GUINEA CULTURE

GUINEA IS A WORD THAT IS A WORD THAT IS  UNCLEAR.  EUROPEAN SHOPPERS IN THE17TH CENTURY REFERRED TO THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA WITH THE WORD.  THE COASTAL SUSAL GROUP USES GUINEA FOR "WOMEN".

IN 1890 THE FRENCH CLAIMED THE COAST GUINEAAND NAMED IT FRENCH GUINEA.  BRITISH OWNED A COLONY IN THE NORTH.  THE COUNTRY HAS 94,000 SQUARE MILES.  THEY HAVE A MOUNTAINOUS REGION ALLOWING FOR THE CULTIVATION OF POTATOES.  MANY FOLKS HAVE  FRESHWATER FISHRIVERS.  MOST FOLKS ARE FROM THE MANIKA.  OTHER IMPORTANT TOWNS AIDED THE BAUXITE MINING TOWN.

IN THE INTERIOR THE CULTIVATIONOF POTATOES IS COMMON.  SMALLER ETHNIC GROUPS ARE IN THE THE MPOUNTAINS. AND NARROW VALLEYS  TIMBO WAS THE CAPITOL IN PRECOLUMBIA PRECOLONIAL ERA.

IN THE SOUTH IS THE FOREST REGION.  WHERE DENSE FORESTS OCCUR.  TROPICAL HARDWOODS HAVE INCREASED THE RATE OF DEFORESTATION. THEY HAVE FOUND GOLD, DIAMONDS AND IRON ORE HERE.  SINCE THE EARLY 1996'S THERE IS A RISE IN POPULATION AS REFUGEES FROM WARS  HAVE FLOODED OVER HERE.

THEIR POPULATION IS 7.5 MILLION ACCORDING TO 2000.THERE ARE 50,000 REFUGES.  HALF OF THE POPULATION UNDER THE AGE OF 15.  MANY EUROPEANS AMERICANS LIVE IN CONAKRY WHO WORK EMBASSES AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS.  THERE ARE 8 DESIGNATED OFFICIAL NATIONAL LANGUAGES.  FRENCH IS SPOKEN IN SCHOOLS AND GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS CIRCLES.

THEY HAVE A COMPLEX HISTORY IN GEOGRAPHIC ZONES.  ISLAMIC MIGRANTS ARRIVED DISPLACING THE SUSAL AT A TOWN.  OVER 200 YEARS THE SUSA AT A TOWN.  OVER 200  YEARS THE SUSA GAINED CONTROL OF THE CASH AND BUILD STATES BASED ON CANS.  THEY SUPPORTED THEMSELVES WITH FISHING AND TRADING EUROPEANS.  THEY TRADED BEESWAX.  THEIR REGION WAS NOT A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE.

THE WEST AFRICAN SAVANNA OF GUINEA WAS USED FOR AGRICULTURE  AND WAS A MAGNET FOR MUSLIM SCHOLARS.  SOME OF THESE FOLKS OWNED SLAVES WHO SUPPORTED THEIR AGRICULTURE AND COMMON ACTIVITIES.  THE SLAVES  HAD THIR OWN VILLAGE.

BY 18TH CENTURY WARFARE INTENSIFIED.  THE FRENCH EAST AND CLASHED  WITH THE SAMOIS.  THEY DROVE THEM OUT OF NEW GUINEA.  THE FRENCH MADE ALLIANCES WITH ELITES.  FRENCH GUINEA WAS AN AREA THEY CLAIMED IN 1896. 

BY 1950 THE GUINEA FOLKS CLAIMED INDEPENDENCE IN 1950'S.  ONE SAKOU TOURE, WHO LED THE NATION TO INDEPENDENCE DECLARED WE PREFER POVERTY AND FREEDOM TO RICHES IN IN CHAINS.

MR. TOURE ORDERED FRENCH TO LEAVE.  MR. TOURE ORDERED THE FRENCH TO LEAVE IN 1958 AS FRANCE'S IST PRESIDENT.  GUINEA WAS THROWN INTO INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION.

