North and Central African Societies
Hunting-Gathering Societies
Stateless Societies
Muslim States
To what might the Efe attribute their long success as a hunting-gathering society?
What feature of the Efe Social Structure is most like that of a democratic society?
In Africa, the oldest form of social organization in the wold began.
How do states governed by Islamic law differ from the United States?
How did the Almoravids and the Almohads differ?
By 670, Muslims had ruled Egypt and entered the Maghrib
How is lineage important to stateless societies?
How would a conflict between youngest cousins be resolved?
They had started something no one has ever created and they are still doing it today learning the best techniques to help them hunt.
There is a group leader like in the democratic society. All the group members have freedom of speech.
The Almoravids had followed Ibn Yasin's teachings, and the Almohads had followed the teachings of Ibn Tumart, but the Almohads were led by Abd al-Mumin
In Islam, following the law is a religious obligation.
Their parents would negotiate and solve the conflict.
It determines how possessions and are passed on.
In many African societies families were organized into groups called lineages
A really small percent of the population is hunting-gathering societies in Africa.
These groups speak their own languages and they also use their own hunting techniques.
Scholars learned clues about how they hunter-gathers could have lived in the past.
Maghrib is the part of North Africa that today is the Mediterranean coast of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.
Forest Dwellers
The Efe are one of hunting-gathering societies in Africa.
Social Structure
The members of a lineage believed that they all had a common ancestor
Believing that your all related members would feel strong loyalties towards each other.
Many African groups made systems of government based off on lineages. Many lineages groups took place the place of rulers.
In Islamic Law, the Second Pillar of Islam is to pray five times a day. In the United States, it is optional whether you want to pray or not.
A father, uncle, or father in-law usually serves as a group leader.
The Almohads had seized power from the Almoravids
The Almohad Empire broke up into individual Muslim dynasties.
While the Empire lasted just over 100 years, it united the Maghrib under one rule for the first time
The group leader doesn't give orders or act as a chief.
Each family within the band makes their own decisions and is free to come and go.
They settle arguments with long discussions.
These societies known as stateless societies didn't have a centralized system of power. Instead authorities were balanced between linages of equal power. So that no one families could have to much power.
The Igbo people of southern Nigeria lived in stateless societies as early as the 9th century.
They live in the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo in small groups of 10-100.
Each family has it's own grass-and brush shelter within a camp
They are somewhat nomadic, and because of that the Efe collects possessions and move to new camps when they use all of their resources.
Women are gatherers, men and older boys do all the hunting.
They added to their diet by trading things.
Conquest
The igbo people later encounter changes from the 19th century europeans who expected one leader.
In African societies they trace lineage to determine how possessions are passed down.
In patrilineal society they trace ancestry through their fathers. inheritance passes from father to son, and when a son marries the wife become part of his fathers extended family.
Leadership
Trade
In matrilineal society they trace ancestry through there mothers. young men would inherit land and wealth from there mother's family. Yet men were still held the authority in the house hold.
Religion
If they can't be settled they can decide to move a different hunting band.
Change
Identity
In many African societies they would use the age set system. each set identifies a new life stage such as warrior to elder. Men and women have different life stages and each stage has it own duties and importance.
The Islamic law has been such a significant force in history, that some states, especially in North Africa, are still influenced by it today.
Change
This taught the young in their society about discipline, service, community, and leadership.