AFRICAN CULTURE

Africa is one of the vast continents of the world. With very diverse culture, history, tradition and values it presents a very enigmatic picture to someone who admires it at a distance. People are stuck in awe by its mystique nature. There are nature worshipers, Muslims, Christians and many diverse tribes. Languages change from place to place. Every country has got its dialect and some languages without scripts. Therefore everything about Africa is unique!

Generally the image portrayed outside is not a very rosy one about Africa. People who hail from Africa because of their well built physique present a picture which complements this very image! Over and above this African are by nature very vociferous! Thus, if we find any place very noisy, in any international air port you can presume that there are either Indians or Africans around that place!!

There are some customs and tradition which are very unique to Africans which we need to appreciate and if possible should copy and follow!

It is mandatory to attend any funeral function in a family. No one is excused. There is mandatory attendance and the system of tracking people in such function is very fool-proof. There is someone to collect all the contribution made by visitors for the funeral. Big or small every contribution is acknowledged.Africans believe in Voodoo or black magic, therefore if anybody misses these sort of funeral function it is generally presumed that the missing person was responsible for the death by doing some black magic.

After the formal completion of mourning period the family on returning to normalcy must offer a feast to the whole village / clan by sacrificing a goat or a bull. If the same is not done the family is traditionally boycotted by the local folks.  

If you are driving anywhere in Africa and if you happen to come across a funeral processing crossing the road, it is better to park your car at a distance and wait. Driving rashly or honking when you near a funeral procession are considered to be very bad behavior.

If anyone visits you in office, it is better to offer them a seat. It is considered to be bad manners to make people to stand and talk to you. They too feel uncomfortable as they are talking from a level higher than you as you are sitting and they are standing. 

There are many many ways of shaking hands in Africa. Shaking hands and bodily contact like hugging are very common. Handshakes are always done to show solidarity. There are different shakes for a happy occasion and different ones for funeral etc. Funeral handshakes are done with a murmur "sorry" in local dialect. Handshake among friends and colleagues is more informal. If a lady shakes hand she does so by slightly bending her knees as a mark of respect to the male counterpart.

If two people are talking and if you are constrained to cross their path you are expected to clasp your hands and say sorry while crossing their path. By clasping your hands you are showing that you have no weapons and you do not mean any harm to them.

By nature, Africans do not hide and eat their food. Food for them is to be shared. That is irrespective of the quantity, quality and crowd.  As a matter of policy they do even invite unknown strangers to part their food. Same is the case with drinks. Traditional African Beer is shared from same carton and the Tetra Pack of Beer gets circulated according to seniority.

If anything is offered and handed over the same is acknowledged with great reverence and respect.