African Food and Art: Sharing History and Heritage

Learn Kiswahili by meeting native Swahili speakers and starting a conversation. Swahili is a community of people and Kiswahili is the language spoken. Standard Swahili is based on the kiUnguja dialect. There are many dialects of Kiswahili as well as several patois versions. The three most common Kiswahili dialects are kiUnguja spoken on Zanzibar and in the mainland areas of Tanzania, kiMvita spoke in Mombasa and other areas of Kenya and Kiamu spoke on the island of Lamu and adjoining parts of the coast. The earliest known composition is written in Kiswahili, a poem entitled Kumsifu Yanga Ode to the Arab woman dates back to the 16th century 2 and is linguistically related to the northern dialect of Kiswahili such as kiamu. Kiamu is also the main Swahili dialect used by the poet Mwengo to compose the Muslim epic Utendi wa Tambuka, which he completed in 1728 on behalf of the king of Pate Island. Kiswahili is one of the top ten languages spoken in Africa. Swahili is spoken in

Construction on the Accra Mall in West Africa took two years and 700 people working nonstop, the Accra mall is located within an earthquake zone. With open skylights, plastered ceilings and tiled floors the Accra Mall is the first and only Grade-A shopping mall and one of the largest modern malls in West Africa . Aurecon engineering and infrastructure advisory company was engaged to undertake both the civil and structural engineering and road design for the Accra Mall. Walk Around the Accra Mall in Ghana Africa. Open Monday thru Saturday from 10am - 9pm, Sunday and Public Holidays from 12pm - 6pm the Accra Mall is a retail and shopping center in Accra, Ghana, located on the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange. In 2003, the Government of Ghana initiated the expansion of the then Akuafo Circle. The circle was the largest roundabout in Ghana. The contract for the project was won by Messrs. The interchange was commissioned for vehicular use on February 27, 2005, by the former president

In the yam belt of West Africa, Nigeria alone produces 71 percent of the yams and there are over 600 varieties of yams and 95 percent of these crops are grown in Africa.  Yams are a staple tuber vegetable of West African countries with 177 calories in one cup of yams.  A classic dish of vegan sautéed yams from the yam belt of Africa lightly boils yam chunks before cooking in olive oil, garlic, and spices. Sautéed yams are a delightful alternative to potatoes and so much trendier. Prep time: 10 min  Cook time: 10 min  Total time: 20 min  Perfect Vegan Sautéed Yams are the best West  African Food recipe  Yam Belt Vegan Sautéed Yams. Ingredients  1 large yam  2 garlic cloves, minced  2 whole bay leaves  1 small bunch parsley, chopped  2 tablespoons olive oil  Sea salt to taste  Directions  Cut yams into chunks. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, and then cook the yams for three mins. Drain then place yams onto a paper-lined tray to cool.  When ready to serve, heat olive oil, garli

African Water Spirit Mami Wata African deity Mami Wata is a beautiful, caring, seductive, and treacherous water spirit. Mami Wata, Maame Wata, or Mammy Water. The African deity called Mami Wata, Maame Wata, or Mammy Water in some parts of Western and Eastern Africa is a very popular deity. Among the Swahili speaking groups, she is called Mamba Munti. Mami Wata is a deity that has existed in Africa for as long as African history and culture can recollect. The half-fish half-human female water spirit is greatly respected, feared and worshipped presenting a balance between dark, divine, mysterious and angelic existence. Often appearing with the head and torso of a woman and the tail of a fish, Mami Wata straddles earth and water, culture and nature. Colors of Mami Wata are red symbolizing blood and white symbolizing spirituality and beauty; her colors represent Mami Wata’s dual personality. She may also take the form of a snake charmer, sometimes in combination with

Some people never look forward to Monday mornings.   Instead of looking forward to the beginning of a new week with a renewed chance to change the world Monday mornings are dreaded. Unplugging from negative forces and being fully present is important to the honor of ancestors.  Jumping out of bed and hitting the ground running each Monday morning may never be realistic but should also be the goal. Planning to do at least one happy thing each Monday morning you will look forward to Monday morning and honor the lessons of your ancestors. African Proverbs your ancestors want you to know on Monday mornings. Pay attention to the 32 proverbs and quotes from African ancestors on Monday morning. What the colt learns in youth he continues in old age. What is learned in the cradle lasts till the grave. What is enough was never little. Too late the bird cries out when it is caught. To wash a donkeys tail is loss of time and soap. There is no such thing as an insignificant

Mighty Little Hedgehog Short African Story In Africa, in the earliest times before there were pictures or written words there was the African folktale. For centuries, stories were passed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next. As Africans traveled across the African continent, they took their stories with them. Every community had a storyteller who sat around the fire at night spinning yarns of magical tales and legends. African folktales reached into the heart of the people and grew into the lifeblood of the African community. African folklore storytelling has long been accepted as a form of teaching to be defined as a series of events told in such a way that it moves the emotions and the intellect. African folklore storytelling is a spiritual legacy passed down from one generation to another. It is as old as Africa herself with a deep appreciation for antiquity expressed in artistic form. Folklore storytelling is the most ancient art form of the African Commu

