Things you should know before you come bearing gifts
An Introduction to Gift-Giving Etiquette in Africa
Gift giving etiquette around the world is just as diverse as the hundreds of different cultures that they hail from, with each country boasting its own unique gift-giving practices. In African society, where much of the traditions and customs remain uninfluenced by the west, gift giving is deeply rooted in the culture and represents important social themes such as respect and gratitude. Even more, it serves as a meaningful celebration of Africa's colorful history and resilient spirit.
In the west African nation of Mali, gift giving culture is so strong that it has been coined its own term— dama, meaning the gift economy. Dama is driven by the famous African philosophy of Ubuntu which originates from the Nguni and Bantu languages of Southern Africa. Ubuntu is based on principles of collectivity and the unwavering belief that 'I am because of who we all are'. Dama serves to preserve interpersonal relations and connect the dots between neighbors, friends, and family, helping to create a society in which social networks are unshakable.
In North America and the United States in particular, the most common recipients of gifts are usually close friends and family, however, in Africa, gift giving is not necessarily limited to family members, especially during festive occasions. In Africa, the focus of popular Western gift-giving occasions like birthdays, Christmas, and Easter is on the religious aspects and celebration, rather than exchanging gifts. During religious holidays like Christmas and Ramadan, however, Africans do make a point of buying gifts for their staff or even for people in their social and professional networks. A well-thought gift is typically one that provides a valuable resource to the recipient. For example, food staples like fruits, oil, and grains, household supplies, or cash— again, the emphasis is on caring and showing appreciation for your community.
Trivial mementos, and impractical gadgets don’t make the cut. If Africans do choose to give family members a gift during the holidays, gifts that the whole family can enjoy together— food items, wine, sweets, cakes, food hampers— are preferred. There is however, one occasion when Africans are expected to give their family members a gift. This is when returning from travel out of town. Whether returning from a neighboring city just a 4-hour drive away or from the other side of the Atlantic ocean, it is customary to bring back a gift for close friends and family. When returning from domestic travel, like a road trip away from the urban cities which have more of an agrarian economy, gifts of fresh vegetables and fruits from the region that was visited are more commonplace.
On international travel, however, gifts include goods that may be more expensive to purchase back home like a nice perfume, or a high-end imported liquor. Similarly, travel presents an opportunity to purchase unique items from e-commerce brands that can’t be ordered or shipped back home without the high shipping fees and taxes. One workaround may be order from some of these brands and have the items delivered to a local address for pickup.
As imported goods become more and more widely available in Africa, the tradition of bringing a gift back after travel has evolved in some African cultures. In Tanzanian, saying “bring me a gift” is merely a figure of speech and practically synonymous with “have a nice trip”.
In Africa, gift-giving is not just a capitalist obligation, it is seen as a genuine expression of gratitude, respect, and care. As a result, the actual gift exchange itself can be emotional and lengthy. It is not uncommon for gift recipients to bow in thanks, overtly praise God, or request a photo with you posing with the gift. If you are on the receiving end, you too will be expected to give thorough and heartfelt thanks. That being said, if the gift is wrapped, it is not customary to open the gift in front of the gift-giver, even at special events such as bridal showers and or baby showers. The recipient's gratitude should be directed towards the gesture and intention rather than the specific gift itself.
Gifts should be opened later, and the recipient should re-thank the gift-giver.
Similar to Asian cultures, in East and West Africa, gifts should be presented with both hands and in some cases with a small bowing or kneeling gesture, especially if the gift is being presented by a younger person to an elder. If receiving a gift from an elder or an employee, it should be accepted with the utmost care. In extremely traditional settings such as in a rural village, gifts should be accepted with a small bow or kneel. In predominantly Muslim cultures such as Somalia, Sudan, and Morocco, gifts should never be presented with the left hand only, as the left hand is considered impure.
Whether you are planning a gift for an African friend or want to incorporate some of these African gift-giving principles with your own family and friends, just remember the fundamentals behind gift giving in Africa— Ubuntu— and you will do just fine.
