The Culture Of South Africa - 1622 Words

South Africa By: Hannah Devine December 5, 2014 Period 4 There are 196 countries in the world and South Africa is the 25th largest. Inhabited by around 53 million people, the country is represented as a whole by all of those people, exhibiting the five elements of culture in their everyday lives. The country is called the rainbow nation because if its diversity of people, religions, and cultures. Culture is all the things that make up a people’s way of life as well as what we inherit from our parents and society. The elements that make up their culture as well as every other country’s includes customs traditions, language, arts literature, religion, and social organization. In South Africa, there are many etiquettes you must follow in order to show the correct and respectful mannerisms of their culture. For meeting someone, there are several greeting styles in South Africa depending upon the ethnic heritage of the person you are meeting. When dealing with people from foreign countries, most South Africans shake hands while keeping eye contact and smiling. Some women do not shake hands and only nod their head, so it is best to wait for a woman to offer her hand. Men might kiss a woman they know well on the cheek instead of a handshake. Greetings are relaxed and include time for social discussion and an exchanging of jokes. For gift giving, it is usually customary for South Africans to give gifts for birthdays and Christmas. They celebrate their 21st and 40thShow MoreRelatedCultural Beliefs And Cultures Of South Africa908 Words   |  4 Pagesvirus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been the leading causes of death among people living in South Africa. Over 1.8 million people have died from AIDS (Iwelunmor Airhihenbuwa, 2012). The cultural practices of South Africa have influenced the wide spread of HIV/AIDS in that country. â€Å"There is a need to take Zambian or African culture seriously in order to look at the salient elements of cultural practices in rites of passage that influence the spread of HIV andRead MoreThe Killings And Destruction Of Cultures Throughout The Us, Australia, And German South Africa1750 Words   |  7 PagesIndia and German Southwest Africa, allows for a better comprehension of genocide as defined by the UN Convention. The four cases raise question as to why we can consider the cases to be genocide, and what similarities and differences each case has. Considering the UN definition , I acknowledge all but the British Indian case to be genocide. There are multiple similarities between the mass killings and destruction of cultures in the US, Australia, and German Southwest Africa, which align with the classificationRead MoreSouth Africa Essay1004 Words   |  5 PagesSouth Africa is a nation with a wonderful and varied culture. This country has been called â€Å"The Rainbow N ation†, a name that reflects the diversity of such amazing place. The different ethnic and cultural groups of the South Africa do, however, appreciate their own beliefs and customs. Many of these traditions, besides African culture, are influenced by European and Western heritage. The complex and diverse population of the country has made a strong impact to the various cultures. There areRead MoreA Vey Brief History fo South Africa803 Words   |  3 Pages People have inhabited South Africa for thousands of years and were members of the oldest surviving people of the land, the Khoisan language groups. With just a few left in South Africa mostly located in the sections of the western region. But mostly today black, South Africans belonged to the Bantu language group, which migrated from central Africa, settling in the Transvaal region around 100 A.D. (South Africa: History, 2012). Also the Nguni people who were ancestors of the Zulu and XhosaRead MoreSouth Afric A N ation Of Diversity933 Words   |  4 PagesSouth Africa is located in Southern Africa, it stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. South Africa is ranked the 25th largest country in the world by land area and 25th most populated nation. South Africa is the only nation-state named after its geographic location. After the establishment of a constitutional nonracial democracy in 1994, there was an agreement signed not to change its name. It is a nation of diversity. South Africa has 49.32-million people and a variety of culturesRead MoreInterpersonal Cross-Cultural Competencies And Capabilities1376 Words   |  6 Pagesinfrastructure systems. A country’s culture can be defined as a programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of a region or nation from another. South Africa has a rich and complex culture and history of its own since its independence from Britain nearly a century ago. This essay will go on to discuss in depth the culture and hist ory, as well as geography and military history and concluding with an understanding of how the people of South Africa live. South Africa’s history starts more thanRead MoreThe Effects of Globalization1678 Words   |  7 Pagesworld with a global mass culture which is commonly referred to as a global village (Egnatz, 2011). South Africa is integrated highly into the world economy. South Africa is the strongest African economy and has attained positions like being a member of G8 .All these are as a result of globalization. Globalization has had an impact on the economy, the government and social nature resulting to some effects. The paper will look at how globalization has affected South Africa under several categoriesRead MoreThe Future of South Africa1708 Words   |  7 PagesThe future of South Africa Predicting the future development of South Africa has become increasingly difficult due to radical changes that have occurred in the last few decades. These changes have left South Africa in a state of social and economical unrest. The largest of these changes was the abolishment of Apartheid. This allowed for black vote, and thus in 1994 a black government. This lead to black empowerment, which was subjugated for hundreds of years. This however created a new series ofRead MoreAnalysis of South Africa Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The country selected is South Africa. It is the country of choice because I want to visit the African Continent someday. I am also part African American and want to learn more about the African culture. Location/Geography South Africa is located on the southern tip of Africa. The country has a coastline along the Atlantic and Indian oceans, which makes the country known for its fishery. There are several African countries that border South Africa. The countries include Lesotho, NamibiaRead MoreEssay on Imperialism1578 Words   |  7 Pagesone culture is invading another culture and most of the time the European colonialists are not thinking about the effects this invasion might have on the natives of that land. Problems caused by imperialism have prevailed to this day. Imperialism caused a breakdown of the previous cultures and lifestyles that the natives had followed. The European imperialism caused many of the now prevalent ethnic rivalries that can be found in northern India, parts of Asia, and parts of Africa. quot;Africa and