CULTURES OF ASIA

A wide variety of societies, religions and ethnicities shape the culture of Asia. The Asian culture is an
aggregation of diverse customs, traditions and social values that form the core of the Asian society.
The continent of Asia comprises the geographic and cultural subregions of central, southern, western
and eastern Asia. The Asian continent boasts of a rich cultural heritage that has given the region, an
identity of its own. The different forms of Asian art and literature are widely popular around the world
and the widespread influence of the Asian philosophy and religion, especially of East Asia, is worth
making a mention of. The cultures of the continent of Asia are the most diverse of world cultures. Let
us take a look at them.

Cultures in Central Asia

Central Asia comprises five former Soviet Socialist Republics, namely, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan. The most prominent religion in Central Asia is Islam. The
vibrant nature of the Central Asian culture is the result of the influences of the Mongols, Persians and
Russians who conquered their land. It also exhibits major influences of Indian, Chinese and Arabian
cultures. Central Asian cuisine is appreciated throughout the world. Their music is fairly popular in
different parts of the world; while their literature hosts a collection of literary works by the Persians,
Indians, Arabians and Chinese.



Cultures in East Asia

China, Japan and Korea are some of the countries that lie in the East Asia. Although, different regions
of East Asia host diverse cultural traditions, the Chinese influence on the East Asian culture cannot be
ignored. The Chinese culture is one of the oldest in the world. Chinese customs and traditions vary
across different regions of the country. It is needless to elaborate on the popularity of Chinese food.
Chinese architecture and more importantly, Feng Shui, the Chinese system of aesthetics that is one of
the vital components of their architecture; are some of the most important elements of the Chinese
culture.

Japanese culture is another ancient culture of East Asia. It has evolved over a period of thousands of
years, starting from the prehistoric Jomon and Yayoi cultures to the modern-day culture bearing
European and North American influences. The Japanese martial arts and sumo wrestling, visual arts
like brush-drawn calligraphy, their sculpture styles and Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower
arrangement, are world renowned.

Another distinct feature of this region is the equally ancient culture of Korea. The Korean civilization
originated around 5000 years ago. The family institution is of prime importance in the Korean culture.
Most of the Korean families maintain detailed records of their genealogical origins. The Koreans
celebrate birthdays, weddings and special occasions such as the first full moon, arrival of spring and
New Year. Most of the traditional festivals of Korea are based on the lunar calendar. The Korean tea
and traditional Korean foods like kimchi (fermented vegetables) are some of the important
constituents of the Korean cuisine. Korean paintings (prominently using naturalism), the exquisitely
beautiful handicrafts and pottery are some of the other important elements of the Korean culture.



Cultures in West Asia

West Asia is shaped by the presence of Arab, Turkish and Persian cultures. Interestingly, Iraq is one
nation that is home to both Persian and Arab cultures. The Arabic cultural traditions are closely
associated with Islam. A majority of the Arabs are Muslims. However, there are considerable number
of Jews and Christians in the Gulf countries. Arabic is one of the very ancient literary languages that is
believed to have originated in the 6th century. Interestingly, many English words are derivatives of
Arabic words. Arabian music, characterized by a unique tone system, small but well-designed musical
instruments and predominance of vocals, form an important constituent of the Arab culture.
Description of the Arab culture would be incomplete without the mention of Arabian literature, which is
a collection of notable literary works like 'Arabian Nights'.

The culture of Turkey is a combination of the elements of Ottoman, European and Middle Eastern
traditions. The classical and the folk genres of Turkish music make up the rich musical heritage of the
country. Brass and percussion instruments play a vital role in Turkish music. Turkish pop and rock are
nonetheless popular. Turkish cuisine is a blend of Turkic, Arabic, Persian and American cuisines.
Besides the Arab and Turkish cultures, West Asia is also home to the Persian culture. Music, an
important element of their culture, is indigenous to Iran and all the Persian-speaking countries.
Classical Persian music focuses on vocal singing and functions as a spiritual tool. Persian dances
emphasize on upper body movements and facial expressions. Apart from the New Year, the Persians
celebrate the water and fire festivals and cherish the onset of winter and autumn. The Persian Garden,
designed as a representation of paradise on earth, is an excellent example of the art and architecture
of the Persians. West Asian culture, is thus, a beautiful blend of customs and traditions of the
Arabians, the Persians and the Turkish.



