Tribes of Africa

By Dr. Diana Prince

This book looks at several African tribes today and their respective cultures, which have evolved over centuries. It presents an intriguing look at the beliefs and practices that have shaped their world from earliest times. This book also addresses the challenges, both historical and current, which have had a serious impact on their lives.

Genetic tests suggest that members of the San Tribe, also known as the Bushmen Tribe, are the closest living descendants of the first man on earth. Africas rich legacy was also the subject of research by anthropologists Mary and Louis Leakey. They believed that the skeletal remains they unearthed at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzanias Great Rift Valley in 1959 belonged to ancestors of the earliest human beings.

There is a variety and richness in the tribal cultures of Africa. Rarely is a culture able to hold on to the cherished past while dealing with a chaotic modern world. The tribes in this book are motivated by their pure roots and a respect for the ancient ways that define them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524693985

Dr. Diana Prince

Dr. Diana Prince has a Master’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from California State University at San Diego. She has a PhD in Psychology from United States International University.

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© 2017 Dr. Diana Prince. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/27/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-9399-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-9400-5 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017908432

Getty Photos

Cover and all photos

except Author Photos

Author Photos

Samburu Tribe

Herero Tribe

Damara Tribe

Maasai Tribe

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CONTENTS

Swazi Tribe (Swaziland)

Mursi Tribe (Ethiopia)

Shona Tribe (Zimbabwe)

Rendille Tribe (Kenya)

Himba Tribe (Namibia)

Dogon Tribe (Mali)

Batwa Tribe (Uganda)

Zulu Tribe (South Africa)

Samburu Tribe (Kenya)

Afar Tribe (Eritrea)

Herero Tribe (Namibia)

Hausa Tribe (Nigeria)

Berber Tribe (Morocco)

Tuareg Tribe (Mali and Niger)

Bedouin Tribe (Egypt)

Mandingo Tribe (Senegal and Mali)

Damara Tribe (Damaraland and Namibia)

Dassanach Tribe (Kenya and Ethiopia)

Maasai Tribe (Kenya)

San Bushman Tribe (Namibia)

Hamar Tribe (Ethiopia)

Bakongo Tribe (Congo)

Ndebele Tribe (South Africa)

Watutsi Tribe (Rwanda)

Karo Tribe (Ethiopia)

List of Illustrations

Swazi Tribe (Swaziland)

One of the king’s warriors in the traditional costume of the Swazi tribe.

Mursi Tribe (Ethiopia)

Young woman from the Mursi Tribe in South Omo Valley, Ethiopia.

Shona Tribe (Zimbabwe)

Witch doctor from the Karanga clan of the Shona tribe in a village near Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Rendille Tribe (Kenya)

Young girl of the Rendille tribe in native dress.

Himba Tribe (Namibia)

Nomadic Himba man near the Skeleton Coast in Namibia.

Dogon Tribe (Mali)

Dogon dancers, wearing Kanaga masks, perform the Dama ritual dance in Mali.

Batwa Tribe (Uganda)

Village elder named James from the Batwa Tribe in Uganda.

Zulu Tribe (South Africa)

Zulu warrior at Kwa Zulu-Natal in South Africa.

Samburu Tribe (Kenya)

Samburu warrior in Kenya.

Afar Tribe (Eritrea)

Young girl of Afar tribe in the Danakil Desert of Eritrea.

Herero Tribe (Namibia)

Herero in traditional clothing for a ceremonial dance.

Haussa Tribe (West Africa)

A Haussa man wearing the traditional red tribal headdress.

Berber Tribe (Morocco)

A Berber horseman in a traditional equestrian performance at Rabat in Morocco.

Taureg Tribe (Mali)

A man in the traditional blue robes of the Tauregs near Timbuktu, Mali.

Bedouin Tribe (Egypt)

A Bedouin on horseback in front of the Pyramids on the Giza Plateau.

Mandingo Tribe (Senegal and Mali)

Shepherd near Douentza in Mali, West Africa.

