CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

AFRICA

African Tradition is expressed through many different art forms, such as music, dance, art, sculpture and beadwork.
These traditions are deeply ingrained into the whole African culture.
Many African languages are “tone languages,” meaning that pitch level determines meaning.

Oral Tradition

Oral tradition is very important in African culture, as it insures 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. Numerous songs and dances have been transmitted by word of mouth.

Music and Poetry in African Traditions

Naturally, singing is very important to the African society because the melody and rhythm follow the intonation of the song text. The songs are often sung in call-and-response form.
In West Africa, a griot is a praise singer or poet who possesses a repository of oral tradition passed down from generation to generation. They must know the traditional songs and must also be able to improvise songs about current events and chance incidents.
Music is a form of communication and it plays a functional role in African society. Song…

Songs accompany marriage, birth, rites of passage, hunting and even political activities. Music is often used in different African cultures to ward off evil spirits and to pay respects to good spirits, the dead and ancestors.jAlthough the musical styles and instruments vary from region to region, there are some common forms of musical expression. The most significant instrument in African music is the African drum. It expresses the mood of the people and evokes emotion. The beat of the African drum is the “heartbeat of the community” and its rhythm is what holds the dancers together.
Dance is an integral part of the African culture, and it utilizes symbolic gestures, masks, costumes, body painting and props to communicate. The dance movements can be simple or complex with intricate actions including fast rotation, ripples of the body and contraction and release. Dance is used to express emotion, whether joyful or sorrowful and it is not limited to just the dancers. Often spectators will be encouraged to join in.

Dance is used to express emotion, whether joyful or sorrowful and it is not limited to just the dancers. Often spectators will be encouraged to join in.

AMERICAN INDIANS

Native Americans, also known as American Indians, Indians, Indigenous Americans and other terms, are the indigenous peoples of the United States. There are over 500 federally recognized tribes within the U.S., about half of which are associated with Indian reservations. The term excludes Native Hawaiians and some Alaska Natives.The ancestors of modern Native Americans arrived in what is now the United States at least 15,000 years ago, possibly much earlier, from Asia through Beringia. A vast variety of peoples, societies and cultures subsequently developed. Native Americans were greatly affected by the European colonization of the Americas, which began in 1492, and their population declined precipitously due to introduced diseases, warfare, and slavery. After the founding of the United States, many Native American peoples were subjected to w…

peoples were subjected to warfare, removals, and one-sided treaties, and they continue to suffer from discriminatory government policies today. Since the 1960s, Native American self-determination movements have resulted in many changes to the lives of Native Americans, though there are still many contemporary issues faced by Native Americans. Today, there are over five million Native Americans in the United States.

5 STRANG CUSTOME AND TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

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• Teeth tossing in Greece: Some cultures pop children’s teeth under their pillows and wait for a swap with cold hard cash by a fairy. Others throw a baby’s recently liberated tooth on their roofs.
• Baby Jumping in Spain: Residents in a small Northern Community take part in baby jumping, called El Colacho, to keep the devil at bay. Men dressed as the devil run between and jump over infants, who are laid on mattresses along the streets.

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• Avoiding using red ink in South Korea: Based on their history and customs, red ink was used to write down names of dead people. It is therefore considered a taboo to write someone’s name in red.
• Initiation custom in Brazil: It is strange how young boys prove their bravery and strength. In the Satare Mawe tribe they showcase the courage by placing hands in a basket filled with angry bullet ants. The bites are real pain.

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• The Monkey Buffet Festival in Thailand: Some people might be surprised to be looking at some monkeys atop a buffet table, feasting on sumptuous dishes. In this annual festivity, over 3000 kgs of fruits and vegetables are fed to several monkeys that dwell in Lopburi, Bangkok.