Geography concepts and applications

Geography

The African influence on Middle and South America is very apparent. Brought to the area forcefully as slaves by Europeans, the African immigrants brought many skills from their home continent. The Africans quickly became "masons, carpenters, smithies, lithographers, sculptors, artists, locksmiths, cabinetmakers, jewelers, and cobblers." (Bradford) The skills of tending to herd animals in Africa lent the Africans to be quite talented as horse-riding cowboys, and have been particularly noted as influential in the Brazilian hinterlands. It is speculated that it was in fact the African workers who were sent to the gold mines in Brazil that introduced the modern pans used to this day in the process of gold-washing in the area. Africans introduced their own native traditions of religious worship including folkplays, dancing, and music into the society, and particularly into the church that was developing. African influence on the Catholic church is still very visible in Cuba, haiti, and Brazil. Africans also influenced the dietary habits of the region, introducing foods such as yams, okra, cola nuts, and palm oil. Kitchen utensils such as the wooden spoon and mortar and pestle were also introduced to Middle and South America by the Africans. Many new percussion interments were introduced to the area, as well as dances such as those that would evolve into today's samba, frevo, and merengue. African language was also introduced to the area, mixing with the Spanish that was also being introduced and altering the pronunciation of many words.