Cultures in South Asia

The states in north India and countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan share a culture that is influenced
by the Indus Valley Civilization and the Maurya, Gupta and Mughal empires. Sri Lanka shares a
Dravidian culture with some of the South Indian states; while the culture of West Bengal and
Bangladesh is a mix of the Dravidian and Aryan cultures. There is a striking similarity between the
cultures of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Indian states like Sikkim and Ladakh. Similarities are observed in
cultures of the eastern states of India and South East Asia. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism
predominate South Asia. Influences from the Indian, Chinese, Christian and Islamic traditions, have
shaped the culture of south-east Asia. Construction of stilt houses, rice paddy agriculture, dances
emphasizing movements of the hands, and arts and literature bearing Indian, Chinese and Buddhist
influences are some of the distinctive features of the south-east Asian culture.

This was a glimpse of the rich and varied cultural heritage of Asia. I am sure it has drawn you towards
exploring the yet-undiscovered facets of the Asian culture. Only a tour to the Asian continent can give
you a real taste of Asian opulence.

Culture of Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


An Ethiopian woman preparing Ethiopian coffee at a traditional ceremony. She roasts, crushes and brews the coffee
on the spot.
The culture of Africa is varied and manifold. It is a product of the diverse populations that today
inhabit the continent of Africa and theAfrican Diaspora. Like much of the world, it has been impacted
upon by both internal and external forces.
[1]

Historical overview[edit]


Sample of the Egyptian Book of the Dead of the scribe Nebqed, c.1300 BC.
Africa is divided into a great number of ethnic cultures.
[2][3][4]
The continent's cultural regeneration
has also been an integral aspect of post-independence nation-building on the continent, with a
recognition of the need to harness the cultural resources of Africa to enrich the process of education,
requiring the creation of an enabling environment in a number of ways. In recent times, the call for a
much greater emphasis on the cultural dimension in all aspects of development has become
increasingly vocal.
[5]
Duringcolonialism in Africa, Europeans possessed attitudes of superiority and a
sense of mission. The French were able to accept an African as French if that person gave up their
African culture and adopted French ways. Knowledge of the Portuguese language and culture and
abandonment of traditional African ways defined one as civilized.
[6]
Kenyan social commentator
Mwiti Mugambi argues that the future of Africa can only be forged from accepting and mending the
sociocultural present. For Mugambi, colonial cultural hangovers, pervasive Western cultural
inundation, and aid-giving arm-twisting donors are, he argues, here to stay and no amount of looking
into Africa's past will make them go away. However, Maulana Karenga states:
Our culture provides us with an ethos we must honor in both thought and practice. By ethos, we mean a
people's self-understanding as well as its self-presentation in the world through its thought and practice in
the other six areas of culture. It is above all a cultural challenge. For culture is here defined as the totality
of thought and practice by which a people creates itself, celebrates, sustains and develops itself and
introduces itself to history and humanity
Maulana Karenga , African Culture and the Ongoing Quest for Excellence
African arts and crafts[edit]
Main article: African art


A Yombe sculpture (Louvre, Paris).
Africa has a rich tradition of arts and crafts. African arts and crafts find expression in a variety
of woodcarvings, brass and leather art works. African arts and crafts also
include sculpture, paintings, pottery, ceremonial and religious headgear and dress. Maulana
Karenga states that in African art, the object was not as important as the soul force behind the
creation of the object. He also states that All art must be revolutionary and in being revolutionary it
must be collective, committing, and functional, this is echoed by Shahadah who states "in Africa all
art is socially functional."
[1][7]



BaKongo voodoo masks from theKongo Central region
African culture has always placed emphasis on personal appearance and jewelry has remained an
important personal accessory. Many pieces of such jewelry are made of cowry shells and similar
materials. Similarly,masks are made with elaborate designs and are important part of African culture.
Masks are used in various ceremonies depicting ancestors and spirits, mythological characters and
deities.
In most of traditional art and craft of Africa, certain themes significant to African culture recur,
including a couple, a woman with a child, a male with a weapon or animal, and an outsider or a
stranger. Couples may represent ancestors, community founder, married couple or twins. The
couple theme rarely exhibit intimacy of men and women. The mother with the child or children
reveals intense desire of the African women to have children. The theme is also representative of
mother mars and the people as her children. The man with the weapon or animal theme symbolizes
honor and power. A stranger may be from some other tribe or someone from a different country, and
more distorted portrayal of the stranger indicates proportionately greater gap from the stranger.
Folklore and religion[edit]
See also: African traditional religions and Religion in Africa