Damara Tribe (Damaraland/Namibia)

Young Damara man wearing traditional animal skins.

Dassanach Tribe (Ethiopia)

Dassanach men wearing ceremonial clothing and Traditional headdresses made of ostrich feathers in the Omo River Region of Southwest Ethiopia.

Maasai Tribe (Kenya)

Maasai warrior near Mount Kenya.

San Bushmen Tribe (Namibia)

San Bushman with bow and arrow in the Kalahari Desert.

Hamar Tribe (Ethiopia)

Young Hamar villager in Ethiopia.

Bakongo Tribe (Congo)

A member of the Bakongo Tribe in native dress.

Ndebele Tribe (South Africa)

Woman in Kwaggfonten, South Africa in the traditional attire for married women.

Watutsi Tribe (Rwanda)

Watusi man performs a traditional dance in Rwanda.

Karo Tribe (Ethiopia)

A young Karo woman in traditional dress.

CHAPTER ONE

Swazi Tribe

Swaziland

The Swazi Tribe, also known as the Swati, originated over 500 years ago in Central Africa, as a sub-group of the Nguni tribe, to which most of today’s Swazis are still closely related. Outside the Kingdom of Swaziland, the greatest number of Swazi people now live in the country of South Africa. The current Swazi population is about three million people.

The primary religion among the Swazi tribe is Christianity. This is often, however, blended with vestiges of the traditional tribal culture. Most notably, this involves a strong reverence for ancestral family spirits. With prayer and ritual the deceased ancestors are integrated into the everyday lives of Swazi families.

The language of the Swazi people is called Siswati, and is native to the Kingdom of Swaziland. For the Swazi population in South Africa, both English and Afrikaans are more prominent.

There are two primary monarchs ruling the Kingdom of Swaziland. These are the King and the Queen Mother who rule jointly. They are given the title of the Ingwenyama which means the Lion, and the Ndlovukati which means the She-Elephant. If the King’s mother is no longer alive, another significant woman will rule in her place. Both share the political rule, but the Queen Mother also has the role of the spiritual leader who oversees and ensures that national rituals are carried out.

The common ancestry of the early leaders of the Swazis goes back to Chief Dlamini I, whose family produced a long line of strong kings, well loved by the Swazi people. The name Swazi, however, did not officially come into being until the mid-1800’s when Mswati II became their king. He is the origin of their name.

Beginning 500 years ago, they moved into southern Mozambique, in what was then called Tongaland. By 1600, they had established their own kingdom in what is now Swaziland. A coalition of some other tribes like the Sotho and the San occupied the new kingdom, and the name Swazi was given to any citizen who lived in the country regardless of tribe. The Swazi people were open and friendly, and interacted well with neighboring tribes. Ngwane III was the first modern king of the country, ruling for 35 years in the late 1700’s.

At the time of the Boer Wars, first the Dutch and then the British sought special authority over mining, commerce and land, and took over much of what was called the Transvaal region. The seizing of native lands by foreigners caused the Swazi natives to leave their own country by the thousands, and many migrated to South Africa. The British ruled Swaziland for over sixty years beginning in 1903.

The Swazis are resilient and known for their dances and tribal songs which have a buoyant and joyful energy. They have rich cultural traditions which are among the most interesting in Africa. Swazi marriages are one example. Most marriages are usually held around July during the dry season. The family of the bride is welcomed to the home of the groom, where a ritual animal is served, and where festivities include dancing and singing. The following day, in a symbolic gesture, the bride thrusts a spear into the ground, as an initiating point of the marriage. She is then smeared with paint made of red ochre, and she presents gifts to her new husband’s family.

Another colorful traditional ritual is the Incwala a long extended celebration at the end of the year which can often span both December and January. The objective is to recognize the power of the king. The Bemanti who are the king’s men, go among the many villages of the country, and are given beer. However, the pretense is maintained that they are stealing the beer,