African Food and Art

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

How to Barter in Local African Markets

Bargaining in the local markets of Africa is an ideal way to see local artists at work and get a good insight into the local culture, food, and art.


Bargaining is commonplace throughout Africa

Learn to the art of bartering, bargaining, and haggling in Africa 

Bartering, bargaining or haggling is a type of negotiation in which the buyer and seller of goods or services have a difference of opinion on the price which will be paid. In many African countries, you can bargain for goods and services such as food, clothes, souvenirs or the assistance of a local tour guide. 

In an African market, your shopping experience where you can bargain and get discounts on almost anything will hone your bargaining skills and directly support the local population. Bargaining in the local markets of Africa is an ideal way to see local artists at work and get a good insight into the local culture, food, and art. 

Whether you are immersing yourself in one of Africa’s largest outdoor market Addis Merkato in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, checking out the latest fabrics in Foumban, Cameroon daily outdoor market, or getting souvenirs at a Roque Santeiro Market in Angola, you will love the bargaining experience.
 
Foumban, Cameroon daily outdoor market

Bargaining is commonplace throughout Africa, first, you should visit many different shops and markets to get a general idea about the average price of what you want to buy. 

Convert the asking price into your own currency then halve the first asking price and start from there but remember to stay polite and have a sense of humor while bargaining, it is supposed to be fun. 

If you are not enjoying the experience, you can always walk away and walking away is a good way to get the price down quickly in some cases.
 
Serving local street food photo by dlisbona

If the price is too high or you don't want an item to just leave, there will be plenty more opportunities just around the corner. 

Pay with small change; do not show large amounts of money otherwise, the seller may hike the price when it’s discovered that you have lots of cash. 

Sometimes, paying for a local tour guide who knows the local language and the people can be the best way to help you get the perfect price for your hand-carved fetish sculpture.

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

What is the difference between ugali and fufu

Image
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 and
Learn More About Africa

Southern African Country Swaziland renamed eSwatini

Image
The Southern African Country of Swaziland no longer exists, King Mswati III renamed Swaziland eSwatini. The monarch Mswati II announced the official change in a stadium during celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Swazi independence. He explained that the name had caused some confusion, stating,"Whenever we go abroad, people refer to us as Switzerland." King Mswati III of eSwatini addressing the UN The King gave no reason for the name change except Swaziland’s new name is easier for foreigners to pronounce. How do you pronounce eSwatini well say ea-swa-tea-knee, pronounce the short e in eSwatini like the letter e in bed. ea-swa-tea-knee = eSwatini eSwatini Facts eSwatini is a landlocked African country almost completely surrounded by South Africa besides a small area of land neighbored by Mozambique. The eSwatini King, King Mswati III, has been head of the Swazi Royal Family since 1986 since he was 18 years old. Africa’s last absolute monarch, King Ms
Learn More About Africa

Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa

Image
African Country by Size List. Africa Which are the top twenty largest, smallest, and territorial country in Africa by land area? 1. The continent of Africa is the world’s second largest based on land area and population just after Asia. 2. Top five largest countries of Africa are Algeria, Congo Democratic Republic of the, Sudan, Libya and Chad. 3. Top five smallest African countries and territories are Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Saint Helena and Mayotte. African Country from largest to smallest Area sq mile Area sq km Algeria 919,595 2,381,740 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 905,568 2,345,410 Sudan 718,723 1,861,484 Libya 679,362 1,759,540 Chad 495,755 1,284,000 Niger 489,191 1,267,000 Angola 481,354 1,246,700 Mali 478,767 1,240,000 South Africa 471,011 1,219,912 Ethiopia 435,186 1,127,127 Mauritania 397,95
Learn More About Africa

The Equator passes through Nanyuki Kenya

Image
There are seven African countries that are on both sides of the Equator. The Equator passes about 4 miles south of the town Nanyuki in Laikipia County, Kenya. An equator is an imaginary line around the middle earth, seven African countries  are on both sides of the Equator An equator is an imaginary line around the middle earth. The equator is halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole at ‘0’ degrees latitude. The equator divides the planet into a Northern Hemisphere and a Southern Hemisphere. Areas located on the Earth’s equator have the fastest sunrises and sunsets. The time it takes for the sun to set and rise at the Equator is the fastest on Earth. The transition from day to night takes only a few minutes. Kenya is slightly more than twice the size of the U.S. state of Nevada. Kenya is located in Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania. Nanyuki Kenya is sort of like the main office for people pursuing the adventure of climbing t
Learn More About Africa