African Food and Art

This blog explores the wisdom of African proverbs, the depth of folklore, the beauty of art, the stories of history, and the flavors of timeless African food recipes.

Political Afrofuturist Hair Art Designers

Who are Laetitia Ky, Photographer Nakeya Brown, Black hair king J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere African hair art designers?


Hair Art

Who are the Modern Political Afrofuturist Black Hair Art Designers


African hair traditions and rituals are an integral part of African culture. Afrofuturist West African Cote d'Ivoire designer Laetitia Ky uses wires and hairpins to make hair sculpture art on Instagram; Ky photo series shows how she transforms her hair into all kinds of political, funny and odd shapes to showcase her designing mind.



African Hair Art is Life


African Hair Art, Life is too short to have boring hair. Just as the human body is outfitted and decorated to look sexy, professional or devout, the human hair is a reflection of a person’s outward identity.

Hair is looked at as an accompaniment to an outfit; an essential accessory that glams up the whole look. African hair art is also a political statement, big, curly natural hair on full display unnerves the establishment.

Other races have dictated the hairstyles of millions of African women for centuries. Unapologetically wearing natural hair reveals an uncomfortable truth about racist hair history. Natural hair is indeed political.

Braiding hair Hamar Tribe Ethiopia
Braiding hair Hamar Tribe Ethiopia

African Hair identity Why Hair Is Important

Pay attention to your hair because everyone else does. Hair is considered a person’s crowning glory and when a bad hair day happens upon them, some believe they are unattractive and ugly.

 
For centuries, African hair was treated as an artist’s canvas. Unique African hairstyle art is a political, fashion and status statement for women and men. Hair is the thing that makes a person unique.

Each African hairstyle had its own uniqueness
African Braids
Modern and Ancient African Hairstyle Artists

Nakeya B (Nakeya Brown) is an abstract photographer who uses African hair to explore themes of natural beauty. Her work Hair Stories Untold explores her own family’s hair rituals through conceptual portraiture and still life.

Cote d'Ivoire modern hair artist Laetitia Ky uses her hair to create art, piled up high on top of her head. Sometimes it is political, sometimes it’s beautiful and sometimes it’s simply bizarre.

One of the most famous and talented photographers of Nigerian Hairstyles, Johnson Donatus Aihumekeokhai Ojeikere also known as J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere highlighted modern and traditional African perspectives of the art of hair design.

Each African hairstyle had its own uniqueness giving a glimpse into the talented camera of a legendary Nigerian photographer.


Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

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  2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
  3. How many countries does Africa have?
  4. Roots of Africanized Christianity Spiritual Songs
  5. Paying Money To Tour Slums in Africa
  6. Awesome Kenyan Woman
  7. Land is Not For Women in Sierra Leone

  8. African Kente Cloth Facts
  9. Accra the Ghanaian Capital Ultimate Mall Experience


Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

What is the difference between ugali and fufu

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How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali ...
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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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Disaster That Shook Mayotte to Its Core

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Category 4 hurricane, 136 MPH Cyclone Chido destroyed the French Island of Mayotte. The island of Mayotte is a tiny, 144 square mile  French territory in the Indian Ocean reeling from a direct hit from Cyclone Chido, the strongest storm to hit the island in 90 years. Entire neighborhoods have disappeared, along with entire families. Mayotte is rhe poorest overseas territory of France, many accusations point to the debate that it is a forgotten holding place for undocumented refugees. Half the residence live in makeshift houses out of discarded pieces of wood cardboard, and anything else residents can get their hands on. With winds exceeding 136 mph, equivalent to a category four hurricane, on Sunday December 15, 2024, Cyclone Chido caused major destruction causing upwards of 1,000 deaths leaving 80% of the population homeless.  Nearly 84% of residents were already living under the poverty level before Cyclone Chido hit the small island. The infrastructure was very weak on the ...
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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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