of the population have
religious practices that would be considered
indigenous; 20% are Christian; and 20%
are Muslim. Many of the Muslims in Cte
dIvoire are migrants from neighboring West
African countries. Significant numbers of
French and Lebanese have also settled in
Cte dIvoire. While Cte dIvoire has
generally been welcoming to foreigners since
independence, an ideology of Ivorianness
has also been promoted. This advocates
priority for people whose parents are both
Ivorian citizens, creating social divisions
between immigrants and nationals.
It is, thus, a highly stratified society, both
ethnically and economically. Even amongst
those who have two Ivorian parents, some
ethnic or religious groups find themselves
with more political and economic clout than others. The current president, Laurent Gbagbo has
been accused, for example, of excluding from the ruling elite anyone who is not from the south
of the country and a Christian. Generally speaking, divisions created according to socioeconomic class, religion, and ethnicity have produced a society with extremes of wealth and
poverty in Cte dIvoire. These extremes have fueled a recent civil war in Cte dIvoire that
began in 2002.

Countries in Western Africa and their history

SECULAR PERIOD OF WEST AFRICA
In the early days West African society was ruled by local political organization however, large
kingdoms would later develop:
Ca.1500 ( periode apres naissance de Jesus = chritien era )
Benin at height of its power. Benin city (Edo) was founded around the 12th century. A second
Benin dynasty began in the 16th century. During the triangular trade between Africa, Europe,
and the New World played a major role in the 16 th 18 th century. The power of the Benin
Empire ended in the late 19th century when British troops destroyed Benin's capital city.
1591
Fall of Songhai Empire: Attracted by its wealth, the armies of al-Mansur of Morocco overran the
Songhai capital of Gao. Following the collapse of Songhai, a number of small kingdoms strove
to dominate the western Sudan, instigating continual strife and economic decline. During the
break-up of the Songhai Empire, an intense period of slave activity occurred in West Africa at
the hands of Arab Islamic missionaries and European traders.
Late 1500s
To the east of Songhai, between the Niger River and Lake Chad, the Hausa city-states and the
Kanem-Bornu Empire had been established since the 10th century. After the fall of Songhai, the
trans-Saharan trade moved eastward, where centers of flourishing commerce and urban life
developed. Islam appears to have been introduced into the Hausa states from 11 th to 14th
centuries.
1700-1717
Asante (or Ashante) Empire of Akan peoples is unified under Osei Tutu on the "Gold Coast";
dominates with control of gold-producing zones and supplying slaves in exchange for firearms
(to 1820s).
ca 1000
Ghana Empire of Soninke peoples (in what is now SE Mauritania) at height of power. The
earliest of the 3 great West African states (emerging ca. 300 CE), Ghana equipped its armies
with iron weapons and became master of the trade in salt and gold, controlling routes extending
from present-day Morocco in the north, Lake Chad and Nubia/Egypt in the eat, and the coastal
forests of western Africa in the south. By the early 11th century, Muslim advisers were at the
court of Ghana.

13th c.
Rise of the Mali Empire of the Mande (or Mandinka) peoples in West Africa.. The Mali Empire
was strategically located near gold mines and the agriculturally rich interior floodplain of the
Niger River. This region had been under the domination of the Ghana Empire until the middle of
the 11th century. As Ghana declined, several short-lived kingdoms vied for influence over the
western Sudan region.
The Slave Trade: 18 th Century
Between the years 1650 and 1900, historians estimate that at least 28 million Africans were
forcibly removed from central and western Africa as slaves (but the numbers involved are
controversial). A human catastrophe for Africa", one of the more underreported events in the
annals of human history. The Black Holocaust makes reference to the millions of African lives,
which have been lost during the centuries to slavery, colonization and oppression. The Black
Holocaust makes reference to the horrors endured by millions of men, women, and children
throughout the African Diaspora. In sheer numbers, depth and brutality, it is a testimony to the
worst elements of human behaviour and the strongest elements of survival."
THE DIASPORA:
The forced and brutal dispersal of millions of Africans into foreign lands created the Black
Diaspora. African slaves and their descendants carried skills and communitarian values, rich
cultural traditions, resiliency, and resistance ethos that transformed and enriched the cultures
they entered around the world. Thus, as African peoples are globally dispersed, they carried their
traditions of cultural creativity and oral arts with them, such as "common musical rhythms,
exploration of multicolourand diverse textures, play on repetition, and call-and-response
modes of verbal activity" (Asante and Abarry 111). African folktales, often featuring the tortoise,
hare, and spider, are widespread on the African continent and were carried from Africa to the
Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States.
European Colonialism in Africa
1871 1912
The map of Africa as we know it today is a design on European Colonialism. "Civilizing
mission" based on white supremacy was used by Europeans to justify their presence in Africa.
They were arbitrarily, cutting across traditionally established boundaries, homelands, and ethnic
groupings of African peoples and cultures. Following a "divide and rule" theory, Europeans
promote traditional inter-ethnic hostilities. "The European onslaught of Africa that began in the
mid 1400s progressed to various conquests over the continent, and culminated over 400 years
later with the partitioning of Africa. Armed with guns, fortified by ships, driven by the industry
of capitalist economies in search of cheap raw materials, and unified by a Christian and racist
ideology against the African 'heathen,' aggressive European colonial interests followed their
earlier merchant and missionary inroads into Africa"

