Africa boasts of 3000 tribes. Millions of Africans still live in tribes, each with their own unique culture and society. African tribes often have their own religion, and one or two others, which are generally either Christianity or Islam. Some of these tribes are prosperous and some are in danger of extinction. Here, discover the 10 most amazing African tribes.

Zulu Tribe

The Zulu are one of the most famous African tribes in the world, partly because of a man named Shaka Zulu. Shaka Zulu was the most famous king the Zulus ever had. He was an exceptional military commander and even managed to win against enemies wielding guns, when he only used spears, and shields. The Zulu are a Bantu ethnic group of Southern Africa and the largest ethnic group in South Africa. In total the Zulu have 12, 159,000 members. The two main religions of the tribe are Christianity, and Zulu mythology. In the 19th century the Zulus went to war with the British, and although they lost in the end they put up an amazing fight against such a powerful enemy, and scored an impressive victory at the battle of Isandlwana.

Yoruba Tribe

The Yoruba tribe is one of the largest African tribes, with a population of over 40 million people. Most of the tribe is situated in Nigeria, 40 million Yoruba people live there. The remaining 3 million Yoruba people are spread throughout Benin, Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Europe, and North America. The Yoruba speak their own language known as the Yoruba language, which is a tonal language. The main religions of the Yoruba people are Christianity, Islam, and Yoruba mythology. Yoruba mythology has one supreme god which has three godly manifestations. The three manifestations are Eledumare, the creator; Olorun, ruler of the heavens; and Olofi, who is the conduit between heaven and Earth.

Xhosa Tribe

The Xhosa are the second largest cultural group in South Africa. They are a Bantu ethnic group of Southern Africa mainly living in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The tribe is named after a legendary king called uXhosa. There are 8 million Xhosa people. The Xhosa people and white settlers first encountered each other around Somerset East in the early 18th century. Traditional Xhosa culture includes diviners who are mostly women. It takes 5 years of training for someone to become a diviner. They also have herbalists, healers and prophets. The Xhosa have many historical heroes whose stories are passed on orally.

Kalenjin People

The Kalenjin people are a Nilotic ethnic group in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. They have a population of around 5 million people. The two most common religions are Christianity, and African Traditional Religion. The Kalenjin were nameless until the 20th century when they banded together and assumed the name Kalenjin. Before then they were simply referred to as “Nandi speaking tribes”. The Middle Nile Basin, South of the Abbai River is believed to be the ancient homeland of the Kalenjin. Kelenjin mythology has two main supernatural deities, Asis and Llat. Asis lives in the Sky, he’s omnipotent and the gurantor of right. Llat lives in deep pools, and waterfalls.

The Hadza People

The Hadza are an indigenous ethnic group in Tanzania. They live around Lake Eyasi in the Central Rift Valley and in the neighbouring Serengeti plateau. The Hadza are a very small tribe numbering only 1,000. Around 400 of then live as hunter gatherers, which is how their ancestors have live for tens of thousands of years. In the modern world hunter-gatherers are a rarity, and the Hadza people are one of the few hunter-gatherers left in the world. The Hadza have lived in their current territory for thousands of years, and their way of live has barely changed since then. Many external groups have attempted to introduce Christianity, and farming to the Hadza but these attempts have all failed.

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