Meaning of culture

Meaning of culture

Culture is the totality of human experience that consists of the customs, taboos, social behaviours, ideas and practices found in various human societies. Culture identifies and connects people living in a particular society through several aspects such as language, food, clothes, songs, sports, traditions and customs. Culture is shared by members of a given society in a family, community or nation. It is learnt and passed from older generations to younger ones.

Tanzanian culture is the total way of how Tanzanians live. It is based on their customs, taboos, traditions, ideologies, sports and forms of social, economic and political relations. Tanzania has over 120 ethnic groups. Each ethnic group has its own culture that is specific to its social, economic and environmental setting. In spite of these differences, there are also cultural ideas and practices that connect all Tanzanians, regardless of their ethnic groups. These practices include the use of the Kiswahili language, which is the official medium of communication in the nation, respect for elders in the society and good manners.

The importance of culture to Tanzanians

Culture is important to Tanzanians because:

1. It promotes national unity;
2. It gives Tanzanians a social identity;
3. It promotes good and friendly relations among people in the society;
4. It is a bond that ties and connects people together;
5. It helps the society to value good cultural practices and preserve the natural resources of the nation;
6. It is the foundation of good ethics that the nation and society inculcates into children, the youth and adults; and
7. It helps Tanzanians to develop a sense of belonging, patriotism and unity as a people.

Elements of Tanzanian culture

There are many elements of Tanzanian culture. These elements include language, customs, traditions and taboos, sports, creative arts, clothes, education, religion and behaviours. Some of these elements are described below.

1. Language
2. Traditions and taboos
3. Customs
4. Sports

Language

Language is a system of communication used by people of a given community, society or nation. In other words, it is a means of human communication, which uses sounds, signs and words to convey messages. Language is an important element of culture. In Tanzanian culture, the dominant language is Kiswahili. Kiswahili is one of the official languages of Tanzania. Kiswahili reflects Tanzanian culture in many ways. First, it is used as a cultural tool of social identity for many Tanzanians. Second, it is a medium of transmitting knowledge and information of local, national and global importance. Third, it is used to transmit customs, taboos, values and ethics across generations. Fourth, it is a carrier of national cultural heritage.

Traditions and taboos

A tradition is a belief or custom or way of doing something that has existed for a long time. While a taboo is a practice that is prohibited or restricted by social or religious customs. A person in a community who breaks taboos is punished by the community's leaders in accordance with the existing social rules. Cultural processes such as marriage, religious ceremonies, inheritance, libation and burials are usually conducted on the basis of some beliefs and environmental conditions. One of the oldest traditions practised by some societies in Tanzania is the initiation of girls and boys into adulthood. Each ethnic community has its traditions and taboos on how to initiate girls or boys that have been inherited from a previous generation. Girls and boys were taught how to keep houses, children and families. Ethics and values were also taught in order to make them better community members. They were also given knowledge, skills and competencies so that they could become productive and useful persons in the family and the community more generally. In addition, they were taught things which they were not allowed to do. Some old taboos are now being discredited such as the prohibition of pregnant women to eat eggs, milk and the liver.

Customs

These are socially accepted ways of behaving or doing things in a community. They are also important elements of culture, which are sensitive to changing circumstances. They can change, depending on the time, place and changing social, economic and political developments in a community. Every community has its own customs that make up its cultural identity in matters such as medicine, dressing, food and greetings.

Sports

Sports are activities that people do for leisure, entertainment or recreation. There are many types of sports. Some are indigenous to Africa and were practised even before the arrival of the people from the Middle East, the Far East and Europe on the continent. They included running, swimming, jumping, wrestling, spear throwing and bao playing. Other sports were imported into Tanzania from outside the country, especially from Europe and Asia. They include boxing, kabaddi, karate, judo, volleyball, football, netball, basketball and table tennis. Sports and the ways in which they are played are important elements of culture in a particular society because they are the society's identity and tool for unity.

Sculptural forms