Medieval Africa
Religion and Music & Dance
Traditional African Religions
2. Although many understood the Christian and Muslim beliefs, many wanted to continue practicing their own religious practices.
3. Although religious beliefs varied from place to place, many beliefs served the same purpose.
4. There were also rules for religions, such as rules for living and helping people stay in touch with their history.
5. Many Africans honored their ancestors because they believed that when relatives died they would talk to the supreme god and help solve problems while they stayed in the community as spirits.
Music & Dance
2. In many songs, a singer would call out and then the other singers would echo.
3. To keep the beat, musical instruments such as drums, whistles, horns, flutes, and banjos were used.
4. Nearly everyone danced and it was used to remind African's of their homelands.
5. African-based music developed overtime into forms of music, such as ragtime, jazz, rock and roll, and, recently, rap.