Central mosque in Nouakchott,Mauritania.
Like all human cultures, African folklore and religion represents a variety of social facets of the
various cultures in Africa.
[8]
Like almost all civilizations and cultures, flood myths have been
circulating in different parts of Africa. Culture and religion share space and are deeply intertwined in
African cultures. In Ethiopia, Christianity and Islam form the core aspects of Ethiopian culture and
inform dietary customs as well as rituals and rites.
[1][9]
According to a Pygmy myth, Chameleon,
hearing a strange noise in a tree, cut open its trunk and water came out in a great flood that spread
all over the land.


Kenyan boys and girls performing a traditional folklore dance.
Folktales also play an important role in many African cultures. Stories reflect a group cultural identity
and preserving the stories of Africa will help preserve an entire culture. Storytelling affirms pride and
identity in a culture. In Africa, stories are created by and for the ethnic group telling them. Different
ethnic groups in Africa have different rituals or ceremonies for storytelling, which creates a sense of
belonging to a cultural group. To outsiders hearing an ethnic group's stories, it provides an insight
into the community's beliefs, views, and customs. For people within the community, it allows them to
encompass their group's uniqueness. They show the human desires and fears of a group, such as
love, marriage, and death. Folktales are also seen as a tool for education and entertainment. They
provide a way for children to understand the material and social environment. Every story has a
moral to teach people, such as good will prevail over evil. For entertainment, stories are set in
fantastic, non-human worlds. Often, the main character of the story would be a talking animal or
something unnatural would happen to human character. Even though folktales are for entertainment,
they bring a sense of belonging and pride to communities in Africa.
[10]



Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs church in Akono, Cameroon.
There are different types of African stories: animal tales and day-to-day tales. Animal tales more
oriented towards entertainment, but still have morals and lessons to them. Animal tales are normally
divided into trickster tales and ogre tales. In the animal tales, a certain animal would always have the
same personality or role in each story so the audience does not have to worry about
characterization. The Hare was always the trickster, clever and cunning, while the Hyena was
always being tricked by the Hare. Ogres are always cruel, greedy monsters. The messengers in all
the stories were the Birds. Day-to-Day tales are the most serious tales, never including humor, that
explained the everyday life and struggles of an African community. These tales take on matters such
as famine, escape from death, courtship, and family matters, using a song form when the climax of
the story was being told.
African stories all have a certain structure to them. Villagers would gather around a common meeting
place at the end of the day to listen and tell their stories. Storytellers had certain commands to start
and end the stories, "Ugai Itha" to get the audience's attention and begin the story, and "Rukirika" to
signal the end of a tale. Each scene of a story is depicted with two characters at a time, so the
audience does not get overwhelmed. In each story, victims are able to overcome their predators and
take justice out on the culprit. Certain tools were used in African folktales. For example, idiophones,
such as drums, were used to make the sounds of different animals. Repetition and call-back
techniques in the form of prose or poem were also used to get the audience involved in the
stories.
[11][12]

Clothing[edit]
Main article: Clothing in Africa


Tunisian woman in a hijab.
Women's traditional clothes in Ethiopia are made from cloth called shemma and used to
make habesha kemis. The latter garment is basically cotton cloth, about 90 cm wide, woven in long
strips which are then sewn together. Sometimes shiny threads are woven into the fabric for an
elegant effect. Men wear pants and a knee-length shirt with a white collar, and perhaps a sweater.
Men often wear knee-high socks, while women might not wear socks at all. Men as well as women
wear shawls, the netela.


