Etiquette in Africa
As expectations regarding good manners differ from person to person and vary according to each situation, no treatise on the rules of
Generalizations
Etiquette across Africa is not uniform. Even within the small countries in Africa, etiquette may not be uniform: within a single country there may be differences in customs, especially where there are many ethnicities, as in Eritrea where there are nine ethnic groups. Africa represents an enormous expanse of geography with an incalculable amount of cultures and customs.
Religion
A number of countries in Africa have many traditions based in
Southern Africa
In Southern Africa, it is considered polite to receive a gift with the right hand. In interactions between social classes (e.g. between a young person and an older man) the younger person should not meet the eye of the older (this politeness is perceived as evasiveness by western cultures). It is considered impolite to disappoint an outsider, so queries such as "how far is it," can be met with positive sounding answers like "it is really close" when the destination is very far away. It is polite to pretend agreement with another's point of view, even if there is no agreement. Holding out both hands cupped together is the proper way to respectfully request or beg for a gift.
See also
- Africa
- Culture of Africa
- Etiquette in Asia
- Etiquette in Australia and New Zealand
- Etiquette in Canada and the United States
- Etiquette in Europe
- Etiquette in Latin America
- Etiquette in the Middle East
- Worldwide etiquette