The three Colonial powers that finally established themselves in Africa were in order of
importance the French, the English and the Portuguese.

COUNTRY

POP.

CAPITAL

MAJOR

MAJOR

LIFE

MAIN

AVER.

UN
(2003)

CITY

LANGUAGE

RELIGION

EXPECTA
-

EXPORTS

ANNUA
L

NCY
SENEGAL

10.1 m

DAKAR

FRENCH

ISLAM

51yrs (M)

FISH

INCOM
E
US

WOLOF

CHRISTIANIT
Y

55yrs (F)

PEANUTS

$ 490.00

FULLANY

PETROLEUM

SERERE

PRODUCTS
PHOSPHATES

MAURITANI
A

2.9m

NOUAKCHOT

ARABIC

ISLAM

(OFFICIAL)

51 YRS
(M)
54 YRS
(F)

FRENCH

BOURKINA

13 m

13 m

BAMAKO

OUAGADOUGOU

FASO

ABUJA

NIGERIA

FISH
PRODUCTS

GOLD

FRENCH

ISLAM

BAMBARA

INDIGENOUS

BERBER

BELIEFS

ARABIC
FRENCH

ISLAM

INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS

LANGUAGES

BELIEFS

MOREE
ENGLISH

CHRISTIANIT
Y
ISLAM

OFFICIAL

INDIGENOUS

YORYBA

BELIEFS

IBO

CHRISTIANIT
Y

124 m

HAUSA

$360.00

IRON ORE

OTHER

MALI

COTTON
FISH

48 YRS
(M)
49 YRS
(F)

45 YRS
(M)
46 YRS
(F)

COTTON

$230.00

GOLD
LIVE STOCK

COTTON

$220.00

ANIMAL
PRODUCTS

51 YRS
(M)

PETROLEUM
PRODUCTS

52 YRS
(F)

COCOA
RUBBER

$290.00

NIAMEY

NIGER

FRENCH

ISLAM

ARABIC

INDIGENOUS

HAUSA

BELIEFS

46 YRS
(M)
46 YRS
(F)

URANIUM

$180.00

LIVE STOCK
PRODUCTS

12 m
SONGHAI

1.5 m

BISSAU

PORTUGUESE

ISLAM

CRIOULO

INDIGENOUS

AFRICAN LAN.

BELIEFS

44 YRS
(M)

CASHEW
NUTS

47 YRS
(F)

SHRIMP
PEANUTS

GUINNEA
CHRISTIANIT
Y

BISSOU

GAMBIA

1.4 m

BANJUL

PALM
KERNELS

53YRS
(M)
55YRS (F)

CONAKRY

PEANUT
PRODUCTS

PALM
KERNELS

INDIGENOUS

8.5 m

$320.00

COTTON LINT

ISLAM

GUINEA

PEANUTS

FISH

ENGLISH

LANGUAGES

$160.00

CHRISTIANIT
Y

FRENCH

ISLAM

VARIOUS
TRIBAL LAN.