TOURE TURNED TO RUSSIA AND LATTER CHINA FOR HELP.  THE POLITICAL CHAOS HAD MANY FOLKS LEAVE THE COUNTRY.  OLDER FORMS OF AFRICAN VILLAGES ARE STILL IN KHAN KAN  WHER SMALL HUTS WITH THATCHED ROOFS ARE BUILT.  MEMBERS OF THE SAME HOUSEHOLD SLEEP IN SEPARATE DWELLINGS.  THEY HAVE A COMUNAL SPACE WHERE COOKING AND SOCIAL INTERACTION TAKE PLACE.  SOME MARRIAGES ARE POLYGAMOUS IN GUINEA.

THERE ARE MANY TABOOS AND CUSTOMS THAT AFFECT THEM.  IT IS IMPOLITE TO EAT WHILE WALKING.IN LARGE FAMILIES MEN EAT FROM ONE BOWL, WOMEN FROM ANOTHER!  MANY PEOPLE SUFFER FROM MALNUTRITION AND SOME FOLKS EAT ONLY ONCE PER DAY.  THEIR MAIN MEAL IS EATEN ONCE PER DAY.A SAUCE OVER RICE OR MILLET WITH FISH  MEAT OR CHICKEN.  THEY EAT LITTLE PORK.

MEALS ARE SERVED A WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS.  ALCOHOL IS NOT SERVED AT FAMILY EVENTS.  GUINEA IS ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTRIESIN THE WORLD.  THEY ARE MOSTLY RURAL AND HAVE FEW DOCTORS AND MUCH RAIN.  AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND HIGH INFANT MORTALLITY.  80% OF FOLKS ARE IN AGRICULTURE.

MANY HAVE SMALL OCCUPATIONS.

THEY HAVE BAUXITE MINES AND IRON ORE AND GOLD AND DIAMONDS THEY HAVE INTERMEDIARIES SELL THEIR DIAMONDS, BEER, CIGARETTES AND SOFT DRINKS ARE MANUFACTURED HERE.  BAUXITER IS THE MAIN EXPORT.

THEY STILL HAVE DOMESTIC SLAVERY.  MOST PEOPLE MARRY THEIR OWN SOCIAL CLASS.  MAQNY PEOPLE HAVE NO ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY, WATER OR SANITATION SERVICES.  SOME VILLAGES POOL THEIR RESOURCES TO BUILD SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.  THEFT IS A PROBLEM.  THEIR GOVERNMENT IS HIGHLY MILITARIED.  TROOPS SERVE IN THE UNITED NATIONS. 

AID ORGANIZATION  AND DONOR AGENCIES PLAY A LARGE ROLE .  MANY ETHNIC GROUPS PRACTICE INITIATION RITES  THAT RITUALIZE THE PASSAGE OF INTO ADULT HOOD.  WOMEN ARE LESS EDUCATED  AND LESS FINANCIALY SECURE IN ADULTHOOD.  BOYS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE EDUCATED  AND HAVE MORE EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS .

THE WIFE MAY BE AN INFANT WHEN THE PARENTS DECIDE WHO SHE  WILL MARRY.  THE GROOM MAY BE LIVING AND WORKING APART FROM HIS WIFE  WHEN SHE HAS A WEDDING CEREMONY.  THE CHILDREN ARE BREAST FED AND THE MOM IS A CARETAKER AS WELL ASAUNTS AND GRADMOTHERS.  THE MOM TIE'S HER BAQBY ON HER BAQCK WITH A WRAPPER AND CARRIES THE CHILD AS SHE GOES ON WITH HER LIFE.  CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT UP CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT UP BY THEIR ELDERS AND THEIR PARENTS AND FRIENDS.  CHILDREN DON'T CONFRONT THEIR PARENTS.

85% ARE MUSLIMS AND ONLY 8% ARE PEOPLE.  MANY PRACTICE TRADITIONAL BELIEFS.  THEY HAVE A THRIVING MUSIC INDUSTRY.

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