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African Food and Art

Thank you to our latest donor, Esther. Thank you, Esther. We were able to purchase a new cutting board.

Dehorning White and Black Rhinos

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Dehorning rhinos means taking off their horns to protect them from poachers. White rhinoceros and black rhinoceros is are heavily poached because of the size of their horns. Dehorning Saves White and Black Rhinos from Extinction  The official term for taking the horns off rhinoceroses is dehorning. Dehorning is a conservation technique used to protect rhinos from poachers by removing their horns.  Dehorning techniques for rhinoceroses have been used since the late 1980s. Namibia was the first country to implement dehorning as a strategy to protect rhinos from poaching. Poachers hunt rhinos for their horns, which are made of keratin, the same stuff as our hair and nails. They use the horns for medicine and fancy jewelry. Poachers sneak onto reserves, sometimes laying and wait for days using the skill of Wilderness survivalists.  In many cultures, but especially in Asian Cultures such as China and Vietnam the horn of the rhinoceros is believed to carry healing powers for everything from

African Pie Dessert Recipe

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Baking a South African milk tart pie puts a creative spin on a classic African dessert recipe. African food means sharing. Turning a Melktert pie into a super-sized slab pie makes it super easy to cut and serve to a big group.  The square slices give a fun new look to this classic pie recipe. A slab pie is a shallow pie baked in a rectangular dish, making it simple to divide into smaller portions.  It's perfect for serving a crowd or bringing to a potluck. Butter, sugar, eggs, and puff pastry make Milk Tart or Melkert the perfect simple African dessert recipe. South African Dessert Melktart Slab Pie. The name Melktart translates to milk tart in English, highlighting its primary ingredient. Melktart features a delicate balance of vanilla and cinnamon, infusing the creamy custard with warmth and aromatic goodness.  Melktart uses readily available ingredients like eggs, sugar, flour, and milk. This accessibility ensures that you can easily recreate these recipes in your own kitchen,

How Bananas Traveled to Africa

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Arab traders introduced bananas from Southeast Asia to East Africa using the Silk Road sea routes, dhows ships and monsoon winds. The banana quickly became an important part of African agriculture, culture, and economy because they grow in many different conditions. Did you know: Bananas do not produce hardy seeds for cultivation; instead, they grow through rhizomes or suckers. Planting a banana in the ground will not produce a banana tree. All those videos of banana trees being grown from the banana fruit are fake.  How bananas traveled to Africa the real story Arab traders introduced bananas to the East African coast around 1000 AD.  Arab traders undoubtedly acquired banana plants from their native regions in Southeast Asia and South Asia, particularly from present-day Malaysia, Indonesia, and India.  These regions boasted rich histories of banana cultivation and played crucial roles in the expansive trade networks linking the Indian Ocean, including the maritime Silk Road.  The Indi

Best African Wheat Bread Recipe Ever

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Libyan wheat bread, or khubz, is made from wheat flour, water, and salt, and it is baked in a brick oven or on a hot surface.   Is it Khobz or Khubz? Both spellings of the traditional Libyan bread recipe are correct. What is important is that in Libya, bread symbolizes hospitality and generosity, and it is offered to guests as a welcoming gesture. Explaining Khobz and Khubz Wheat Bread Both spellings of the traditional Libyan bread recipe are correct. Khobz is the spelling used in some North African countries, while Khubz is the spelling used in other countries such as Libya, Syria, and Iraq. The difference in spelling is mainly due to variations in the Arabic language dialects spoken in these regions. Libyan Khubz Traditional Wheat Bread Recipe Ingredients 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water 2 tablespoons olive oil Directions In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast together. Add the warm water and

Four Seconds Too Late African Folktale

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Kwanda, the village's star dancer, missed her big moment at the Festival of the Rhythmic Moon by just four seconds after a stormy night and comforting her brother. Will she learn from this and seize her next chance? Four Seconds Late to the Festival of the Rhythmic Moon In a quiet out-of-the-way community of Musaka amidst flowing rivers, there lived a young girl named Kwanda.  Known for her graceful dancing, Kwanda was chosen to perform at the grand mix Festival of the Rhythmic Moon, an honor bestowed only once a year.  This festival was not just any celebration; it was a sacred tradition where the village’s best dancers would perform to honor the spirits of the ancestors and ensure a prosperous year. The day before the festival, Kwanda was filled with excitement and nerves. She had practiced her dance for weeks, perfecting every step, turn, and leap.  The village elders had told her that her performance would mark her transition from a girl to a respected young woman, and Kwanda w

What Fear and Love Created

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Humans were created during an intense struggle between Fear and Love this ancient African viral folktale.