Wild kingdom

African Tribes.

There are thousands of tribes across Africa. I have decided to firstly look at the most popular.

The Maasai Tribe.

The Maasai Tribe is thought to be one of the most famous tribes in Africa. Based in the East of Africa it is seen as the most famous due to its international symbol of African tribal life, There are approximately 16 sections within the tribe and they live in Kraals which are made of acacia thorns. The Maasai live under a communal land management system.

All information and images found on http://www.maasai-association.org/maasai.html

I particularly like this tribes dress and colouring with accessories. Their beaded necklaces are incredible and I think the colours are striking against their skin tone.

The Zulu Tribe.

The Zulu tribe is based in South Africa and was started by a young man born in 1787 named Shaka. He was born to the chief of the Zulus when there was only a small group of around 1,500. Shaka revolutionsed military tactics and organisation. With this the tribe grew into a force over the next 12 years. They have leaders within their tribe such as a King, Chief, Headman and homestead heads.

The Zulus only wear dress at cultural ceremonies or in rural areas. Men wear aprons to cover their private parts- length varies depending on age and a head band if they are married. Cow tail bands are worn on the upper arm and below the knee. The women wear grass skirts but length depends on their marital status. If your single you would wear a short grass skirt only. If you're engaged you wear a longer skirt with your breasts covered and you would grow your hair longer. If you are married you would be completely covered up and including a grass hat called an isicholo that would be sewn into your hair.

The Zulus also use beadwork and their beadwork is used to convey messages.

• white - purity of love

• pink - poverty

• yellow - wealth

• blue - dove

• black beads in quantity - widowhood

A Zulu Warrior

A Zulu Chief

The Pygmy Tribe.

The word Pygmy is sometimes seen as a derogative as it is a name given to groups of people whos adult men reach no taller than 150cm. This is a name given to them by anthropologists ( people who study origin, evolution and the culture study of human socialisation and cultural relations) However, the name has not been replaced as the tribes want their name to remain as they feel it gives them their identity. Also, there has been no word found to replace it.

They Pygmy tribes are found in Western and Central Africa.

I found what is written by the Pilgrim Relief Society at the end of this video to be extremely shocking. That this war that still rages in the Congo is killing more people than the Second World War is unbelievable. I have read of the fighting, their loss of land due to logging, rape and even subject to cannabilism from the heavily armed fighters. I think it's incredible that they still dance on.

"In living memory, we have seen cruelty, massacres, genocide, but we have never seen human beings hunted and eaten literally as though they were game animals, as has recently happened,"

Sinafasi Makelo, Mbuti spokesman.

" Since we were expelled from our lands, death is following us. We bury people nearly every day. The village is becoming empty. We are heading towards extinction. Now all the old people have died. Our culture is dying too."Mutwa man from Kalehe, DR