Culture is an essential aspect that governs how different societies in the world conduct their day-to-day activities. There is a need to understand and appreciate the comparison between different cultures, such as their beliefs, life experiences, and even the type of governance, language, type of sporting activities, and aspects regarded as either moral or immoral in the society. The interaction between different communities has led to an exchange of cultural practices, which has brought about cultural diversification. An example of such cultural interaction is between African and American people. These two societies have an abundance of cultural practices shared within several generations without losing their importance. Considering the enormous history these two share, it is essential to evaluate the cultural distinctions between these two continents and provide recommendations that encourage intercontinental integration.
Religion serves as a guide in many cultures. It establishes the framework for human existence by laying the groundwork for the emergence of societal laws. Various ceremonies within cultures result from the guidance and the teachings of religious organizations. Abrahamic faiths account for the majority of religion within African populations. Sub-Saharan Africa has the most Christians, whereas the northern region has the most Muslims. Missionaries are the ones who brought the Christian faith to Africa during the pre-colonial period. People were forced to convert to Christianity during the era of colonization or be enslaved. The spread of the Islamic religion in North Africa was due to their exposure to trade and invasion. America also shares the same religious statistics (Sibani, 56-72). Most Americans, particularly those in the north, are Christians. America was also colonized by European countries, which promoted the Christian religion. Americans celebrate religious occasions such as Easter and Christmas just like their African counterparts.
African and American Christians share similar aspects of religion, such as having priests and tricksters and utilizing herbal remedies as a powerful tool. They both believe in the presence of an extraterrestrial being. Faith is linked with their way of life such that everything is influenced by it. They have a close bond with supernatural beings, believing in life after death. The Native Americans had a religion and believed in the existence of the Great Spirit before Christianity arrived in America, and it was based on nature and mainly animals (Wuthnow, 49). They fasted and caused harm to themselves to build courage in their search for the spirit companion, an animal. They believed that spirits were responsible for bad weather, sicknesses, and diseases. They had a close bond with nature and urged their fellow men to live in balance with nature. They conducted rituals and sacrifices to honour the gods. They had unique places such as the mountains and forests where they went to worship and appease their gods.
Another method of determining a person’s culture is the type of food they take. Food plays a vital role in both American and African cultures. Celebrations in Africa were identified by the presence and abundance of food from many cuisines. African countries save chickens, cows, and goats in large numbers (Hlongwane, 22). These formed part of food since the pre-colonial days. Celebrations had different kinds of meats for special occasions. African ceremonies were based on the butchering of chickens and goats. The meat was eaten together with vegetables. Most Africans practised hunting and gathering in the pre-colonial period. Their staple food was mainly animal meat, but they later found vegetables and fruits that could be cooked quickly and supplemented their diet. Africans used to drink and consume raw beef; however, they modified their ways with the Europeans’ arrival and started cooking their meals before consuming them.
Americans followed a comparable diet with a high quantity of animal meat. Americans also mix white and red meat like their African counterparts. They reared turkeys and butchered them for particular events or celebrations. Chicken is also a feature of American meals, just like the Africans. The demand for fish and seafood is high in America, and they are included in their regular diets, the same as Africans (Bessey, 153). The majority of Americans eat three meals every day, including breakfast, lunch, and supper. Snacking is still a popular way of eating for Americans, while Africans prefer taking wild fruits as snacks in most cases. Eating at different times of the day is a culture shared by both Africans and Americans. Contrary to the Hindus who eat just vegetables, Americans and Africans combine meat and veggies.
Africa contains nearly 2000 different languages, making it the world’s most linguistically diverse continent. Africans used their local languages during the pre-colonial period for communication but pursued the help of translators during trading activities. They used traditional methods such as smoke signals for communication whenever there were language barriers (Kaschula, 58). Various colonists left different languages in different sections of the continent, resulting in one of the most linguistically varied societies. Africa mainly employs English and French as the formal languages when engaging in international dealings. A significant portion of Africa operated under the rule of the French and Britain. These two countries assimilated locals and forced them to understand their languages. Those countries have since maintained the colonizer’s language and used it as a de facto language in transacting business activities. Swahili is now the most commonly and extensively used indigenous language in Africa. The language arose from the interaction between the Bantus and the Arabs along the East African coast.
America also has a wide range of languages, just like Africa. They conduct business activities in Spanish and English, but English is the de facto language. Colonizers persuaded the locals to relinquish their speeches favouring the Queen. Immigrants to Latin America contributed to the growth of the Spanish language. America, like Africa, has a shared sign language that they employ to conquer the linguistic obstacles (King, 300). Unlike the Americans, who have a distinctive English language, Africans combine British and American English. Due to present globalization, both continents have a lot of conformity in language. Lastly, slang languages exist in America and Africa that locals only understand. Based on the linguistic use and change of critical English and French terms, the American vowel expression is comparable and similar to that used in Africa. British supremacists’ invasion of these continents resulted in the widespread usage of vowels and key English terms.
Kings throughout the pre-colonial era ruled African countries. Apart from a few countries, pre-colonial Africa had a governance system safeguarding its citizens against extremist violence. The arrival of colonialists carried a democratic political structure with them, with democratically elected governments ruling most countries. The government structure in democratic countries has three arms. They have the judiciary that interprets and protect the rule of law, the executive involved in enforcing policies and regulations, and the legislature involved in making laws. African countries have continued to adopt practical politics, in which the majority has the final word, but the minority has a say (Ricart-Huguet, 740). Swaziland and Morocco have maintained traditional African government institutions, with Swaziland being led by a king. Many African systems were forced to renounce their traditions, including governance, to adopt the British and European ways of leadership.