INDIGENOUS

49YRS
(M)
49YRS (F)

BAUXILE

$410.00

ALUMINA

BELIEFS

GOLD

CHRISTIANIT
Y

DIAMOND
COFFEE
FISH

SIERRA
LEONNE

5m

FREETOWN

ENGLISH

ISLAM

INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS

LANGUAGES

33 YRS
(M)
35 YRS
(F)

AGRICULTURA
L PRODUCTS
DIAMONDS
RUTILE

$140.00

LIBERIA

3.3 m

MONROVIA

BELIEFS

COCOA

CHRISTIANIT
Y

COFFEE

ENGLISH

ISLAM

29 AFRICAN
LAN.

INDIGENOUS

MAUDE, KWA
OR MEL
LINGUISTIC

BELIEFS

41 YRS
(M)
42 YRS
(F)

CHRISTIANIT
Y

FISH
DIAMONDS

$140.00

IRON ORE
RUBBER
TIMBER
COFFEE

GROUPS

COCOA
IVORY
COAST

6.6 m

YAMOUSSOUKR
O

FRENCH

ISLAM

INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS

LANGUAGES

BELIEFS

41 YRS
(M)
41 YRS
(F)

COCOA

$630.00

COFFEE
TROPICAL
WOODS

CHRISTIANIT
Y

PETROLEUM
COTTON
BANANAS
PINEAPPLE
PALM OIL
FISH

GHANA

20.9m

ACCRA

ENGLISH

ISLAM

INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS

LANGUAGES

BELIEFS

56 YRS
(M)
59 YRS
(F)

GOLD

$290.00

COCOA
TIMBER

CHRISTIANIT
Y

TUNA
BAUXILE
ALUMINIUM
MANGAUSE
ORE

4.9 m
TOGO

LOME

FRENCH

ISLAM

LOCAL

INDIGENOUS

LANGUAGES

48 YRS
(M)
51 YRS
(F)

DIAMONDS
COCOA
PHOSPHATES

$270.00

BENIN

6.7 m

463,00
0
CAPE VERDE

PORTO NOVO

PRAIA

BELIEFS

COFFEE
COTTON

FRENCH

CHRISTIANIT
Y
ISLAM

FON, GE,

INDIGENOUS

BARIBA,
YORUBA, DENDI

BELIEFS

PORTUGUESE

CHRISTIANIT
Y
CHRISTIANIT
Y

CRIOULO
(PORTUGUESAN
D AFRICAN
WORDS)

48 YRS
(M)
53 YRS
(F)

61 YRS
(M)
73 YRS
(F)

COTTON

$380.00

PALM OIL

SHOES

$1340.0
0

CLOTHES
FISH
BANANAS
HIDES
POZZOLANA

Countries in Western Africa and some part of their culture

Colonial boundaries are reflected in the modern boundaries between contemporary West
African nations, cutting across ethnic and cultural lines, often dividing single ethnic groups
between two or more countries.

Ghana
Now known as the Republic of Ghana, this land was
originally comprised of several distinct regions,
occupied by many ethnic groups. The union of these
traditional states was created by the British
government during the historical period of the Western
European partitioning of Africa. Formed from the
merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the
Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the
first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its
independence.

Kpanlogo
Performances in
World Arts West Programs
West African Dance and Hip
Hop
Performers
Umoja Clique

Kpanlogo originated in Accra, the

capital city of Ghana and the traditional
home of the Ga people. This land
occupies the southern corner of the
modern republic in an administrative
region known as the Greater Accra
Region.

Instruments Used

Kpanlogo is essentially an urban youth

dance-drumming of the Anlo-Ewe
people, and a symbol of the commitment of a rapidly growing
Ghanaian urban neighborhood youth in advocating their
perspective in shaping the political vision of post colonial Africa.
Gankogui

Liberia
Liberia is the oldest republic in subSaharan Africa. Its name is derived
from a Latin phrase meaning free land.
Liberia is bordered by Sierra Leone,
Guinea and Cte dIvoire (Ivory Coast).
Monrovia is the capital and Liberias
largest city.
Liberias population is made up of two
main groups: indigenous Africans who
have lived in the region for hundreds of
years, and Americo-Liberians who are
descended from freed slaves who came
as settlers. There are 16 different
indigenous African groups that make up
nearly 95 percent of the Liberian
population. Each group possesses a
unique history, language and culture.
The largest group are the Kpell, who live
in central Liberia, and the Bassa, who
live along the coast. Other groups
include the Gio, Krahn, Kru, Mano, and
Vai.

Liberian Dance
Music and dance are an integral part of
village life in Liberia. The people dance
and sing for the departed souls of the
Bodeor
dead, at celebrations and weddings, on
Performers
behalf of important visitors, and just for
Diamano Coura West
fun. Liberian dances are often noted for
African Dance Company
the energy and passion displayed by the
dancers. As with most African dance
Instruments Used
forms, Liberian dances often reference
Djembe
not just the physical, but the spiritual as
well. These dances are a way to preserve and transmit important
stories and traditions.
Performances in
World Arts West Programs

Dance styles vary according to different tribes and region. Some of

the best known forms of Liberian dance include Kru dances, Vai
dances, Kpelle dances and Bassa dances.

