- published: 22 Nov 2014
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Ethnic groups in Africa number in the hundreds, each generally having its own language (or dialect of a language) and culture.
Many ethnic groups and nations of Sub-Saharan Africa qualify, although some groups are of a size larger than a tribal society. These mostly originate with the Sahelian kingdoms of the medieval period, such as that of the Igbo of Nigeria, deriving from the Kingdom of Nri (11th century).
The following ethnic groups number 10 million people or more:
The official population count of the various ethnic groups in Africa has, in some instances, been controversial because certain groups believe populations are fixed to give other ethnicities numerical superiority, such as in the case of Nigeria and the Igbo people. The same is true in Senegal as well as The Gambia. The Wolof people, Toucouleur people and Lebou people all trace their descend to Serer people and are therefore not an independent ethnic group particularly the Wolof. Yet the Wolof are seen as the largest ethnic group in Senegal and third largest in The Gambia. Other ethnic groups who have assimilated with the Wolof are counted as Wolof when in fact, they are not. Certain organisations are pushing this generally referred to as Wolofization.
An ethnic group is a group of people who share a common ethnicity. That is, its members identify with each other through a common heritage, consisting of a common culture, including a shared language or dialect. The group's ethos or ideology may also stress common ancestry, religion, or race.
The process that results in the emergence of an ethnicity is called ethnogenesis.
The terms ethnicity and ethnic group are derived from the Greek word ἔθνος ethnos, normally translated as "nation". The terms refer currently to people thought to have common ancestry who share a distinctive culture.
Herodotus is the first who stated the main characteristics of ethnicity in the 5th century BC, with his famous account of what defines Greek identity, where he lists kinship (Greek: ὅμαιμον - homaimon, "of the same blood"), language (Greek: ὁμόγλωσσον - homoglōsson, "speaking the same language"), cults and customs (Greek: ὁμότροπον - homotropon, "of the same habits or life").
The term "ethnic" and related forms from the 14th through the middle of the 19th century were used in English in the meaning of "pagan, heathen", as ethnikos (Greek: ἐθνικός, literally "national") was used as the LXX translation of Hebrew goyim "the nations, non-Hebrews, non-Jews".