Both China and countries in Africa boast rich cultural traditions, with histories dating back to ancient times. These long-standing hubs of civilization have produced countless cultural treasures over the centuries. Now more than ever, cultural output from China and Africa is getting a boost from increased global connectivity. 

In the fifth episode of CGTN's five-episode special coverage, "China and Africa: A Youthful Perspective," we introduce some of the most notable cultural icons from the African continent.

Africa was the birthplace of the human species, between eight million and five million years ago. Today, its culture reflects the diverse populations that inhabit the continent. 

The African people have a rich tradition of arts and crafts, including sculptures, paintings, pottery, and ceremonial and religious headgear. Take a Bakongo voodoo mask for example, the authority of the exceedingly well-crafted item is made with bird feathers, earthen mixture, metal studding and blades used as ornamentation. These ceremonial masks are an essential feature of the traditional culture of a part of Sub-Saharan Africa and are among the elements of great African art that has influenced European and Western art. 

Like in all human cultures, African folklore also represents a variety of social facets on the continent. The most popular figure among many African stories is Huvean, the first man on the continent. Many Africans believe Huvean created the Earth and the Heavens. He has been painted or sculpted as all kinds of figures.

The continent of Africa is host to hundreds of languages. If dialects spoken by various ethnic groups are also included, this number is much higher. For example, the famous phrase introduced by the Disney movie "The Lion King," "Hakuna matata," which means something akin to "don't worry, be happy," comes from Swahili, a language mainly used in eastern Africa.