There are more than 800 languages spoken in the continent of Africa. Most Africans speak two or three languages, their primary language, or “mother-tongue”, and a second or third language to communicate with people from other close by areas (Fetzer A-102).

African languages are broken up into four individual categories: Niger-Congo, Nilo-Saharan, Afro-Asiatic, and Khosian. The most commonly heard two categories are Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan. Both of these groups can modify the meanings of words by the tone of the speakers’ voice. Niger-Congo languages are spoken of the people in West Africa, below the Sahar

Africans view body modifications as beauty. Body modifications, such as piercing, have been practiced in Africa for centuries. People there believe that one is not fully human and cannot be distinguished from animals if not pierced. Piercing is brought with royalty and portrays courage of a person (African Cultures Piercing).

Art is very important to the Africans. In fact it is part of their everyday life (Fetzer 106). South African artists are active in many areas of art including sculpture, pottery, mask making, and many more (African Arts Information).

Clay pots, which are fired with wood and grass, have always had the practical uses of being cooking pots, cups, and plates. The pots are beautifully decorated using red soil and graphite. Some types of pots used were tshidudu, which was used for cooking vegetables, khali, which was used to keep water and beer in, tshidzhomela, which was used to drink out of like a cup, ndilo, which was plate-like for eating purposes, khavho, which had a handle and was also used for drinking purposes, and nkho, which never moved. Nkho was dug into the ground to store beer and water and keep it cool (African Arts Information).

Ceremonies are held when someone changes their social status and social relationship with those in the community. There are about six ceremonies in ones life. The first is their birth, the second is their maturity, third is their marriage, fourth is their child bearing, fifth is their elderliness, sixth is their death. Ceremonies are simply socially approved methods of participating in pleasurable events (African Individuality).

Zulu is one of nine Bantu languages spoken in East Southern Africa. Approximately 8.8 million people speak this language (African Languages).

Some South

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