African Tribes/Cultures

General

Cultural Exhibits
Select “Old World” and then select “Africa” to find a list of 71 African cultures that link to information – provided by Minnesota State University.

People’s Resources
From the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa project, the location, population, language, art, history, economy, political system and religion of 107 African cultures are provided.

Talking About “Tribe”: Moving from Stereotypes to Analysis
A series of background papers, published in 1997 and funded by the Carnegie Corporation and the Ford Foundation, supporting the idea that the term “tribe” should be avoided when describing African ethnic groups or cultures.

Ashanti

Ashanti Culture
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Society – TWI – (ASHANTI)
Family life, marriage, crafts, towns, religion and more from the Centre for Social Anthropology at the University of Kent in England.

Bantu

Bantu
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Bantu Farming
Information about farming and food is provided by the University of Pennsylvannia.

Myths and Legends of the Bantu
Provides the 20 chapters of a book about the Bantu of South Africa, from the Internet Sacred Text Archive.

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Botswana

Botswana
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Chewa

African Languages
Select “Chewa” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Chewa
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Chewa of Malawi
From the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, this site includes location, history, language, politics, customs, religion and more from a Baptist Christian perspective.

Chokwe

Chokwe Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Chokwe Mask History
Text about Chokwe art is connected to information about the Chokwe lifestyle – from the online African Art Museum.

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Dogon

Dogon Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Society – Dogon
Family life, marriage, crafts, towns, religion and more from the Centre for Social Anthropology at the University of Kent in England.

Fang

Fang Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Fang Mask History
Text about Fang art is connected to information about the Fang lifestyle – from the online African Art Museum.

Fante

Fante Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Fulani

Fulani Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

What’s a Fulani?
From the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, this site describes their typical day and includes statistics from 1999.

Wodhaabhe Pastoral Fulani
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Hausa

African Languages
Select “Hausa” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Hausa
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Hausa Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Society – Hausa
Family life, marriage, crafts, towns, religion and more from the Centre for Social Anthropology at the University of Kent in England.

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Herero

Herero
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Hutu

Hutu
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Igbo

African Languages
Select “Igbo” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Igbo Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Igbo People
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Kikuyu

African Languages
Select “Kikuyu” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Kikuyu
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Kikuyu Introduction
Select “Tribes” from menu across top of page and then select “Kikuyu” from the map. Information includes background, language, population, location, way of life. Can also select from a menu on left for more detailed information on social structure, history, religion, music and more.

Kongo

Kongo Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Kongo Religion
Doctrines, history and symbols at this site from St. Martin’s College in England.

People Profile – the Kongo of Angola
From the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, this site includes location, history, language, politics, customs, religion and more from a Baptist Christian perspective.

Kuba

Africans and Photography: The Kuba
Brief information and a photo describe the Kuba, from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art.

Kuba Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

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Luba

Luba
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Luba Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Maasai

Maasai
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

The Maasai
Sections include ancient ancestors, migration, appearance, history, importance of cattle, homes, and rites of passage. Based on a lengthy bibiliography.

Maasai Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Makonde

Makonde Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Makonde Introduction
Select “Tribes” from menu across top of page and then select “Makonde” from map. Information includes background, language, population, location, way of life. Can also select from a menu on left for more detailed information on social structure, music, dance, masks and more.

Malinke

Malinke
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Mbundu

Mbundu
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

People Profile – North Mbundu of Angola
From the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, this site includes location, history, language, politics, customs, religion and more from a Baptist Christian perspective.

Mbuti

Mbuti
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Society – PYGMIES – (MBUTI)
Family life, marriage, crafts, towns, religion and more from the Centre for Social Anthropology at the University of Kent in England.

Mossi

Mossi
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Mossi Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

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Pokot

Pokot Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

San (Bushmen)

A Detailed Overview of the History of the KwaZulu-Natal: From Stone Age to Hard Won Democracy
Provided by Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, read about the San in the portion about early history.

People Profile: The Gwikwe Bushmen
From the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, this site includes location, history, language, politics, customs, religion and more from a Baptist Christian perspective.

San Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Shona

African Languages
Select “Shona” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Shona Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Swahili

African Languages
Select “Swahili” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Swahili Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Turkana

East Turkana
Agriculture, social roles, background and more from the EMuseum at Minnesota State University.

Turkana Introduction
Select “Tribes” from menu across top of page and then select “Turkana” from map. Information includes background, language, population, location, way of life. Can also select from a menu on left for more detailed information on social structure, history, religion, music and more.

Wolof

African Languages
Select “Wolof” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Society – WOLOF
Family life, marriage, crafts, towns, religion and more from the Centre for Social Anthropology at the University of Kent in England.

Wolof Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

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Xhosa

African Languages
Select “Xhosa” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Xhosa
General information on the Xhosa (pronounced Koh-suh) people and then details on the Xhosa language from Big Chalk: the Education Network. Also includes the Xhosa version of the South African national anthem.

Yoruba

African Languages
Select “Yoruba” for brief information about that language including where spoken, number of speakers and usage – from Michigan State University.

Yoruba Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

Yoruba Mask History
Text about Yoruba art is connected to information about the Yoruba lifestyle, political systems and economy – from the online African Art Museum.

Yoruba Religion
Doctrines, history and symbols at this site from St. Martin’s College in England.

Zulu

The Anglo-Zulu War
Information on the Zulu kingdom from the rise of King Shaka Zulu until the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Includes text about how images of the Zulu people have been shaped by modern movies, a chronology, myths about the war (under Fact or Fiction), and a biography of King Shaka Zulu. Click on the site title to see photographs. Provided by an author of Zulu history, Ian Knight.

Eloquent Elegance: Beadwork in the ZULU Cultural Tradition
Major aspects of traditional Zulu beadwork, including photos of necklaces and adornments for the body from Dr. Hilgard Schoeman.

Zulu History – the History of the Zulu Nation
Lengthy information from ancient times until post-apartheid, including photos of former rulers, from Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.

Zulu Information
Population, language, art, history, economy, politics and religion from the University of Iowa’s Art & Life in Africa Online.

The Zulu Nation of South Africa a photograph of a Zulu woman with traditional adornments – from Dr. Hilgard Schoeman.

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Last Updated: October 10, 2008