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.

Love Yourself and Your Gravity Defying Hair

For centuries, African hair is treated as an artist’s canvas. Unique African hairstyles were a fashion and status statement for women and men. Taking care of black hair is an iconic tradition from Africa to America. Take care of black coils and curls with conditioned scalp and drinking water.


Black hair care in Hamar, Ethiopia
Black hair care in Hamar, Ethiopia

Love Yourself and Your Gravity Defying Hair.

Everywhere we look, we are bombarded with images of beautiful women with long straight hair, selling us just about everything from makeup, cars, jewelry, music, movies and more.

Magazines and television sell us the latest fashion trends with beautifully constructed images in Adobe Photoshop, leaving little trace of the women whose photo is actually being taken.

What can you do to fall in love with your natural hair? It is important to understand that the images of women portrayed in the media do not correspond to reality.

This can help you accept yourself as you are and feel better about your own hair. Identify the social messages that wrongly associate physical appearance with health, happiness and success, and the strategies used by the media to communicate these messages.


The best Black African hairstyles that turns heads because life is too short to have boring hair.

Take Care of Black Hair with a Conditioned Scalp and Drinking Water

Two issues impeding the growth of natural black hair is taking care of the scalp and drinking plenty of water. Many black hair naturals ask questions on how to grow hair very long and quickly; well the normal rate of growth is actually 1/2 inch per month on average. Black hair tends to break more easily hence, the myth black hair does not grow.

Just know your hair scalp is the foundation of hair growth. The first step is to clarify your hair and condition your scalp, here why it is important. Your scalp is where your hair is growing out of so you want to make sure that you are giving the hair that is coming out of your scalp the best chance that it has to grow.

Collecting dirt, product build-up especially if you like to use hair butter like shea, otjize paste and oils are not only the clogging the pores on your scalp but also making it difficult for your follicles to come out healthy.

It also can become an irritant to your scalp and if your hair follicles or roots become irritated or the skin on your scalp becomes irritated you are susceptible to issues such as alopecia or dandruff from blocking sebum on your scalp.

So many things can happen when you do not wash your hair more than once a month. You have to clarify your scalp every week or two weeks. Natural hair it tends to be drier due to all those curls and coils make it hard for the sebum from your scalp to travel all the way down the hair because it has all these loops to go down.

You really have to make sure that you moisturize your hair inside and out so internally make sure you are drinking enough water. If you do not have enough water in your body you are really you are really messing your natural hair care routine up, your hair going to get dry brittle.

African Himba covers their skin and hair with a creamy mixture of fat and red clay
Himba Otjize Skin and Scalp Protectant

Himba Otjize Skin, Scalp and Hair Protectant

Hair in Africa is an iconic statement treated like an artist’s canvas. Himba women spend hours creating the iconic hairstyles. Himba women, as well as Himba men, are famous for covering themselves with otjize paste, a cream mixture of fat and ochre pigment clay.

Otjize is a paste of fat and red ochre sometimes mixed with scented oils. Himba women apply otjize each morning and afternoon to their skin and hair, giving them a distinctive red hue.

Otjize is used as a scalp and skin protectant to protect from sunburn; it forms a protective barrier to prevent irritation from the harsh sun and wind.

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

  1. Historical African country names
  2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
  3. How many countries does Africa have?
  4. Paying Money To Tour Slums in Africa
  5. What Is the Wettest Country in Africa
  6. African Kente Cloth Facts
  7. Where is Shashamane Ethiopia the African Rastafarian Promised Land

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

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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African Spirit Tree Test

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Africa boasts a remarkable array of unique trees, each showcasing distinct qualities that set it apart, much like the diverse personalities of people. The majestic Baobab, with its thick trunk and expansive canopy, symbolizes wisdom and resilience, while the vibrant Protea embodies courage and boldness with its striking flowers. Which tree do you resonate with? Are you as wise as the ancient Baobab or as daring as the brilliant Protea? Discover your true spirit by taking this engaging quiz designed to match you with an African tree that reflects your personality. Each tree symbolizes unique characteristics and qualities, so dive in to explore the connection between your spirit and these magnificent natural wonders. Get ready for a fun journey of self-discovery. Question 1: How Do You Handle Challenges? A.  You stand firm and face them head-on, using your wisdom. B.  You quietly help others and offer comfort. C.  You adapt quickly and find creative solutions. D.  You ...
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