African Food and Art

Thank you to our latest donor, Tony. Thank you, Tony. We were able to purchase three new stainless steel pots to continue our cooking and teaching heritage.

African fathers deserve to be praised

Every day, our culture transmits the message that African dads are not involved in their child's life. Black fathers tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to being appreciated.

A little girl and her father walk on Lido beach in Mogadishu, Somalia, during Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

African fathers deserve to be praised 365 days of the year.

Father's Day is a special day of celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood and the influence of fathers in the world. The idea for Father's Day originated in the United States and has been officially celebrated on the third Sunday in June since 1966.

African fathers, like fathers all around the world, play a crucial role in the lives of their children and families. They deserve recognition, appreciation, and praise not just on specific occasions but throughout the year.

Fathers provide their children guidance, support, love, and care, helping shape their character, values, and aspirations. They play an essential role in promoting the well-being and development of their families. African fathers, in particular, often face unique challenges and responsibilities within their cultural and societal contexts, and their contributions should be acknowledged and celebrated.

Piggy Back Ride

It's vital to consistently express gratitude and praise to fathers, recognizing their dedication, sacrifice, and positive impact on their children's lives. Celebrating African fathers throughout the year helps foster strong family bonds, promotes positive fatherhood roles, and encourages a supportive and nurturing environment for children to thrive.

The general perception in the world is that African fathers do not exist; however, many black African fathers play an active role in their children’s lives, spending more time in their children's day-to-day lives than any other race. So, let's celebrate and honor African fathers not just on a single day but every day, appreciating their love, guidance, and positive influence on their families.

There can be harmful stereotypes and misconceptions perpetuated by certain narratives that diminish the presence and involvement of African fathers. However, it's important to challenge and change those perceptions because many black African fathers do indeed play active and engaged roles in their children's lives.

Fathers in African communities often take on significant responsibilities within their families, including being providers, protectors, and positive role models. They actively participate in their children's day-to-day lives, offering emotional support, guidance, and encouragement. They contribute to their children's upbringing, education, and overall well-being.

It is crucial to recognize and celebrate the involvement of African fathers to counter stereotypes and promote positive narratives. Highlighting their dedication and love helps challenge misconceptions and reinforces the importance of involved fatherhood.

It's essential to move beyond generalizations and acknowledge the diverse experiences of African fathers, just as with fathers from any other cultural background. By promoting a more accurate and inclusive understanding of fatherhood, we can foster a greater appreciation for African fathers' active role in their children's lives and in society as a whole.

Fatherhood Quotes from Around the World.


He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. -Clarence Budington Kelland

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.

Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance. - Ruth Renkel

The greatest gift I ever had came from God; I call him Dad! -Author Unknown

I am not ashamed to say that no man I ever met was my father’s equal, and I never loved any other man as much. -Hedy Lamarr

I love how we do not have to say out loud that I am your favorite child. -Author Unknown

There are three stages of a man’s life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus. -Author Unknown

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

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

Ethiopian Midwest American Hotdish

Image
Our Ethiopian hot dish combines Ethiopian cooking with classic Minnesota Midwest casserole meal. The hot dish’s origins are a product of settlers traditions in Midwest America dating back to the early 20th century. A hot-dish or casserole is a one-pan meal that traditionally includes a combination of starch like potatoes, pasta, or rice, ground meat, vegetables, and a creamy canned soup base, all topped with crunchy goodness like breadcrumbs or tater tots. The concept of hot dish became popular in the Upper Midwest, particularly in states like Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, in the 1930s and 1940s. This period was marked by economic challenges, including the Great Depression. The need for economical and filling meals led to the creation of dishes that could be stretched to feed many people using simple, affordable ingredients . Hot dishes became synonymous with potlucks, church suppers, and social gatherings. These events were central to rural and small-town communities, where
Learn More About Africa

Neck elongation rings how to put on and take off

Image
Neck elongation rings how to put on and take off. Idzila are Ndebele wives traditionally wear rings around the neck as a status symbol and wear rings around the arms, legs, and neck. Wearing Neck Rings. For centuries, married South African Ndebele tribes’ women saw wearing heavy rings around their neck as an honored status symbol. Neck rings are any form of stiff necklaces worn around the neck of an individual. The neck rings are usually made of copper or brass. During initiation, girls wear an array of colorfully beaded hoops called izigolwan around their legs, arms, waist, and neck. After marriage, the Ndebele wife would wear copper and brass rings around her arms, legs, and neck, symbolizing her bond and faithfulness to her husband, once her home was built. Idzila rings were believed to have strong ritual powers. Husbands used to provide their wives with rings; the richer the husband, the more rings the wife would wear. These outward symbols can be removed only in ca
Learn More About Africa