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.

Ever wonder why turtles live in water?

Why Turtles Love Water African Folktale

Turtles spend most of their lives in the water and the African folktale, why turtles live in water explains the reason why.

Turtles spend most of their lives in the water paddling along with webbed feet or streamlined flippers. Sea turtles almost never leave the ocean, except to lay eggs in the sand. Freshwater turtles live in ponds and lakes climbing out of the water only to lay out in the sun on logs or rocks, but why? The African folktale, why turtles live in water explains the reason why.

Happy turtle

Why Turtles Live in Water is a captivating African folktale.
 
Turtles used to live on the land, they say, until the time a clever turtle was caught by some hunters. They brought him to their village and placed the turtle before the Chief, who said, "How shall we cook him?"

"You'll have to kill me first," said the turtle, "and take me out of this shell." "We'll break your shell with sticks," they said. "That'll never work," said the turtle, "Why don't you throw me in the water and drown me?!"

"Excellent idea," said the Chief. They took the turtle to the river and threw him into the water to drown him. They were congratulating themselves on their success in drowning the turtle, when two little green eyes poked up in the water and the laughing turtle said, "Don't get those cooking pots out too fast, foolish people!

As he swam away he said, "I think I'll spend most of my time from now on, safely in the water." It has been that way ever since!

Links to more African Folklore

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

African Men Shaped Canada’s History

Image
Mathieu Da Costa: Canada’s First Recorded Black Person Mathieu Da Costa holds a unique place in Canadian history as the first recorded Black person to set foot in what is now Canada. Mathieu Da Costa's linguistic abilities mediated fur trade prices and trading routes between Europeans and Africans using intellect, tact and cunning. A Linguistic Bridge Across Cultures Da Costa’s carefully honed multilingual skills included European languages such as French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Indigenous languages. These abilities made him an invaluable asset to explorers and merchants conducting trade and diplomacy across continents.  His fluency allowed him to have the freedom to travel, forge relationships and communicate effectively across cultural divides, ensuring the success of expeditions led by figures like Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. Mathieu Da Costa worked with prominent figures of early Canadian exploration, including Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugua, Sieu...
Read the full post here

Greek Obsession with Ethiopia

Image
Ethiopia: How Ancient Greece Imagined a Distant Land. The ancient Greeks were fascinated by Ethiopia , placing it at the edge of the known world. Drawn by dreams of wealth and the pursuit of mathematical knowledge and scientific marvels, the Greeks also sought riches such as gold, ivory, ebony, and exotic animals. These goods were highly prized in the Greek world , promising great wealth and peril to those who dared to venture to this distant land. Distance and Travel to Ethiopia. Sea travel was the primary means of long-distance travel for the ancient Greeks . A sea voyage along the African coast to the regions they considered Ethiopia would have taken several weeks to a few months. Sea voyages were fraught with dangers. Ships were vulnerable to storms, which could capsize or drive them off course.  Pirates posed a constant threat, targeting both seafaring vessels and coastal settlements. Navigation was challenging, relying on knowledge of stars, coastlines, and rudimentary instru...
Read the full post here

Kru Tribe Fine Boy Tradition

Image
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...
Read the full post here

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 ...
Read the full post here