Africa Factbook

The past illuminates the present, Sankofa Asante Adinkra symbol means know your history is to know yourself, the search for knowledge is a life-long process. Sankofa  Asante Adinkra symbol   Sankofa learning is a life-long process The Akan have an ancient and rich cultural heritage that includes the extensive use of pictorial symbolism in the writing system known as Adinkra, which was created by the Ashanti craftsmen of Ghana. Sankofa Ashanti or Asante Adinkra symbol represented either by a bird with its head turned backward taking an egg off its back, or as a curvy heart shape. “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi," "It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten." The Akan believe that the past illuminates the present and that the search for knowledge is a life-long process. The Sankofa symbol illustrates the quest for knowledge and the importance of learning from the past. Sankofa Means: san means to return + ko means t

Ginger chickpea fritters are easy to make 5 spice simple snack recipe. Serve ginger chickpea fritters with our kebbi African green hot pepper sauce for an extra kick of African flavor. Ginger Chickpea Fritters Ginger Chickpea Fritters Ingredients 2 cups chickpea flour ½ cup water ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1 tablespoon onion powder Vegetable oil for frying Directions In a large frying pan, add 1 cup of oil over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until soft dough forms. Shape mixture into 10 evenly sized fritters. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve with Kebbi African Green Hot Pepper Sauce . Grinding spices for ginger chickpea fritters More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare

Why is Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams Africa video considered controversial? Taylor Swift Wildest Dreams is set in colonial Africa in the 1950s and features almost no black Africans. Why was colonial Africa not a happy place for black Africans? Because blacks were considered a white man's burden. The scramble for Africa Taylor Swift Wildest Dreams Africa Video Joseph Kahn, the director of Taylor Swift's new Wildest Dreams video based in Africa during the unashamedly racially prejudiced and bigoted 1950s era defended the video following criticisms it portrays a misrepresented version of Africa. Kahn stated it "is not a video about colonialism but a love story on the set of a period film crew in Africa, 1950". Activists on social media criticized Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams for glamorizing a "white colonial fantasy of Africa". In a statement, Kahn denied that the video only includes white p

The idea held by white US citizens that there were too many freed blacks in Arkansas in 1817 lead to the creation of the African Country of Liberia. Back to Africa is the answer to the too many blacks in Arkansas USA question? Nine Arkansas counties led the way emigrating the most blacks to Liberia Africa from 1880 to 1890; Conway, Faulkner, Jefferson, Lee, Lonoke, Phillips, Pulaski, St. Francis, and Woodruff. Africa's Liberia began as a settlement of free blacks and freed slaves from the US established in 1822. The U.S. state of Arkansas emigrated more free and freed blacks to Liberia, more than any other US state. During the term of the fifth president and founding father of the United States, James Monroe, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was formed.  ACS, in 1817 sent free and freed blacks back to Africa as an alternative to emancipation in the United States. In 1822, the society established on the west coast of Africa a colony that in 1847 became the independent

Bees and Beekeeping are important in Africa Beekeeping in Africa has been practiced from time immemorial. All African beekeepers understand that no honeybee will ever allow a beekeeper to harvest its honey without a fight but the fight is worth collecting sweet honey for food and profits. Learn about bee loving flowers, what causes honey color and flavor, royal jelly, what is honey good for other than eating and beeswax uses. Mention bees and most people think of honey. Almost every society on earth has traditionally known and used honey. Traditional beekeeping or apiculture of Africa used mud beehives; other traditional hives is the grass hive, gourd hive, log hive, barrel hive, and the clay pot hive. Bee Loving Flowers. A melliferous flower is a plant which produces substances that can be collected by insects and turned into honey. Many plants are melliferous, but only certain plants have pollen and nectar that can be harvested by honey bees in Cameroon.

How to Use African Shea Butter How to Use African Shea Butter There are many answers on how to use African shea butter since it is a multi-purpose skincare lotion. Apply African shea butter to your scalp for deep conditioning; moisturize your skin, especially elbows, knees and the heels of your feet with African shea butter. How to Use African Shea Butter It takes approximately 20 years for a tree to bear fruit and produce nuts, maturing on average at 45 years. Most trees will continue to produce nuts for up to 200 years after reaching maturity.  Eight African countries produce high quantities of Shea nuts; they are in order Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Togo and Guinea.  The nuts of shea tree can be collected and processed by crushing and grinding by hand or a machine to yield shea butter. Shea has long been recognized for its emollient and healing properties, ideal for soothing skin in the dry climate of the region. Reports of its u

Mount Kenya grows purple tea leaves that make a royal cup of thistle colored purple tea. Black tea was first introduced in Kenya around 1904, on a farm on the foothills of Mount Kenya , today's farmers grow unique purple tea plants. Kenyan farmers grow purple tea leaves that make a unique cup of purple tea. Growing Fields of Purple Tea leaves in Africa’s Kenya Kenyan farmers grow purple tea leaves that make a unique cup of purple tea. Kenya in East Africa is the world’s leading exporters of tea and Kenya's Kirinyaga County town of Kerugoya is the crown jewel of purple tea leaves. The purple comes from leaves with high levels of anthocyanins, responsible for the red, purple, and blue colors in fruits, vegetables, cereal grains , and flowers. Kenya's purple tea leaves were developed and pre-released by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya however, there is currently a very small market for purple tea, the processing techniques use hand rolling methods,

Wisdom Knot Adinkra Symbol Nyansapo the wisdom knot Adinkra symbol represents intelligence and wisdom. Adinkra symbols are symbolic pictures. Many corporations use the Adinkra symbols as their company logo. Nyansapo Wisdom Knot Represents Intelligence Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture 8-31-2015 Nyansapo Adinkra Symbol Adinkra symbols are commonplace today but were the exclusive right of royalty and spiritual leaders, and only used for important ceremonies. Adinkra also means goodbye or farewell in Twi the language of the Akan.  Wearing Adinkra symbols were the tradition of the Akan especially the Asante to wear clothes decorated with Adinkra symbols on important occasions especially at funerals. Adinkra symbols are symbolic pictures Nyansapo the wisdom knot Adinkra symbol represents intelligence and wisdom whose secret meaning is a knot in which the Asante chief shows his superior knowledge and intelligence by tying and untying the complicated Nyansapo k

Kenya’s Gikuya tribe calls Mount Kenya Kere-Nyaga where the supreme God Ngai lives. Mogai gave a wife to Gikuyu named Moombi and they created nine beautiful daughters. Origin of the Gikuyu Tribe of Kenya Mogai, the divider of the universe called a man named Gikuyu to him taking him to the top of Kere-Nyaga Mount Kenya. Mogai pointed out the lush fertile lands and told the Gikuyu man all is his, if he is ever in need, raise his hands toward Kere-Nyaga and pray.   Mogai also gave a wife to Gikuyu named Moombi and they created nine beautiful daughters. However, Gikuyu wanted a son to carry on his name.   Mogai told Gikuyu not to worry and make sacrifices to the mountain Kere-Nyaga where the God Ngai lives but he must do this while standing under a fig tree.   Mogai told Gikuyu if he did as told he would be blessed with nine handsome strong young men to marry his beautiful nine daughters. Gikuyu did as he was told making sacrifices to Kere-Nyaga.   When he returned to the fig tree