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.

Three West African Symbols to Avoid

Adinkra symbols Kintinkantan meaning arrogance, FoFoo meaning jealousy and Tamfo Bebre meaning envy are three West African symbols to avoid using.

Three West African Symbols to Avoid

Adinkra symbols three West African symbols to avoid using.

Tamfo Bebre pronounced Tah-M-Foh Beh-Breh 

Secret meaning is envy or the enemy shall suffer.  Envy is deeply rooted in human behavior as well as one of the seven original deadly sins.  Envy leads to feeling resentful of people who have what you want. If you do not confront and sort through the true reason for your envy, you cannot focus on your blessings. You will continue to hate someone for his or her good fortune. If you are not careful, the enemy suffering could be you.

Fofoo pronunced Foh-Fuh 

Secret meaning is jealousy. Mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear is defined as jealousy. Longing to have what someone else has with misplaced hatred only leads to a life of self-inflicted suffering.

Kintinkantan pronounced Ken-tin-ka-tan 

Secret meaning is arrogance. The wicked type of arrogance, the misplaced self-importance wrapped around an overbearing pride is the meaning of the Adinkra symbol Kintinkantan. Wicked arrogance is bitter and clouds good judgment.

Secret meaning is envy or the enemy shall suffer.

Secret meaning is jealousy.

Secret meaning is arrogance.

African proverbs are the spoken languages of Africa and African Adinkra symbols are visual symbols that represent the joining of spoken and pictorial language.


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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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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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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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