Ashanti Kente clothpatterns.
Zulus wear a variety of attire, both traditional for ceremonial or culturally celebratory occasions, and
modern westernised clothing for everyday use. Traditional male clothing is usually light, consisting of
a two-part apron (similar to a loincloth) used to cover the genitals and buttocks. The front piece is
called the umutsha (pronouncedIPA: [umtifash]), and is usually made of springbok or other animal
hide twisted into different bands which cover the genitals. The rear piece, called
the ibheshu [ibeu], is made of a single piece of springbok or cattle hide, and its length is usually
used as an indicator of age and social position; longer amabheshu (plural of ibheshu) are worn by
older men. Married men will usually also wear a headband, called the umqhele [umle], which is
usually also made of springbok hide, or leopard hide by men of higher social status, such as chiefs.
Zulu men will also wear cow tails as bracelets and anklets
called imishokobezi [imioozi] during ceremonies and rituals, such as weddings or dances.
In the Muslim parts of Africa, daily attire also often reflects Islamic tradition.
[1]


Cuisine[edit]
Main article: African cuisine


Fufu (right) is a staple meal in West Africa and Central Africa. It is served here with some peanut soup.
The various cuisines of Africa use a combination of locally available fruits, cereal
grains and vegetables, as well as milk and meatproducts. In some parts of the continent, the
traditional diet features a preponderance of milk, curd and whey products. In much of tropical Africa,
however, cow's milk is rare and cannot be produced locally (owing to various diseases that affect
livestock). The continent's diverse demographic makeup is reflected in the many different eating and
drinking habits, dishes, and preparation techniques of its manifold populations.
[13]

In Central Africa, the basic ingredients are plantains and cassava. Fufu-like starchy foods (usually
made from fermented cassava roots) are served with grilled meat and sauces. A variety of local
ingredients are used while preparing other dishes like spinach stew, cooked with tomato, peppers,
chillis, onions, and peanut butter. Cassava plants are also consumed as cooked greens. Groundnut
(peanut) stew is also prepared, containing chicken, okra, ginger, and other spices. Another favorite
is Bambara, a porridge of rice, peanut butter and sugar. Beef and chicken are favorite meat dishes,
but game meat preparations containing crocodile, monkey, antelope and warthog are also served
occasionally.


Fresh Moroccan couscous with vegetables and chickpeas.
The cuisine of the African Great Lakes region varies from area to area. In the inland savannah, the
traditional cuisine of cattle-keeping peoples is distinctive in that meat products are generally
absent. Cattle, sheep and goats were regarded as a form of currency and a store of wealth, and are
not generally consumed as food. In some areas, traditional peoples consume the milk and blood of
cattle, but rarely the meat. Elsewhere, other peoples are farmers who grow a variety of grains and
vegetables. Maize (corn) is the basis of ugali, the East African version of West Africa's fufu. Ugali is
a starch dish eaten with meats or stews. In Uganda, steamed, green bananas called matoke provide
the starch filler of many meals.
In the Horn of Africa, the main traditional dishes in Ethiopian cuisine and Eritrean
cuisine are tsebhis (stews) served with injera
[14]
(flatbread made from teff,
[14]
wheat, or sorghum),
and hilbet (paste made from legumes, mainly lentil, faba beans). Eritrean and Ethiopian
cuisine (especially in the northern half) are very similar, given the shared history of the two countries.
The related Somalian cuisineconsists of an exotic fusion of diverse culinary influences. Varieties
of bariis (rice), the most popular probably being basmati, usually serve as the main
dish. Xalwo (halwo) or halva is a popular confection served during special occasions such
as Eid celebrations or wedding receptions.
[15]
After meals, homes are traditionally perfumed
using frankincense (lubaan) or incense (cuunsi), which is prepared inside an incense burner referred
to as a dabqaad. All food is served halal.


Potjiekos is a traditionalAfrikaner stew made with meat and vegetables and cooked over coals in cast-iron pots.
The roots of North African cuisine can be traced back to the ancient empires of North Africa,
particularly in Egypt where many of the country's dishes and culinary traditions date back to ancient
Egypt. Over several centuries traders, travelers, invaders, migrants and immigrants all have
influenced the cuisine of North Africa. Most of the North African countries today have several similar
dishes, sometimes almost the same dish with a different name (the Moroccan tangia and the
Tunisian coucha are both essentially the same dish: a meat stew prepared in an urn and cooked
overnight in a public oven), sometimes with a slight change in ingredients and cooking style. To add
to the confusion, two completely different dishes may also share the same name (for example, a
"tajine" dish is a slow-cooked stew in Morocco, whereas the Tunisian "tajine" is a
bakedomelette/quiche-like dish). There are noticeable differences between the cooking styles of
different nations there's the sophisticated, full-bodied flavours of Moroccan palace cookery, the
fiery dishes of Tunisian cuisine, and the humbler, simpler cuisines of Egypt and Algeria.
[16]

