Corina

South Africa is home to over 56 million people. This makes them the 24th-most populous nation in the world. Over 80% of the South Africans are of Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The other percentage is of European, Asian, and multiracial ancestry. South Africa is a multi-ethnic society that encompasses a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. South Africa has 11 official languages, 2 of which are from European descent. Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of white and coloured South Africans. English is a 4th ranked language and is only spoken in public and commercial life. South Africa is one of the few in Africa to not have regular elections. In South Africa, the recorded majority of its population belonged to the Protestant church, approximately 80%. 15% are recorded to have no religion, 7% are Catholic, 2% are Muslim, 1% is Hindu, and 2% are labeled as other. South Africa allows its population to be open with their religion and allow them to practice whatever religion they like. Art used in South Africa includes some of the oldest art objects in the world. These objects were discovered in a cave in South Africa dated back to 75,000 years ago. South African Literature is also one of the oldest. It has a unique social and political history. South African's use sports such as soccer, rugby, and cricket to pass the time. South African cuisine is very div erse. Many cultural foods are presented to tourists and enjoyed by all. South African cuisine is also very meat-based. For this an activity known as // Braai //, or better know as Barbecue. In precolonial time, cuisine had a wide variety of fruits, nuts, bulbs, leaves, and other products of wild plants and game. Precolonial diets consisted of cooked grains, fermented milk, and roasted or stewed meat. Domestic cattle and crops were introduced by Bantu speakers in 10,000 BC.
 * South Africa **

Beer is a very important beverage in South Africa. Beer is so prized that it is the center of many ceremonies such as betrothals and weddings. During these ceremonious times beer is offered to the other family as a gift. South African beer is unfiltered and  cloudy, leaving it with low levels of alcohol. It is brewed from local grains such as sorghum. They also one of the best vineyards used for producing enough wine for their major wine industry. South Africa has a 3 tier education system starting in primary school. Primary school covers the first seven years of schooling and from there thy move onto high schooling which covers the next five years. Children wishing to seek higher education must complete the Senior Certification exam at the end of their 12th year. When the elderly in South Africa have reached the age of retirement their family then takes responsibility over them till they die. Most families are large so there are plenty of family members to care for the elderly. Although nowadays, it is harder for the elderly to depend on their family as nobody wishes to take on the responsibility of caring for them. The black majority still holds substantial numbers in rural inhabitants who keep the cultural traditions alive. Section 9 of the Constitution forbids discrimination on basis of sexual orientation. There are five major rites of passage in South African culture. First is the Rite of Birth. This involves a naming ceremony for infants. Most believe that infants are souls here to complete a mission. Next would be the Rite of Adulthood. Most rituals are done around puberty(around 12-13). They take young boys and girls away from the worries of everyday lives and show them the ways of adulthood. They tell them the rules and taboos of society, moral instruction and social responsibility, as well as to clarify their mission in life. Rite of Marriage is the third major right of passage. This is not just the joining of two people, but the joining of two missions. The new couple must complete these missions to the best of their abilities together. They focus mostly on the building of families rather than looks and lust like Western cultures. The Rite of Elder-ship is next. The elderly are given the highest status in African cultures because they have "lived a life of purpose." The last rite is the Rite of Ancestor-ship. This is the passing over into the spiritual world. No African society believes that when a person dies it severs all ties to the living. Instead they agree that spirits continue living in the community. media type="youtube" key="lQ_FYRlli2s" width="560" height="315"This video talks about how Xhosa boys become men through a circumcision ritual. media type="youtube" key="RQtRKqnuqvc" width="560" height="315"This video shows the traditional wedding dance for Zulu women. **Work Cited** @https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa/Languages  [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [|https://www.pinterest.com/pin/378020962448656737] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []