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.

Punk Rock Bands in Africa

Punk rock in Africa, punk is a loud, aggressive music but punk is a state of mind, freedom no matter what continent you live on. Punk Rock Bands African bands The Cum In Your Face (TCIYF), 340ml and TBMO are three Punk music bands in South Africa and Mozambique you should give a listen.

Punk Rock in Africa


Punk Rock in Africa; TCIYF, 340ml and TBMO are three Punk music bands in South Africa and Mozambique you should give a listen.
Punk rock in Africa

Starting from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, almost 50 years ago, punk rock spread around the world with bands like the Sex pistols, the Clash and the Ramones gathering a cult following and creating a scene in which kids who didn’t fit in found a community.

African punks in reality, they have been present from punk’s zenith with the hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977, Bad Brains.

Three popular Africa Punk Music Bands

TCIYF
TCIYF, Soweto South Africa
What does TCIYF stands for? Well, bluntly it stands for The Cum In Your Face. This thrash punk band from Soweto, a Johannesburg township and the largest township in South Africa is hardcore punk. The four members are part of a skate collective called SSS or Skate Soweto Society. 

TCIYF was one of the bands performing at Soweto Rock Revolution, the Punk Fuck III concert November 2014. Being part of the SSS, TCIYF band members Thula (guitar), Pule (vocals), Tox (bass), and Jazz (drums)  are influenced by punk music and half pikes.


340ml
340ml (340 million), Maputo Mozambique.
The four-member band, 340ml was founded in 2000 in Maputo Mozambique.  The group is influenced by a variety of genres, reggae, bossa nova, funk, ska, samba, jazz, zouk, marrabenta, electro, afro-dub, fado, kwaito and American R&B.

Formed in 2000 340ml band members are Pedro (Vocals), Tiago (Guitar), Rui (Bass) and Paulo (Drums).  Their hit Fairy Tales is one of their most popular tracks.

                                                                                
TBMO
TBMO stands for The Brother Moves On hailing from Johannesburg, South Africa.  True to their name, the experimental collective group members mix punk, Xhosa funk, jazz, folk, electronic, dance and spoken word for the post-apartheid age. which members come and go – or "move on" – so that their sound evolves with the changing personnel, and so the energy and momentum of the collective isn't dependent on any member.

TBMO believes their music is neither black nor white, but clearly rooted in South Africa, feeding off the country's unique political history. In the bands own words, they are "transitional music for a transitional generation. 

Music for and about where the generation of South Africans born after apartheid find themselves, which is free and hopeful, but also disappointed in and disillusioned with a system hasn't delivered much to support the hopes of this generation, particularly the hopes of its underprivileged members.”

Punk Rock Bands in Africa 

Punk rock in Africa, punk is a loud, aggressive music but punk is a state of mind, freedom no matter what continent you live on.
Chic African Culture

Anti-Apartheid Punk Rock Band

National Wake, the band Kadey led in the late 70s and early 80s, were South Africa's first, and indeed only, multiracial punk band.


Week’s Best African Culture Posts

Kru Tribe Fine Boy Tradition

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Dream-nightmare story from the Kru people of Liberia: the newly chosen Fine Boy is temporarily celebrated with fanfare and pleasure. Kru Tribe Fine Boy Tradition Fascinating stories emerged during the Pepper Coast's glory days. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders established outposts along the Liberian coastline, drawn by its wealth of humans, spices, and other commodities.  Centuries later, in the 19th century, the American Colonization Society (ACS) founded settlements in Liberia and began journalling native stories.  Among these tales is a dream-nightmare story from the Kru people of Liberia, a story so intriguing it almost seems too good to be true because, in some ways, it is.   The Kru women periodically held elections to select a young, handsome man as their “Fine Boy.” The announcement of his selection was celebrated with a vibrant procession featuring music, singing, and dancing.  The newly chosen Fine Boy was placed at the front of the para...
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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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Why Study the Kingdom of Kongo When It Failed

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A Kingdom Torn Apart: The Forces Behind Kongo’s Collapse. Why study and honor defunct ancient African kingdoms? These kingdoms no longer exist, they were failures; hpwever, they were once thriving societies with remarkable achievements. Before the arrival of Portuguese explorers, the Kingdom of Kongo flourished as a prosperous and powerful African state.  It boasted a sophisticated social structure, strong economic systems, and rich spiritual traditions. The King of Kongo was regarded as a sacred intermediary between the gods and his people, embodying the kingdom's deep reverence for spirituality and governance.  This existence, however, became a battleground as the Portuguese wielded their “divide and conquer” strategy with precision, exploiting internal rivalries and introducing advanced weaponry that disrupted the balance of power, deposing the king. Economic pressures intensified as the Portuguese fueled the transatlantic slave trade, transforming allies into rivals and co...
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Keto Moroccan Dinner Cooked Slowly

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Slow Cooked Moroccan Kefta Lamb Meatballs   Keto Tagine Morocco is at the geographic and cultural crossroads between Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.   In Morocco, the term tagine refers to a slow cooked stew as well as the pot the stew is made in. Kefta Tagine Kefta Tagine is a keto-friendly Moroccan lamb meatball food dish fitted for your low-carb lifestyle. The slow cooking of the meatballs allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a fragrant, hearty keto meal. The star of the Kefta Tagine dish is lamb, symbolizing the richness of Moroccan hospitality. Lamb meat has been a staple in North African cuisine for centuries, with lamb being central to celebrations and religious festivals.  Ground lamb meat is spiced and shaped into small balls, known as kefta, a preparation that dates back to ancient Berber traditions.  The kefta are seasoned with cumin, paprika, and coriander, spices that have shaped Morocco’s history in the global trading of spices whi...
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