The cooking of Southern Africa is sometimes called 'rainbow cuisine', as the food in this region is a
blend of many culinary traditions, including those of
the Khoisan, Bantu, European and Asian populations. Basic ingredients include seafood, meat
products (including wild game), poultry, as well as grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits
include apples, grapes, mangoes, bananas and papayas, avocado, oranges, peaches andapricots.
Desserts may simply be fruit, but there are some more western style puddings, such as the
Angolan Cocada amarela, which was inspired by Portuguese cuisine. Meat products include lamb,
and game like venison, ostrich, and impala. The seafood includes a wide variety such
as crayfish, prawns, tuna, mussels, oysters, calamari, mackerel, and lobster. There are also several
types of traditional and modernalcoholic beverages including many European-style beers.
A typical West African meal is heavy with starchy items, meat, spices and flavors. A wide array of
staples are eaten across the region, including those of Fufu, Bantu
[disambiguation
needed]
and Kenkey (originating from Ghana), Foutou, Couscous, T, and Garri, which are served
alongside soups and stews. Fufu is often made from starchy root vegetables such
as yams, cocoyams, or cassava, but also from cereal grains like millet, sorghum or plantains. The
staple grain or starch varies region to region and ethnic group to ethnic group, although corn has
gained significant ground as it is cheap, swells to greater volumes and creates a beautiful white final
product that is greatly desired. Banku and Kenkey are maize dough staples, and Gari is made from
dried grated cassavas. Rice-dishes are also widely eaten in the region, especially in the
drySahel belt inland. Examples of these include Benachin from The Gambia and Jollof rice, a pan-
West African rice dish similar to Arab kabsah.
African music[edit]
See also: African popular music and Music of Africa


Yoruba drummers at celebration in Ojumo Oro, Kwara State, Nigeria.
Traditional Sub-Saharan African music is as diverse as the region's various populations. The
common perception of Sub-Saharan African music is that it is rhythmic music centered around the
drums, and indeed, a large part of Sub-Saharan music, mainly among speakers ofNiger
Congo and Nilo-Saharan languages, is rhythmic and centered around the drum. Sub-Saharan music
is polyrhythmic, usually consisting of multiple rhythms in one composition. Dance involves moving
multiple body parts. These aspects of Sub-Saharan music were transferred to the new world by
enslaved Sub-Saharan Africans and can be seen in its influence on music forms
as Samba, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock & Roll, Salsa, and Rap music.
[17]

But Sub-Saharan music involves a lot of music with strings, horns, and very little poly-rhythms.
Music from the eastern Sahel and along the Nile, among the Nilo-Saharan, made extensive use of
strings and horns in ancient times. There was also extensive use of string instruments among
the Afro-Asiatics. Dancing involve swaying body movements and footwork.most the music in afric is
sundi sundi music Among the Khoisans extensive use of string instruments with emphasis on
footwork.
[18]

Modern Sub-Saharan African music has been influenced by music from the New World (Jazz, Salsa,
Rhythm and Blues etc.). Popular styles
include Mbalax in Senegal and Gambia, Highlife in Ghana, Zoblazo in Cte
d'Ivoire, Makossa in Cameroon, Soukous in theDemocratic Republic of Congo, Kizomba in Angola,
and Mbaqanga in South Africa. New World styles like Salsa, R&B/Rap, Reggae, and Zouk also have
widespread popularity.
Languages[edit]
Main article: African languages
The main ethno-linguistic divisions are Afro-Asiatic (North Africa, Horn of Africa), Niger
Congo (including speakers from the Bantu branch) in most of Sub-Saharan Africa, Nilo-Saharan in
parts of the Sahara and the Sahel and parts of Eastern Africa, and Khoisan (indigenous minorities
of Southern Africa).
[19]
The continent of Africa speaks hundreds of languages, and if dialects spoken
by various ethnic groups are also included, the number is much higher. These languages and
dialects do not have the same importance: some are spoken by only few hundred persons, others
are spoken by millions. Among the most prominent languages spoken
are Arabic, Swahili and Hausa. Very few countries of Africa use any single language and for this
reason several official languages coexist, African and European. Some Africans speak various
European languages such as English, Spanish, French, and Dutch.