Ethnomathematics Digital Library (EDL)

Browse Results

Geographical Area: Angola

Sort by:
	Title Date current to earliest Date earliest to current

Click on the URL to view the document and on the title to view the complete index entry.

Page 1 of 1

8 Records

A Prática de Ensino de Matemática desenvolvida por um etnomatemático: novos caminhos novos rumos
by Pedro Scandiuzzi
[http://www.ethnomath.org/resources/brazil/pratica.pdf]
This article describes activities which were developed in a university-level undergraduate course in teaching. The course was offered to future mathematics teachers who, as a social group, collectively questioned their role as trainers, educators, and teachers, and reflected on the difference between these roles. The professors and students jointly constructed a means of teaching and learning through speaking, writing, discussion, and continuous reflection. It was necessary to understand the role differences among trainers, educators, and teachers; aspects of Brazilian culture; the reality for pre-adolescents and youth; and the need for interdisciplinary work across language, culture, and history. Other terms: theory, practice, classroom, indigenous population, poetry, number systems, Movimento dos Sem Terra, Ceramistas do Vale do Jequitinhonha, Parametros Curriculares Nacionais.
Subject: Cultural Context,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Triangles,
Instructional Issues>Student Projects,
Instructional Issues>Teaching Methods,
Instructional Issues>Writing (Instructional Issues)
Geographical area: Angola, Brazil
Cultural group: Brazilian, Portuguese

Ethnomathematics snap shots
by John Kellermeier (2002)
[http://www.tacoma.ctc.edu/home/jkellerm/Ethnomath/index.htm]
This website has 12 short descriptions of the influence of mathematics on culturally relevant activities and products from around the world. These include women as the originators of mathematics, using such evidence as the lunar calendar, the Ishango Bone from Africa, and the Isturitz Baton from France; the Mesoamerican vigesimal (base twenty) number system; the Incan quipu as a counting tool; African counting words based on the human body; Mozambican methods of laying rectangles; global 3-in-a-row games; Native American petroglyphs; Amish quilts; symmetric strip decorations of the Inca and Maori; Inuit drawings; and Angolan sand drawings (sona). Geometrical themes include iteration, recursion, similtude, tiling, symmetry, repetition, reflection, and rotation. Other terms: menstruation, Paleolithic, pipe lagging, knitting, sock heel, angle, knot, cord. (Includes 22 references)
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Knitting,
Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Quilting,
Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Sona,
Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Social Sciences>Games and Toys,
Cultural Context>Cultural Diversity>Women's Role in Mathematics,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Patterns>Geometric Patterns,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Patterns>Symmetry,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Patterns>Tilings and Tessellations,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Transformations>Reflection (Transformations),
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Transformations>Rotation (Transformations),
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Transformations>Translation (Transformations),
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Polygons,
Mathematical Tools and Devices>Khipu (Quipu),
Numbers and Computation>Arithmetic>Body parts used for counting,
Numbers and Computation>Number Concepts>Natural Numbers>Counting,
Numbers and Computation>Number Concepts>Natural Numbers>Number Systems (Natural),
Numbers and Computation>Number Concepts
Geographical area: Africa, Alaska (United States), Angola, Central America, Mozambique, New Zealand, South America, United States of America
Cultural group: African, Amish, Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa), Inca (Native American - South America), Inuit (Native American - North America), Maori, Mayan (Native American - Mexico and Central America), Mozambican, Native American (United States)

Geometry of the African Sona
by Gerdes Paulus (1990)
[http://www.ethnomath.org/resources/ISGEm/047.htm]
In this introduction excerpted from his book, Gerdes describes the sona, or sand drawing system, of the Tchokwe people of northeast Angola. The chapter-by-chapter introduction explains the origins and properties of the mathematics of sona. Examples of how to incorporate the sona into the classroom include arithmetical relationships, progressions, symmetry, and Euler graphs. Other terms: references, symbols, geometric algorithms, textile design, monolinear motif.
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Sona,
Cultural Context>Cultural Perspectives on Mathematics,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry,
Numbers and Computation>Number Concepts>Natural Numbers>Symbols (Natural numbers)
Geographical area: Africa, Angola
Cultural group: Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa)

Mirror curves and permutations
by Mark Schlatter
[http://personal.centenary.edu/~mschlat/sonaarticle.pdf]
This paper examines sona designs and makes generalizations about similar sets of designs by describing the underlying mathematics. The patterns of numbers of dots and arrangements of lines in lion's stomach designs and plaited mat designs are generalized for designs of arbitrary sizes. The chased chicken design is also illustrated although not fully generalized. (Includes 1 reference)
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Sona,
Cultural Context
Geographical area: Angola, Congo, Zambia
Cultural group: Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa)

