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.

Esi Reunites with Her Unborn Son

This African folktale is an inspiring story of a mother and unborn son reunion. It tells the story of a mother's unwavering love for her child, and her determination to connect with him even after he has passed away. The story will inspire you to believe in the power of love and the possibility of connecting with loved ones beyond this physical world.

Esi Reunites with Her Unborn Son

Esi's story is a powerful reminder of the strength of ancestral wisdom and infinite spiritual connections in the face of unborn loss.

As the elders say, there was once a woman named Esi who lost her unborn son. She never had the chance to meet him or hold him, and the pain of her loss haunted her every day. 

Esi had heard of irugbin ilera from her great-grandmother. It is the threshold between wakefulness and sleep, where it was said that the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds was thinnest. 

Desperate to connect with her son in some way, she decided to try to reach him in this state. Every night before going to sleep, Esi would lay in bed and focus all her thoughts on her son, calling out to him in her mind.

She would concentrate on the feeling of his presence, imagining what it would be like to hold him in her arms. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, but Esi never gave up. She continued to reach out to her son every night, hoping that somehow, he would hear her and respond. 

One night, as she drifted into irugbin ilera, Esi felt a sudden warmth spreading through her body. It was as though a comforting presence had enveloped her, filling her with love and light. 

And then, she heard a voice, clear and sweet, calling out to her. "Mommy," the voice said. "It's me. Your son." Esi's heart leapt with joy as she realized that her son had come to her. She embraced him, feeling his tiny arms around her neck, and they spoke to each other, sharing memories and love. 

When Esi woke up the next morning, she felt a sense of peace and happiness that she hadn't experienced in months. She knew that her son was still with her, watching over her from the other side. 

From that day on, Esi continued to reach out to her son through irugbin ilera, and they would meet and talk every night. And though she never got to hold him in her physical arms, she knew that he was with her, always, and that their love would never fade. 

Love will never fade for my unborn son

Note: In Yoruba, irugbin ilera means the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep. The stage between being awake and asleep is called the hypnagogic state in the US. During the hypnagogic state, people may experience a variety of sensory experiences.

The African Folktale story of Esi is a tale of a woman who lost her unborn son and never had the opportunity to meet him or hold him. The pain of her loss weighed heavily on her, and she became desperate to connect with him in some way. She turned to her great-grandmother's teachings of irugbin ilera, the threshold state between wakefulness and sleep, where it was believed that the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds was thinnest.

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for the comment.

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

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 ...
Learn More About Africa

Camel Caravans Created the Internet

Image
Thanks to camel caravans facilitating trade and cultural exchange across Northern Africa, they laid the foundation for global connectivity, which eventually evolved into the internet driven world we know today.  Raising camels When business partners in Northern Africa started using camels, it changed how goods were traded. Before the domestication of camels, it was hard to cross much less carry things across the hot, dry desert. Camels could travel long distances without needing much water, so they made it easier to move valuable items like gold, salt, and cloth from one end of the African deserts to the other. Camel caravans helped people get things they could not find in their own neighborhoods and allowed them to trade to more people. Camels were kind of like how the internet and technology connect us today. Why were camels chosen for caravans across Africa?  Camels were less prone to diseases common in tropical regions, increasing their longevity and utility. Horses and do...
Learn More About Africa

Disaster That Shook Mayotte to Its Core

Image
Category 4 hurricane, 136 MPH Cyclone Chido destroyed the French Island of Mayotte. The island of Mayotte is a tiny, 144 square mile  French territory in the Indian Ocean reeling from a direct hit from Cyclone Chido, the strongest storm to hit the island in 90 years. Entire neighborhoods have disappeared, along with entire families. Mayotte is rhe poorest overseas territory of France, many accusations point to the debate that it is a forgotten holding place for undocumented refugees. Half the residence live in makeshift houses out of discarded pieces of wood cardboard, and anything else residents can get their hands on. With winds exceeding 136 mph, equivalent to a category four hurricane, on Sunday December 15, 2024, Cyclone Chido caused major destruction causing upwards of 1,000 deaths leaving 80% of the population homeless.  Nearly 84% of residents were already living under the poverty level before Cyclone Chido hit the small island. The infrastructure was very weak on the ...
Learn More About Africa

Explaining Bones and Stones of Africa

Image
Why Africa is Connected to Bones and Stones Have you ever wondered why bones and stones seem so important in African spirituality? Bones and stones hold the power for many African people as a connection to the spiritual world for protection in the natural world and eternal universe. The Power of Bones Bones are like the keys to a family’s history reminding people of the ancestors, those who lived before us and passed down wisdom, traditions, and strength. When people think about bones, they don’t just see the physical, they believe the spirits of their ancestors might still be connected to the bones, offering advice and protection. In numerous African culture traditions, spiritual leaders use bones to tell what’s coming. They throw animal bones or shells and look at how they land. Each position tells a story or gives a clue about health, family, or life decisions. Bones hold up the body, right? Because of this, they are often seen as a symbol of strength and support, reminding people...
Learn More About Africa