Conga Drum In American Culture

Firstly, the reason it has been kept alive is because Native American dance teaches values by incorporating them into their movements and themes. Dancing is a creative and entertaining way to continue teaching younger members of the tribe about what they are to believe. Secondly, Native American dance tells stories of their ancestors. Dances passed down from generation to generation allow the younger generation to understand and interpret the dances and learn about the past. Without dance some tribal members may not know about their history. Finally, Native American dance keeps tradition alive. Dance has been around since the beginning of the Native American people. It is a way to pass on messages and teachings from the earliest tribes. Dance is so essential to Native American history, that it has been transmitted since the earliest Native Americans.

In the late 1500’s the start of The Colombian Exchange and the settling of Europeans in the Americas sparked a chain reaction of events that would forever change the way we tell the history of that time. It also just may have altered the way we advanced as a species and interacted with one another from that point on. There were many changes that took place in everyday life in both the Americas and Afro Eurasia because of the events of this time period. Some of them more obvious than others, but all were important in their own respect.

Instruments used to portray these various styles of music were often drums of all shapes and sizes, rattles, and often tambourines or bells with other percussion instruments. The drums were constructed by using such materials as clay, iron, wood or aluminum with heads of buckskin, chamois, or rubber. These drums were typically played with a single drumstick, holding a steady pattern of four beats. Also, in addition to these instruments there were wind instruments.

The bass drum is large and when played, creates a very low pitch. More specifically we are talking about the orchestral bass drum, the smaller 'kick' drum and the pitched bass drums. Orchestral drums are the larger of the three and are primarily used in orchestral concerts. The kick-drum is the largest drum in a drum-kit and is utilized with a foot pedal. The last one mentioned, the pitched bass drum, is a popular choice for marching parades and the drums

Culture is one of the most relevant elements that can define not only a society but also a country’s cumulative beliefs and system. Often noted as the origins of a country, culture is definitive in the sense that it harbors all the elements that can provide justification on the traditions and norms set by the society for its members. More often than not, the society members follow norms in order to create a harmonious community, and the beliefs and the traditions serve as the poles or grounding rules for each member to follow. Culture is very dynamic in the way that it can change over a variety of foreign influences but what is permanent about it is that original elements about it often lingers with the influences, therefore making it multi-faceted and broad. More importantly, culture serves as an individual and unique trait each society has, and therefore sets it apart from other countries and other societies.

Culture is the characteristics of a group of people defined by language, cuisine, religion social habits music and art. There are many different types of culture including western culture, eastern culture, African culture and many more. Culture is influenced by the groups of people that make up the country (Zimmermann, 2012). The term culture was first used by an English Anthropologist named Edward B. Tyler. It was first mentioned in 1871 in his book named ‘Primitive Culture’. He stated that culture is "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society”. Since then culture is the main focus of anthropology.

Dance has always been the focal point in which Africans are able to let free through movements of emotion. In this essay I will discuss the history of African Dance and its importance to the African Culture. Also will be discussing the general information of African dance, the different types of African dance and the ones that I like the most. Dance in the African culture is something that cannot be taken advantage of in the African Culture because it holds such a strong meaningful moment at the time of any occasion.

From the 1500s to the 1700s, African blacks, mainly from the area of West Africa (today's Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Dahomey, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon) were shipped as slaves to North America, Brazil, and the West Indies. For them, local and tribal differences, and even varying cultural backgrounds, soon melded into one common concern for the suffering they all endured. Music, songs, and dances as well as remembered traditional food, helped not only to uplift them but also quite unintentionally added immeasurably to the culture around them. In the approximately 300 years that blacks have made their homes in North America, the West Indies, and Brazil, their highly honed art

There is no doubt that African Americans have a rich cultural background and history like the many different ethnic groups who settled in the New World, whose origins lie in another country. For this reason, America was known as the melting pot. However, the backgrounds of each of these cultures were not always understood or, in the case of African Americans, accepted among the New World society and culture. Americans were ignorant to the possibility of differences among groups of people until information and ideas started to emerge, particularly, the African retention theories. This sparked an interest in the field of African culture and retention in African Americans. However, the study of African American culture truly emerged as a result of increased awareness in America, specifically through the publication and findings of scholarly research and cultural events like the Harlem Renaissance where all ethnicities were able to see this rich historical culture of African Americans.

The Nature of Ronald CoaseDecember 29, 2014The Ideas That Shaped AfricaJanuary 7, 2015 As protests in Ferguson and elsewhere have brought police militarization to the forefront of public debate, some voices suggest that reigning in police militarization requires stricter gun control laws. For example, Matthew Yglesias argues at Vox that “when civilians are well-armed, police have to be as well.” Yglesias claims, “The officer always has to worry that if he doesn’t reach for and use his own gun, the suspect will.” He further contends that the disproportionate rate at which blacks are shot by police means “Young black men pay the price for gun rights.” While “officer safety” is the common refrain used to justify police violence and police militarization,

Consider how Africa’s geography has changed over time. What positive and negative effects would these changes have had on human populations on the continent? As their new homes changed they were able to adapt due to their innovative mindset. This can be attributed to the new found organization thanks to language. Allowing Africans to grow and expand throughout the entire continent. Other factors that can be attributed are the change in geography for some parts such as the Sahara drying out and swamps and lakes disappeared.

Although dance movements could vary in some ways from culture to culture, the basic structure and reasons for dance were similar. The dance was vital to African societies because Africans danced for all the occasions and needs of life mentioned earlier. In both ritual and non-ritual forms, dance marked the notable events and served as an avenue to connect them to God as well as for celebration, recreation, and self-expression. Dance did everything from evoking the spirit world to portraying a dramatic allegory

The Igbo, one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa,they had to work hard to make sure that their culture was not lost. Southern Nigeria is where most of the Igbo culture is still located. It is believed that the Igbo originated in Niger and Benue Rivers, about a hundred miles north of their current location. The Igbo language can be categorized into the Congo language. Specifically, it is a part of the Kwa subfamily. Their language is difficult to understand due to the wide range of dialects, and the complicated system of high and low tones, which indicate different meanings and grammatical relationships. Even with the difficulties that the Igbo constantly faced, they were able to remain the longest lasting and largest ethnic group in Nigeria.

West Africa is defined by a series of elongated countries that border the Atlantic Ocean, with an exception of Burkina Faso. The countries are small in area compared to the other parts of Africa. Western Africa makes up the largest population cluster in sub-Saharan Africa. West African culture is based on cash crops for export in many of the trade areas along the coast. Many of the West Africans have large incomes due to the sale of their crops across all global markets.

     Before one starts to outline the traditional religion in Africa, one must first explain the way Africa is as a whole. Without the knowledge of the past combined with knowledge of culture, one would have a very vague, if any, understanding of traditional religion.