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

Read Three Short African Folklore Stories Three African folklore short stories you can read online. Take Care of Problems When They Are Small, No One Can Live On Beauty Alone and The Man Who Wanted To Fool Death are three short African stories to read today. Take Care of Problems When They Are Small African Folklore Story Two men in a certain town were building new shanties for themselves. One day one of them noticed a young Jackalberry tree nearby and he said to the other "Let us cut the tree down while it is still small. It may cause us serious damage later on if we allow it to grow." "No!" said the other. "Why bother about it? It won't hurt us any." And the tree was allowed to grow. Sometime after a dreadful storm passed over the land, laying low many giant trees of the forest including the Jackalberry tree which, by this time, had grown to considerable size. With a boom, the tree fell down on the shanty of the man who had said: "Let it

The DRC is a country located in central Africa where Ebola is still devastating Africa’s second largest country. In The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the death rate from Ebola is 66% with 3,210 cases, 2,144 deaths, and 1,027 survivors. How this outbreak of Ebola compares to other Ebola outbreaks. DRC outbreak is the second biggest outbreak of the Ebola Virus since the tracking of the disease in 1976, sadly Ebola is still killing African people in 2019. The Ebola virus outbreak is heaviest in nine areas including Katwa and Vuhovi DRC. This Ebola outbreak is primarily affecting the northeastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo bordering Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan. During February 13 to April 4, 2019, a major increase in new confirmed and probable Ebola cases have been reported with a high risk of further spread. DRC outbreak is the second biggest outbreak of the Ebola Virus since the tracking of the disease in 1976. As of April 4, 2019, there were 1,100

Prepare the mind for elevation with 45 African wise sayings and proverbs. The tongue breaks bones though it has none. There is throughout Africa a large collection of wise sayings and proverbs. African proverbs embrace the wide range of human strokes of genius. They enchant with irony, humor, mischievousness, the grace of imagery, and the tenderness of emotion.  Forty-Five random African wise sayings and proverbs He who enters the home of a prostitute enters not to say his prayers. By going and coming a bird builds its nest. By blackening another, you do not whiten yourself. Poverty makes a man a slave. He that forgives gains the victory. The moon does not grow full in a day. The pearl lies at the bottom of the sea, while the corpse floats on the surface. The way through the challenge and to get unstuck is to be still, run your favorite African proverb repeatedly in your mind and then ask yourself what is the next right move.  Do the next right move and

Millet is not just one grain but the name given to a group of several different grains. Millet is a high protein whole grain that refers to a range of grains, not just one variety. Millet is small round grains varying in colors from brown, white, yellow and red.   Everything you ever wanted to know about millet grains. What is millet used for? Millet grain is used mainly as whole, cracked or ground flour, dough, or grain-like rice. These are made into fermented breads, foods, and thick porridges, steam cooked dishes, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. Millet is not just one grain but the name given to a group of several different grains. Pearl millet is one variety of millet, which originated in central tropical Africa. It is believed the plant was farmed as a food crop over 5,000 years ago along the southern margins of the central highlands of the Sahara desert. It has since become widely distributed across the semiarid tropics of Africa and Asia. Sorghum is a whole gr

Witch Trial Tests in Africa. Powdered bark of the Nkasa tree is given to suspected witches as a test to prove innocence or guilt. In 2019 this is how witches are identified in Southern Malawi and rural Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. The nkasa tree test for witches and vampires is just one ritual for the test for witches in Southern Malawi and rural Democratic Republic of Congo African villages. The nkasa tree is never cut for any other purpose except by the Nganga or witchdoctor cutting of a portion of its bark for the test for the witches ceremony. On the accusation of a person of witchcraft, if the accused vomits the powdered bark of the nkasa tree and live, they are innocent but if they die, they are guilty. It is believed the bark of the tree is not poisonous and does not cause vomiting or the death of the person who takes it, but the spirit in the tree that reveals the witchcraft in the person. The nkasa tree spirit must be honored and when the Nganga is about

Africa’s five highest internal displacement countries are due to widespread disasters, conflict, and violence. The poverty divide in Africa is worsened by conflict and forced displacement. These issues often arise due to political instability and armed conflicts within African countries. As a result, many people are forced to flee their homes to escape violence and persecution. This internal displacement can significantly impact poverty rates in the region. Internal displacement in Africa leads to increased migration, both within the country and across borders. Some displaced individuals might try to migrate to other regions, including the United States, for better living conditions and economic prospects. This migration can, in turn, contribute to the rise in homelessness in the host country as new arrivals often face challenges in finding stable housing and employment. Poverty refers to insufficient funds and resources to fulfill one's essential requirements, including food, cl