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One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.

Welcome to the real Africa— told through food, memory, and truth.

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🔵 African Recipes & Cuisine

Dive into flavors from Jollof to fufu—recipes, science, and stories that feed body and soul.

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🔵 African Proverbs & Wisdom

Timeless sayings on love, resilience, and leadership—ancient guides for modern life.

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🔵 African Folktales & Storytelling

Oral legends and tales that whisper ancestral secrets and spark imagination.

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From baobab to kola nuts—sacred flora for medicine, memory, and sustenance.

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Photo of Ivy, author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: WikipediaEmory University African StudiesUniversity of KansasUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalMDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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From political insights through food to traditional wisdom and modern solutions - explore Africa's depth.

Creation of the World African Folklore

Creation of the world is an interesting African folklore story about how the world was created according to the Yorubas of West Africa.

Creation of the world is an African folklore story about how the world was created
Creation of the World African Folklore
Creation of the world African Folktale

This is the story of how the world was created according to the Yorubas of West Africa.


The entire world was filled with water when God decided to create the world. God sent his messenger Obatala to perform the task of creating the world. Obatala brought along his helper, a man named Oduduwa as well as a calabash full of earth and a chicken. Then they began their descent to earth from a rope.


Along the way, they stopped over at a feast where Obatala got drunk from drinking too much palm wine. Oduduwa, finding his master drunk, picked up the calabash and the chicken and continued on the journey.


When Oduduwa reached the earth, he sprinkled earth from the calabash over the water and he dropped the chicken on the earth. The chicken then ran around spreading the earth in every direction he moved until there was land. Oduduwa had now created earth from what used to be water.


Later when Obatala got out of his drunken haze, he discovered that Oduduwa had already performed his task and he was very upset. God however gave him another task to perform – to create the people that would populate the earth.



And that was how the world was created in a place now called Ile-Ife.



Recipes Explain Politics

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

Africa Worldwide: Top Reads

African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.