Transcript Ethnic Groups of SWA & NA

Ethnic Groups
of SWA & NA
SSWG3g. Describe the major ethnic and cultural groups
in North Africa/Southwest Asia; include major customs
and traditions.
Arabs are the primary ethnic group of
SWA & NA
 Arabs’ religion is primarily Muslim, but
there are Jewish & Christian Arabs as
well.
 Arab culture
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◦ Speak Arabic
◦ Family is very important & gender roles are not
equal
◦ Muslim men often wear turbans; women
sometimes wear form of Muslim dress.
◦ Homes vary from place to place
Arabs
Arabs
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Bedouins are
nomads in the
deserts of NA & SWA.
They are known for
rich oral poetic
tradition, their
herding lifestyle,
emphasis on
community and their
traditional code of
honor.
They are considered
to be “true Arabs”.
Bedouins
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Persians are a non-Arab ethnic group
Persians primarily live in Iran (and some of
Afghanistan)
Persians are primarily Shia Muslim
◦ Created Zoroastrianism
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Culture
◦ Speak Farsi
◦ Sport of polo, algebra, and our modern road system
originated here
◦ 1001 Arabian Nights
◦ Women in Iran wear the veil
◦ Men and women are generally equal
◦ Known for their rugs and art
Persians
Persian
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Kurds are a non-Arab ethnic group
Kurds primarily live in Turkey, Iran, Syria & Iraq
◦ They want their own homeland—Kurdistan
◦ State-less Nation
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Their religion is primarily Sunni Muslim
Culture
◦ Speak Kurdish
◦ Kurdish folklore is about reverence for elders
(particularly women), hospitality, courage, valor, and the
love of freedom
◦ Women are not required to wear the veil & relative
equality between men & women
◦ Kurds love music, poetry and dancing
◦ Primarily farmers & herders
Kurds
Kurds
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Berbers are a non-Arab ethnic group
Berbers primarily live in Morocco, Algeria,
Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt
Their religion is primarily Sunni Muslim
Culture
◦ Men & women unequal in gender roles
◦ Disappearing because they are assimilating with
Arabs
◦ Primarily spoken language w/many dialects
◦ Live in clay huts or goat hair tents in rural areas
◦ Primarily herders
◦ Couscous
Berbers
Berbers
Jews are a religious group living mostly in
Israel.
 Jews claim Palestine as their rightful
homeland, but were driven out during the
Jewish Diaspora (around 600BC)
 Early 20th century, Zionism (or desire for
a Jewish homeland) started.
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◦ This was influenced by the Holocaust
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In 1948, Jews were given Israel by the
UN, forcing Palestinians (Muslim Arabs)
who lived there to move to other areas.
Jews
Jews occupy part of Jerusalem (southeast
corner), Israel, and part of the Golan
Heights.
 Palestinians occupy the Gaza Strip and
the West Bank as well as part of
Jerusalem (northeast corner)
 The Palestinians were forced off their land
when Israel was created and there’s still
lingering tension between the groups.
 They both claim that this area is their
rightful homeland.
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Who owns what where?
Wailing Wall
Holy Place Pics
Dome of the Rock