On mathematical elements in the Tchokwe "Sona" tradition
by Paulus Gerdes (1990)
[http://enc.org/topics/equity/articles/document.shtm?input=ACQ-111361-1361]
This article describes the mathematical properties of the sona drawings of the Tchokwe people of the Lunda region of Africa. The sona drawings are based on grids of points through which intricate line drawings are interlaced. While the designs are used to represent parts of the oral cultural tradition, the sizes of the grids and the way they are combined can represent concepts in number theory. Tchokwe sona can be used in mathematical education to study arithmetical relationships, progressions, symmetry and similarity to so-called Euler graphs. The study of the mathematical properties of these curves constitutes a new and attractive research field. The article also provides suggestions for mathematical research and use in the classroom. Other terms: Quiocos, lusona, bilateral symmetry, double bilateral symmetry, rotational symmetry, monolinearity, geometric algorithm, construction, orthogonal net of equidistant points. (Includes 18 references)
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Sona,
Cultural Context>Influence of Culture on Teaching Mathematics>Multicultural Approaches to Teaching,
Cultural Context>Cultural Awareness
Geographical area: Angola
Cultural group: Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa)

Recent ethnomathematical research in Mozambique
by Paulus Gerdes (1991)
[http://www.ethnomath.org/resources/ISGEm/054.htm]
This article summarizes a project in Mozambique that attempts to uncover the hidden mathematics in the daily life of the Mozambican people. The researchers use anthropological methods, developed in prior projects, to uncover and reconstruct the hidden mathematics used in the geometrical forms of objects such as baskets, mats, and pots. Other terms: Pythagorean theorem, monolinear patterns, Egyptian tombs, houses, fishtraps, symmetry, cultural values, ideograms, sona, sand drawing, pictogram, monolinear, mnemonic. (Includes 7 references)
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Sona,
Cultural Context>Cultural Perspectives on Mathematics,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Patterns (Plane Geometry)
Geographical area: Angola, India, Mozambique, Zambia
Cultural group: Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa), Luchazi (Zambia), Makonde (Mozambique), Mozambican, Tamil (South India)

Study of the African sona geometry as an example of ethnomathematical research
by Paulus Gerdes (1998)
[http://www.uni-muenster.de/EthnologieHeute/eh2/gerdes.htm]
This paper describes the ethnomathematics of the sona sand drawings carried out by the Chokwe people of Northeastern Angola. Following a brief history of the ethnomathematics field of research, it explains how knowledge about the creation of these symmetrical, monolinear drawings based on geometric algorithms was passed through generations of men. Experts used sona drawings as illustrations to proverbs, fables, games, and riddles. Copying and studying them has been difficult because of the tradition of wiping out the drawings as soon as the storytelling was finished. Illustrations of sona drawings shows their similarity to other culturally based designs. Other terms: cultural anthropology, Eurocentrism, subcultures, recreation, animals. (Includes 29 references)
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design>Sona,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Patterns>Geometric Patterns,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Patterns>Symmetry
Geographical area: Africa, Angola
Cultural group: African, Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa)

Widespread decorative motif and the Pythagorean Theorem
by Paulus Gerdes (1988)
[http://enc.org/topics/equity/articles/document.shtm?input=ACQ-111573-1573]
This article explores the potential for improving the quality of mathematics education by using a widespread decorative motif relevant to students' cultural environment. Students can manipulate this star pattern (or toothed square) motif, found in designs for baskets, mats, textiles, tiled pavements, and game boards among cultural groups worldwide, to discover the Pythagorean Theorem. Other keywords: area, proof, Pappos' theorem, parallelogram, Loomis, proposition, multiculturalization. (Includes 26 references)
Subject: Applied Mathematics>Mathematics for Humanities>Decorative Arts and Design,
Cultural Context>Influence of Culture on Teaching Mathematics>Multicultural Approaches to Teaching,
Geometry and Topology>Plane Geometry>Triangles>Pythagorean Theorem
Geographical area: Algeria, Angola, British Columbia (Canada), California (United States), Lesotho, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Norway, Scandinavia
Cultural group: Algerian, Chokwe (Tchokwe) (Africa), Lesothan, Liberian, Mexican, Mozambican, Nigerian, Norwegian, Pomo Indians (Native Americans - California, United States), Salish (Native American - British Columbia, Canada), Scandanavian

The Ethnomathematics Digital Library is a component of the National Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Digital Library (NSDL), funded by the National Science Foundation.