South Africa resides on the southernmost tip of the African continent. It shares its border with Bostwana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, and Lesotho. It is the home of a diverse range of African tribes and people with different languages and customs. After the 17th century, there was a sizeable European population consisting of German, French, and English settlers.
Due to its diverse nature, it is hard to describe cultural concepts in South Africa. However, you will see considerably different values and behaviours among different cultural groups.
The People of South Africa
South Africa is famous as a rainbow Nation, as it is home to people of different ethnic groups and has a diverse population. There are four major ethnic groups in the black population of South Africa: Nguni, Sotho, Venda, and Shangaan-Tsonga. Apart from these four major groups, there are multiple sub-groups within them. The largest sub-groups of Nguni are Zulu and Xhosa.
On the other hand, their white population is referred to as being of Afrikaans descent. Afrikaans made up sixty percent of their population, while the remaining forty percent included people of British or European descent. Besides, their population also includes indigenous Khoisan genes combined with African slaves.
You will also find immigrants from India, Indo-Malaysia, China, and others. Due to this vast diversity, it is difficult to generalise about South African etiquette and culture.
Languages of South Africa
South Africa has eleven official languages, including English. English is considered the administrative language and is spoken throughout the country. While its other languages are Ndebele, Sepedi, Xhosa, Venda, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Zulu, Swazi, or SiSwati, and Tsonga, The media is designed to work in a way to include as many of these languages as possible. Besides, other languages from different regions of the world are also spoken here. Those include Chinese, French, Greek, Italian, and Portuguese.
Religion of South Africa
Most of the South African population follows Christianity. Besides, you will also find a minor population of Muslims, Hindu, and followers of other indigenous beliefs. Most of their population is a practitioner, and therefore, their religion plays an important role in their public affairs.
Cuisines in South Africa
With a home of different ethnicities, you will see a lot of diversity in their food and drink culture. Although many recipes have been changed over the years, particular specialties of communities have been preserved. Consequently, their cuisines are rich, varied, and have a fine balance between competing influences. Their most common dishes include mieliepap, a staple in many South African households. Besides, they also have a Bobotie and a Waterblommetjiebredie.
One of the favourite drinks of South Africans is Rooibos tea, which is an herbal tea known as res bush. It offers various health benefits and is also a firm favourite among internationals.
Family System in South Africa
The family is considered the basic unit of South African society. It consists of both the nuclear family and the extended family. For a traditional South African, the tribe is the largest community, which is often regarded as equal to the nation. Just like a nuclear family, a tribe also provides both emotional and financial support.
For traditional Afrikaans, their extended family is as important as their nuclear family. However, after the economic reorganisations in the country, the definition of tribal and nuclear family units has changed greatly. People living in urban areas try to connect with their rural families as well as provide them with financial support.
Rural and Urban Lives in South Africa
When it comes to rural and urban lives, there is a vast difference between the two. Most Afrikaans living in rural areas are farmers. Urban life is very fast and often affects the outlook of its inhabitants. People living in Johannesburg are often considered quite materialistic, as they are more interested in what they own. whereas people living in Cape Town find pride in their city and show a superior attitude.
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