Masked Dances of Liberia

Performances in
World Arts West Programs
Dan, Vai, and Yan Masks
Performers
Diamano Coura West
African Dance Company

In the indigenous groups of Liberia, masks play an important part

in connecting the living with the ancestral spirits and ancient
deities. It is a means by which people strive to gain knowledge and
insight into the future. The dancer "becomes" the mask, thus it is
traditionally important that the human identity is not revealed to
the public.

The Dan Mask

The Gio People live in northern Liberia, and
Djembe
speak a language called Mande. They are
primarily farmers and hunter/gatherers. Gio men also have their own
secret society which marks their initiation into manhood and guides them
throughout their lives. The Dan mask is a ceremonial mask which is worn
during festival time, along with the Glegben, (Stilt Mask). The dance has
very intricate hands and feet movements, with which the drummer and
the masked dancer communicate. At times, the drummer follows the
dancer, and at times the dancer follows the drummer, making it a true
dialogue in movement and sound. (The Dan Mask shown here courtesy
of Museum of Ancient & Modern Art.)
Instruments Used

The Vai Mask (Nafai or Frisky Devil)

Nafai belongs to the Gola, Vai, and Mendi Tribes from Grand Cope Mount county of Monrovia,
Liberia. The Vai people make their living by farming the fertile lands of northwestern Liberia
and southeastern Sierra Leone. The Nafai Mask belongs to the men. Usually this character is
very frisky, goes anywhere and asks for whatever he wants. He is regarded as a playboy
character.

The Yan Mask

The Yan Mask, or Gbetu, also belongs to the Gola, Vai, and the Mendi Tribes of Liberia. The
Yan is for the Poro (men's) society, and the Sande (women's) society, or club. Within Vai
culture there are both male and female secret societies which teach young boys and girls
the social, survival, traditional, and personal lessons in becoming men and women.
Performing the masked dance is the final blessing. The Yan mask performs during the
graduation which is known as "The Breaking of the Poro Bush," where the boys and the Yan
mask exhibit their talents.

Mali and Senegal

Mandeng and Wolof
Performances in
World Arts West Programs
Contante (Happiness)
The Griots
Performers
Djialy Kunda Kouyate
Instruments Used
Balafon

A griot (GREEoh) or djialy (jali) is the traditional keeper of cultural

traditions and history of the Mandeng people of West Africa. These
traditions and stories are kept in the form of music and dance,
containing elements of history or metaphorical statements that
carry and pass on the culture of the Mandeng people through the
generations. The music will usually follow a form, beginning slow
with praise singing and lyrical movements accompanied by melodic
instruments such as the kora, a 21-stringed harp/lute, and
the balafon, a xylophone with gourd resonators, both characteristic
of Mali and the Mandeng people.

Djembe

Wolof drumming and dancing, originating in Senegal, features

the Djembe andDounDoun drums, athletic jumps and spectacular
up-tempo movements engaging the whole body. In Senegalese life,
the Wolof play drums to heal the sick, communicate with the spirit world, and bring
communities together, but most of all, they play drums to dance. Wolof drummers
accompany dancers by playing strongly marked cross-rhythms that are laced with
interjecting calls. Using precise control, the drummers weave intense patterns.
Kora

Guinea-Bissau
The Balante are a people from the low lying coastal frontier between the south of Senegal
and the north of Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. The Balante, one of five main ethnic groups in
Guinea-Bissau, live by hunting in the forest and tend farms for raising beef.

Balante
Performances in
World Arts West Programs
Balante Wedding Dance
Performers

The Balante organize big dance parties for

occasions such as a celebration for a good
rainy season, rites of passage, births, and
marriages.

As symbols of family and spiritual connection,

the masks play an important role when the
community comes together to celebrate with music and dance.
Sunugal Ballet

References:

Western Africa | region, Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2015, from

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/640491/western-Africa
POP. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2015, from http://www.discoversenegal.com/ar/westafrica.html
Unit Four: Regional Perspectives. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2015, from
http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m17/activity3.php
(n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2015, from http://worldartswest.org/main/location.asp?i=9