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.

How well do you know Africa Questions and Answers

African geography, language, and history and see how well do you know Africa.

Married couple in Accra Ghana

Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers the other is Mount Kenya.

The official language of Angola is Portuguese. Portuguese is spoken in a number of African countries and is the official language in six African states: Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde (Cape Verde), São Tomé and Príncipe and Equatorial Guinea. Many Africans speak Portuguese as a second language.

Ngorongoro crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world. The crater, together with the Olmoti and Empakaai craters are part of the eastern Rift Valley, whose volcanism dates back to the late Mesozoic to the early Tertiary periods and is famous for its geology. The property also includes Laetoli and Olduvai Gorge, which contain an important paleontological record related to human evolution.

The American Colonization Society sent its first group of immigrants to Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone. The island's swampy, unhealthy conditions resulted in a high death rate among the settlers as well as the society's representatives. The British governor allowed the immigrants to relocate to a safer area temporarily while the ACS worked to save its colonization project from complete disaster.

Mountainous with coastline of just 209 meters Sao Tome and Principe is the second smallest country in Africa, the island of Seychelles is the smallest African country over all.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biota; about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

The seven Natural Wonders of Africa are Mount Kilimanjaro, The Red Sea Reef, Okavango Delta, Sahara Desert, The Nile River, Serengeti Migration and Ngorongoro Crater. Three of the seven natural wonders of Africa are in Tanzania.

The wild watermelon is widely distributed in Africa, a bitter tasting fruit with hard light green flesh is not your typical sweet summer fruit. Wild watermelon egusi seeds are fat and protein-rich seeds of a cucurbitaceous plant used in preparing egusi soup - a kind of soup thickened with the ground egusi seeds cooked with water, oil and typically containing vegetables, seasonings and meat which is popular in many West and Central African countries.

Yellow passion fruit is one of Kenya Africa top three export fruit crops important to Kenya and Africa agricultural future well-being. Agriculture is the backbone of the Kenyan economy, contributing one-third of GDP. Approximately 75 percent of the Kenyan population work at least part-time in the agricultural sector, including growing and picking passion fruit which over 75 percent of agricultural output is from small-scale, rain-fed farming.

Africa has more countries affected by displacement than any other region and is home 9 - 12 million internally displaced people (IDPs). IDPs are displaced within their own country as a result of conflict, violence, disasters and human rights abuses.

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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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Berbere Spice Popcorn Topping Recipe

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Berbere Spice North African Popcorn Topping Recipe The best African spice for fresh popped popcorn is Berbere, a flavorful and aromatic bold spice blend from North Africa you buy at the local supermarket or online. Berbere is known for its bold mix of spices, often including chili peppers, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves.  Berbere brings a balance of heat, sweetness, and earthy depth to any dish including fresh popped popcorn. The spice mix symbolizes community and hospitality, often prepared at home with slight variations to suit family preferences. Its fiery yet balanced flavor profile mirrors the complex and vibrant food of North African culture . In cities across Africa, popcorn is a common street snack and is often sold in cinemas, at markets, and by roadside vendors.  Berbere Spice Popcorn Topping Recipe Ingredients ½ cup poped popcorn kernels  2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon Berbere spice blend   1 teaspoon salt ...
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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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