Final answer:
West Africans passed down their culture and traditions through oral tradition, extended families, and trade and interaction with other cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
West Africans passed down their culture and traditions from generation to generation through various methods. One way was through oral tradition, where African poems, praise songs, and accounts of past events were recited and passed on by official oral historians known as Griots. These Griots would often play unique West African stringed instruments such as the Kora and Ngoni while reciting the histories from Ancient Mali and Songhai. Another way culture was transmitted was through extended families and clans, which formed the basis of social identity. West Africans relied on their relatives for support and assistance in times of need, and these familial connections helped preserve and pass down cultural practices and values. Additionally, trade and interaction with other cultures, such as Islamic influences from North Africa and European languages through colonial encounters, also contributed to the transmission of culture among West Africans.