America has a similar governance structure to most African countries. They abolished their previous governance structure and embraced the British leadership style, complete with British culture and conventions. America is governed by a president who heads the states and the national government. The government system comprises the judiciary, which interprets the law, the executive, and the parliament, which makes the law (Tsai, 91). America’s system of government is similar to that of Africa, and the only difference is that America’s government has a robust democratic process, as opposed to African countries, where the people’s will is often disregarded. As a proper democracy, America has succeeded in establishing effective institutions, while its African peers attempt to draw beneficial lessons from the nation to advance other resemblance.
America has several issues that they regard as immoral and inappropriate in their societal structure. Morality is referred to as the acknowledged code of behaviour. The cornerstones of American character are based on the Ten Commandments, described in the Bible and taught by the Quran. Extramarital sex is considered unethical in the United States, and women who are found responsible are often stigmatized by society (Ikuenobe, 589). Americans feel that divorce is permissible as long as the individuals involved agree on their post-divorce lifestyle. Americans condemn suicide, and individuals found attempting to commit the act are usually imprisoned. Americans condemn polygamy as they advocate for one man, one woman. Drug misuse and misconduct are prohibited in American culture while under the influence of drugs.
Several issues are considered immoral in African society. In most African nations, prostitution is still sinful. Abortion falls under the same group of destructive behaviours prohibited in Africa, just as prostitution. Like those in the United States, African values are based on Christianity. Most African countries condemn suicide, unusual sexual behaviour, divorce, abortion, and premarital sex (Besong, 83). Africans prioritize human life, and acts of suicide are met with the worst possible societal scorn. Premarital sex is prohibited in African society, with women being tested immediately before marriage to ensure their purity. Virgins would get married as first wives, while the already broken ones would only get sympathetic marrying off to old widowers in the society. With time, the fundamentals of sexual preference have evolved, and many people now regard marrying someone of the same sex as a good thing. Africans continue to oppose same-sex marriage, believing it to be immoral.
Football and athletics are the most popular sports on the African continent. Sports have remained one of the continent’s most important sources of entertainment and revenue. Great African footballers and athletes have topped the podium and been lauded for their efforts across the world. Africans had a variety of sports before the arrival of the colonizers, including boat racing, boxing, and hunting (Andrew, 12630). New sporting activities have evolved in recent years, and Africans continue to make significant progress in the sports world. Other sports brought by Europeans have been tried by Africans, although they seldom achieve considerable success in the arenas. America also has some tremendous athletic activities that have helped place them on the map across the world. Football, basketball, and baseball are among America’s favourite sports. The mentality and fibre that drives American athletics are comparable to African nations.
In conclusion, culture and language are the foundations for determining a person’s way of life and the best method to approach them. An in-depth examination of the traditions of America and Africa discovered that the two continents have a shared past, making their cultures comparable from a broader viewpoint. European countries colonized America and Africa, with Britain taking the most significant piece of both continents. To improve understanding, the two continents should do cross-cultural research, embrace each other’s cultures, and pursue cultural exchange programs. Although the globe is varied, we have cultural and linguistic connections that we should acknowledge and embrace.
Work Cited
Andrew, Chauke Thulani, Malatji Khashane Stephen, and Mudau Thiziwilondi Josephine. ” “Investigation of the socio-economic factors that influence deviant behaviour among the youth: a case study of Madonsi Village, South Africa.” .” Gender and Behaviour (2019): 12630-12648.
Bessey, Meredith. “The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt in America by Virginia Sole-Smith.” Canadian Food Studies/La Revue canadienne des études sur l’alimentation (2019): 152-154.
Besong, Eric Ndoma. “Emerging Sexual Ethics and the Erosion of African Ethos.” GNOSI: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Theory and Praxis 2.1 (2019): 71-83.
Hlongwane, Zabentungwa T., Rob Slotow, and Thinandavha C. Munyai. “Indigenous knowledge about consumption of edible insects in South Africa.” Insects 12.1 (2020): 22.
Ikuenobe, Polycarp. “Human rights, personhood, dignity, and African communalism.” Journal of Human Rights (2018): 589-604.
Kaschula, Russell H., and Deon Nkomo. “Intellectualization of African languages: Past, present and future.”.” International Congress of Linguists (2019): 58.
King, Sharese. “From African American vernacular English to African American language: Rethinking the study of race and language in African Americans’ Speech.”.” Annual Review of Linguistics (2020): 285-300.
McNeil Smith, Shardé, and Antoinette M. Landor. “Toward a better understanding of African American families: Development of the sociocultural family stress model.”.” Journal of Family Theory & Review (2018): 434-450.
Ricart-Huguet, Joan. “The origins of colonial investments in former British and French Africa.”.” British Journal of Political Science (2022): 736-757.
Sibani, Clifford Meesua. “Impact of western culture on traditional African society: Problems and prospects.”.” Journal of Religion and Human Relations (2018): 56-72.
Tsai, Jung-Hsiang. “President and Congress in the Period of Unified Government in America.”.” Presidents, Unified Government and Legislative Control. (2021): 91-114.
Wuthnow, Robert. “The restructuring of American religion.”.” The Restructuring of American Religion (2021): 49.
write