Madagascar+~+West

W e s t A f r i c a What is the cultural diversity in West Africa? There are hundreds of different languages in West Africa. Since they have many languages many people speak two to three languages so they can communicate with the other towns. Most of the people in West Africa live in rural areas. Villages are made of a small amount of homes that have farmland around them. They grow food for themselves and grow and sell cash crops. In the Sahara and Sahel people herd cattle, goats, sheep, or camels. In the places with water people will also fish. There are a couple big cities in North Africa that have Hospitals, Hotels, or Business buildings. What are the changes in their family life? People are starting to move from rural villages and moving to more modern urban areas and cities. Young men travel from their villages to find jobs well the women stay behind with the children. What is a kinship? One of the strongest groups Africans are in is kinships. Which is their family? There are many levels of kinship the first level is their nuclear family. The nuclear family consists of parents and children. The level after that is extended family. All the other relatives fall in to this level. Africans usually live in extended families. Extended families help each other with work and the sick. Also they make decisions do they make together.



 Above. This is a griot passing down traditions through storytelling. [|http://www.ghana.diplo.de/Vertretung/ghana/en/03/Addai/Addai__seite__text.html

How do Africans keep traditions alive? West Africans have been adapting too many changes, but keep many of their family ties. They still pass down there knowledge through their family. They will keep their traditions alive through storytelling. The stories are usually **s**poken not written. Theme stories tell their cultural values. Storytellers are called griots. Vocabulary **__Kinship:__** A family relationship.
 * __Cultural Diversity:__** A wide variety of cultures.
 * __Nuclear Family: __** A family that includes parents and children
 * __Griot:__** An African story teller
 * __Lineage:__** A group of families with common ancestor

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