African Food and Art

Thank you to our latest donor, David . We were able to purchase 50 seedlings for our food forest to continue our planting, cooking and teaching heritage.

The The officially belongs in front of Gambia since 1964

About The Gambia Name and Unique Facts

Yes it is officially true, the The officially belongs in front of Gambia since 1964. 

Gambian Woman

The Permanent Committee on Geographical Names says "A letter dated May 1964 from the Gambian prime minister's office instructed that The Gambia should be used with a capital T. One of the reasons they gave was that The Gambia could be confused with Zambia, which was a new name to the international community at the time."

Interesting facts about The Gambia

1. The official name is Republic of The Gambia.

2. The Gambia gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1965.

3. The Gambia is Africa's smallest mainland country at 11,295 sq km or 4,361 sq miles.

4. The Gambia is geographically surrounded by Senegal.

5. From 1982-1989 The Gambia and Senegal formed Senegambia.

The Gambia banned gambling March 1, 2015
The Gambia banned gambling March 1, 2015

6. The 1,130km or 700 mile long Gambia River runs through the middle of the country and using the ferry or small privately owned wooden pirogues boats as means of transportation across the river to Senegal is common practice.

7. The peanut crop dominates The Gambia agricultural exports about 75% of the population depends on the agricultural sector for its livelihood as well as one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa.

The Gambia Capital city is Banjul
The Gambia Capital city is Banjul

8. The median age of the nearly 2 million Gambians residents is 20.2 years old.

9. The Gambia banned gambling March 1, 2015, denouncing the industry as "exploitative" and saying the government acted to prevent its youth from becoming a generation of addicts.

10. The Gambia ethnic groups mainly fall into the Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%, and non-African 1%.

11. The Gambia religions are divided roughly into Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, and indigenous beliefs 2%.

12. The government of Yahya Jammeh changed the long-form name to Islamic Republic of The Gambia in December 2015. In January 2017, the new president Adama Barrow changed the country's name back to Republic of The Gambia.

13. The Gambia national symbol is the lion and national anthem "For The Gambia, Our Homeland".

14. Administrative divisions are one city of Banjul and five divisions of the Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, and Western.

15. The Gambia flag; three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green; red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue represents the Gambia River and green symbolizes forests and agriculture; the white stripes denote unity and peace.

The Gambia flag
The Gambia flag

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What is the difference between ugali and fufu

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Boxing Day South African Cookies

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Boxing Day South African Cookies Recipe and History of Boxing Day Listen to the Boxing Day South African Cookie Recipe and the History of Boxing Day. Boxing Day is observed as a public holiday in many Southern African countries. Boxing Day historically held deep significance as a rare day of recognition and appreciation for hard work.   While Christmas Day was often spent serving the households of wealthier families, Boxing Day provided an opportunity to receive small tokens of gratitude, known as Christmas boxes.  In households that observed Boxing Day traditions, servants were often granted a lighter workload or even a day off to visit family or enjoy the holiday. Today, Boxing Day is associated with relaxation and shopping.   Thumbprint Cookies with South African Sweet Chutney Ingredients 1 cup unsalted room-temperature butter 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large chicken egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup South African sweet c...
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Camel Caravans Created the Internet

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Thanks to camel caravans facilitating trade and cultural exchange across Northern Africa, they laid the foundation for global connectivity, which eventually evolved into the internet driven world we know today.  Raising camels When business partners in Northern Africa started using camels, it changed how goods were traded. Before the domestication of camels, it was hard to cross much less carry things across the hot, dry desert. Camels could travel long distances without needing much water, so they made it easier to move valuable items like gold, salt, and cloth from one end of the African deserts to the other. Camel caravans helped people get things they could not find in their own neighborhoods and allowed them to trade to more people. Camels were kind of like how the internet and technology connect us today. Why were camels chosen for caravans across Africa?  Camels were less prone to diseases common in tropical regions, increasing their longevity and utility. Horses and do...
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Explaining Bones and Stones of Africa

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Why Africa is Connected to Bones and Stones Have you ever wondered why bones and stones seem so important in African spirituality? Bones and stones hold the power for many African people as a connection to the spiritual world for protection in the natural world and eternal universe. The Power of Bones Bones are like the keys to a family’s history reminding people of the ancestors, those who lived before us and passed down wisdom, traditions, and strength. When people think about bones, they don’t just see the physical, they believe the spirits of their ancestors might still be connected to the bones, offering advice and protection. In numerous African culture traditions, spiritual leaders use bones to tell what’s coming. They throw animal bones or shells and look at how they land. Each position tells a story or gives a clue about health, family, or life decisions. Bones hold up the body, right? Because of this, they are often seen as a symbol of strength and support, reminding people...
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