Chic African Culture Blog

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. African tech startups raise billions of dollars annually, seven African start-ups were included in the World Economic Forum 2021 cohort of 100 Technology Pioneers.

History of African Author Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot

One of Kenya's first black female pioneers of cultural empowerment, Kenyan African author Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot writes about the tensions between tribal customs and modern life.

 

African Author Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot
Hon. Dr. Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot 

All About Kenyan African Author Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot

Grace Ogot place in Kenyan African Writing History

Grace Emily Akinyi Ogot was born in Kenya's Central Nyanza district in 1930 to Christian parents. She began her career working as a nurse and midwife at Maseno Hospital and Makerere University College. Ogot then began working as a scriptwriter and broadcaster for the BBC.  Ogot made another career change as a community development officer in the Kisumu District Kenya. She also worked as a public relations officer for Air India. Ogot then made another career turnaround opening clothing boutiques in Kenya’s largest city of Nairobi.

During this time period of many career changes as nurse, journalist, radio host and business owner Ogot never stopped writing. In 1966 she published The Promised Land, making her one of Kenya's first generation of published writers in English and one of the first black female Kenyan novelists.  Grace Ogot wrote The Promised Land and the Nigerian author Flora Nwapa who wrote Efuru, both published books in 1966 and both were groundbreaking books by black African female writers. Ogot was a founding member of the Writers' Association of Kenya she served as its chairman from 1975 to 1980.

Ogot was named a delegate to the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1975 and as a member of the Kenya delegation to UNESCO in 1976. In 1984 Ogot served as a Member of Parliament and the only assistant minister for culture in the cabinet of Ex-President Daniel Arap Moi who served as the second President of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. Ogot is 84 years old and married to her husband of 55 years Bethwell Allan Ogot who is also a writer and politician.

Major Works by Grace Ogot

Major Works by Grace OgotThe promised land- 1966

Land without thunder - 1968

The other women - selected short stories- 1976

The graduate- 1980

The strange bride- 1983

Ogot recently published the story of her life entitled “Days of My Life: An Autobiography. She gives accounts of how she and her husband went through a lot of pain to have access to Ex-President Daniel Arap Moi in order to organize fund-raising meetings to develop her constituency.  The book, however, shows how Grace Ogot badly let down writers and thespians as Assistant Minister for Culture and Social Services. She never worked to improve the working climate of Kenya Cultural Center in general and the Kenya National Theater in particular.


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

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  3. Worst serial killers recorded in history are women
  4. Indigenous healers and plants used
  5. Night running illness or magic
  6. What is back to Africa

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Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

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

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

This Week’s Best Posts and Pages

Journal of Gifted Land Gifted South Africans

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African journalism heavyweight Dr. Walter Rubusana was a Lovedale Missionary School superstar who paved the way for Nelson Mandela's political career. Steven Biko, one of South Africa's most significant political activists was a student at the Lovedale Missionary School along with Nelson Mandela. Tiyo Soga was South Africa’s first indigenous Black African to be ordained and work for the Presbyterian Church in 1857, he also attended Lovedale Missionary School. In 1824 Scottish Presbyterian missionaries John Bennie and John Ross of the Glasgow Missionary Society founded the city of Lovedale South Africa and later in 1841 the Lovedale Missionary School. Lovedale Missionary School later changed names to Lovedale College, then Lovedale Public FET College in 2002.  In 1835 British Kaffraria governed by Lieutenant General Sir Benjamin D'Urban restricted the Xhosa tribe to specifically designated areas. The new territory was named from British Kaffraria to the Province of Queen Ade
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Percentage of White people living in Africa

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Largest white populace in Africa. The African country with the largest white population of European descent is South Africa with 7.8% of the total population of 56.5 million people, the second is Botswana with 7% of the total population of 2.3 million, third is Namibia with 6% of the total population of 2.6 million. Smallest white populace in Africa. There are seven African countries tied for the smallest number of whites living in Africa and they all begin with the letter S and Z, they are South Sudan, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Sao Tome and Principe, Zambia and Zimbabwe with .01% of the total population in each African country. Minorities in Africa. Race and ethnicity in Africa is complex because of the colonization of all 54 African countries except Ethiopia by white Europeans of the United Kingdom, Germany, Romans, Danish, the French, the Dutch, China and many others. The listing of white inhabitants on Africa’s mainland and Islands uses data from 2020 World Fact Boo
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Using Amen and Ashe or Ase

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Usage of Amen and Ashe or Ase Ashe to Amen learn about the custom of using the words Ashe and Amen historically. Where did the word Amen and Ashe come from why is it said and what does it mean? In Judaism, 3,500 years old and Christian religions 2,000 years old, Amen, means may it be so. In the African Yoruba language among the Yoruba people whose culture is as old as time, Ashe or Ase means may it be so. Ase or Ashe means power, commandment, and authority, the ability to make whatever one says happen from the spiritual to the physical realm. In the Yoruba language, Ashe is omnipresent spiritual energy. Followers of Judaism and Christian religions use the word Amen. It is the word utilized to end prayers as an affirmation for the requests to be provided by God. Yoruba is as old as time, Ashe refers to the life force within all living things, the spark that animates life. It is used as a term used in the same manner as Amen at the end of appeals and prayers as an affirmati
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Russia Military Training in Africa

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Russia's military presence in Africa is a long historic one. The Russian Congo military deal was signed in May 2019 to fix old war machines and guns. In the African country the Republic of the Congo Brazzaville,  a military cooperation agreement was signed with Russia in May 2019 providing military specialists to service Russian-made military hardware and equipment.  The government state organization the Congolese Armed Forces  is out armed using aging Russian Soviet-era weapons .  The Russian Congo military deal was signed in May 2019 after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and  former Marxist  Congolese president Denis Sassou Nguesso.  Sassou Nguesso employs  Private militias, which are are armed military groups that are composed of private citizens and not recognized by federal or state governments.  Many of the Russian military trainers are labeled as  unarmed advisers but are speculated to be soldiers and private contractors working for the Russian government.  Ru
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African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet are dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing African history and heritage celebrating 14 years of service in 2021. Share and support in the pride of being part of an important cultural and educational resource.


Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

Chic African Culture

Be better than average and support African history and culture. Since 2008 Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet highlight Africa through her food and culture. Contact us culture1africangourmet@gmail.com