Why have Asian nations kept up their languages, cultures and faiths much more than African nations?

[Tooting Carmen]

Both continents have been heavily impacted by Islamic and Western colonialism. Therefore, why have Asian nations nevertheless managed to keep their homegrown religions - Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Sikhism etc - along with their own languages and cultures as the dominant forces in their own countries? This is in contrast to most African nations, where the official language - at least at elite level - is usually English or French, and the dominant religion is almost always Christianity or Islam, and where traditional cultures are mostly confined to the countryside.

[Synapsid]

North Africans and Horners did not lose their cultures or writing systems. As for Asians, they had a more complex society than Bantu-niger congo cultures

[Synapsid]

Both continents have been heavily impacted by Islamic and Western colonialism. Therefore, why have Asian nations nevertheless managed to keep their homegrown religions - Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Sikhism etc - along with their own languages and cultures as the dominant forces in their own countries? This is in contrast to most African nations, where the official language - at least at elite level - is usually English or French, and the dominant religion is almost always Christianity or Islam, and where traditional cultures are mostly confined to the countryside.

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[Chaos One]

Both continents have been heavily impacted by Islamic and Western colonialism.

Yes, but the process in Asia was slower and not a takeover. Plus, the whole concepts of both religions created a pure "that's devil thing" concept about other religions, and while that worked in some areas in both continents, it was futile in many Asia countries because they already had religions who were socially formal (and mostly older than Islam) + being full part of the society. Animist religions tend to be simple, therefore easier to eclipse with a more different and complex one.

[Tooting Carmen]

North Africans and Horners did not lose their cultures or writing systems. As for Asians, they had a more complex society than Bantu-niger congo cultures

Complex in what sense?

[lameduck]

Pakistanis by and large wear their national dress from elite to common man , in corporate sector people have to wear western clothing but after office hour and weekend even they prefer shalwar kameez , imran khan also wears shalwar kameez even when meeting foreign leadership.

[Tooting Carmen]

Pakistanis by and large wear their national dress from elite to common man , in corporate sector people have to wear western clothing but after office hour and weekend even they prefer shalwar kameez , imran khan also wears shalwar kameez even when meeting foreign leadership.

Plus although English has co-official status in Pakistan, my impression is that Urdu is used a lot more in business, politics, education etc there than e.g. Swahili is in Kenya or Yoruba is in Nigeria.

[Synapsid]

Complex in what sense?

Thousands of years of written tradition, stratified society, greater division of labour, centralised state with bureaucracy rather tribal chiefdom , intellectual class and traditions, recorded history, a religion with central codified dogma that deals with human moral conduct rather just gross superstition, superior material culture etc

[Thambi]

Well in south asia english is used at an elite level as well. Its not just in africa. At home or with peers, africans speak their native languages and same with south asians.

If you think about it, many asian countries got their religions from outside as well. Philippines, Korea are majority christian. SE asia got buddhism, islam from outside as well.

[Tooting Carmen]

Well in south asia english is used at an elite level as well. Its not just in africa. At home or with peers, africans speak their native languages and same with south asians.

If you think about it, many asian countries got their religions from outside as well. Philippines, Korea are majority christian. SE asia got buddhism, islam from outside as well.

Since when did Korea become majority Christian? As for your other points, I understand them. However, I'd still say that Hindi and Urdu seem to have more prestige in India and Pakistan respectively (to say nothing of Bengali in Bangladesh) than the likes of Swahili and Yoruba do in their native countries. I'd also still say that, countries like Indonesia and Philippines notwithstanding, the encroachment of both Christianity and Islam in East Asia was less severe than in most of Africa.