ABSTRACT
This chapter explores three aspects of our culture: our native languages and literature; the relationship between our culture and our identity as a people in the context of education; and our African Traditional Religions (ATR). It argues that the individual is an offspring of his/her social network. That is why in group analysis a person’s social nature is viewed as a basic factor of who he or she is, and that how individuals emerge is the result of the type of interactions that they experienced in their community of origin. The basis of ATR are thus, religious tolerance, pluralism and, unlike Islam and Christianity, they are local and are adhered to by specific kinship-based societies. ATR are highly syncretic and tolerant of a wide range of other religions beliefs. The Mandinka rulers of the Mali Empire also show this characteristic of the ATR when after they adopted Islam.
