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Showing posts from October 4, 2015



Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

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. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Coffee Kiss DIY Lip Balm Recipe

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There are many kinds of beeswax lip balm out there, but it’s fun to make your own with coffee . Ethiopian Coffee Kiss DIY Lip Balm is a unisex beeswax lip balm made from coffee oil from the coffee growing capital of the world, Ethiopia. So make your coffee bean lip balm organic, certified vegan, certified cruelty free, non-gmo, gluten free, and an all-natural coffee lip balm. Ethiopia is the world’s fifth largest coffee producer and Africa’s top producer. Be sure to share Ethiopian Coffee Kiss DIY Lip Balm with the coffee lover in your life . Make coffee beeswax lip balm with just 4 ingredients Ethiopian Coffee Kiss DIY Lip Balm Recipe Ethiopian Coffee Kiss DIY Lip Balm Recipe Ingredients ¼ cup beeswax 2 tablespoons pure shea butter 2 tablespoons coconut oil 10 drops coffee bean essential oil Directions On low heat place all ingredients into a small saucepan, stir occasionally until ingredients are melt. Pour into containers of your choice and c

Dark Storms Make Bright Sunrises African Proverbs

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Sunrise African proverbs from the ancestors reminding us every sunrise brings the hope of a peaceful day. Sunrise African proverbs remind the world darkest battle, the darkest storm will always give way to the brightest sunrise. Think about the blessings that surround us, not the ones we are denied. Sunrise in Nairobi, Kenya Times for sunrise and sunset in Kenya will not differ much all over the year. The reason is the only fair proximity to the equator. Seven African countries are on both sides of the Equator . The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Republic of the Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, and Uganda. In Kenya , the summer the sun moves slightly to the north and in the winter slightly back to the south, but without much change in the distance. With up to approximately 12:10 hours the longest days happen to be in December. In June, a night in Nairobi lasts almost 12 hours. The sun in Nairobi rises between 6:10 a.m. and 6:52 a.m. (anti meridian). The S

Ethiopian Collard Greens Ready in Under 30-Minutes

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Gomen Ethiopian Collard Greens Ready in Under 30-Minutes Collard Greens Ready in Under 30-Minutes? Seriously? Yes, seriously.  Collard greens have a reputation for needing to be cooked to death but did you know that is just not true. Gomen Ethiopian Collard Greens recipe deliciously sautés collards greens in under 30 minutes.   Gomen Ethiopian Collard Greens Ready in Under 30-Minutes Ingredients 2 pounds collards, stemmed and chopped into long strips 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 sliced green bell pepper 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon paprika 2 hot peppers chopped 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root ½ cup of water Directions In a large pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Stir in onions, garlic, bell pepper, vinegar, spices, and sauté until just beginning to soften. Add hot

Taking Love, Family and Kindness for Granted African Proverbs

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Occasionally we all are taken for granted.   Igbo   African proverbs teaching not to take family, kindness and love for granted.  By no means should anyone take family, kindness and love for granted, they are life's greatest and most fragile gifts. Love is the greatest gift; we can give to one another. Family is the greatest gift given to us. Kindness is the greatest gift we can give to the world. "The bird with a long beak still cannot peck out anything on its own head." Igbo proverb meaning everybody needs somebody but if you take love, family and kindness for granted, you won't have anybody.

Tabono Play Hard Work Hard

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African Adinkra Symbol Tabono is an African Adinkra symbol whose secret meaning is strength, persistence, and hard work. Adinkra Symbol Tabono Symbol Meaning Adinkra symbols are pictures that narrate a history, belief or philosophy. West African Adinkra symbols represent ideas, proverbs, expressions, attitudes, and behavior depicted in simply drawn figure, think of it as a way of writing in code. The secret language of Adinkra symbols recounts the values and principles of the West African Asante people. Adinkra symbol tabono symbol meaning is strength, persistence, and hard work, tabobo is four paddles or oars. Tabono teaches you cannot have a million-dollar dream with a minimum wage work ethic. Tabono strength, persistence and hard work proverbs, quotes, and sayings Tabono is an African Adinkra symbol whose meaning is strength, persistence, and hard work. The symbol teaches us that the mind is attracted by what is wise and strong and has no pleasure in foolish things. The stu

Goat's Wrestling Tournament African Folklore Story

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Leopards hang their head in shame at being beaten in a wrestling tournament by goats. The leopard’s ancestor said, "I did not know that a goat could beat me!" The Goats tournament African Folklore story tells the tale of the Leopard's Tribe embarrassing defeat to goat in the great animal wrestling match. Goat's Wrestling Tournament African Folklore Story Goat's Wrestling Tournament African Folklore Short Story The Tribe of Goats sent a message to the Tribe of Leopards, saying, "Let us have a wrestling match, to see which is the stronger.” King Leopard took counsel with the wisest of the tribe, "This Tribe of Goats! I do not see that they have any strength. Let us agree to the contest; for, they cannot win! " Therefore, the Goat and the Leopard Tribe gathered meeting in the street of a nearby village, to engage in the drumming and dancing and singing which usually precedes such contests. For the wrestling, they joined in thirty

In Africa 29 African Countries Work With Doctors Without Borders

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Doctors Without Borders is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization working in over 70 countries, in Africa 29 African Countries Work With Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders Ebola Donka National Hospital in Conakry, Guinea Africa In Africa 29 African Countries Work With Doctors Without Borders Doctors Without Borders Motto is Medical aid where it is needed most. Independent. Neutral. Impartial. One-third of adults in Eswatini are HIV positive, which also increases their vulnerability to TB and other infections. Doctors Without Borders assisted the Ministry of Health with prevention and care in Shiselweni region in 2018. Doctors Without Borders offers  community-based testing for HIV and TB, oral HIV self-testing for hard-to-reach groups such as sex workers and men who have sex with men, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for people at increased risk of HIV infection. A total of 5,296 people accessed HIV self-testing and 468 were ini

Happiness when you have nothing African proverbs

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Two things define you, your attitude when you have everything, your patience when you have nothing. As the Igbo African elders say, One who gathers wealth and does not use it to do things does not have the profit from it. One takes good care of the place where he lives - Igbo proverb Happiness when you have nothing. When you wake up, get yourself out of bed. Lying there will only let the negative thoughts gather energy. Once you start moving, your frame of reference for the day will change. For many, it is a relentless journey, and the more you put in, the more you get out. While this kind of attitude may work for some, the latest scientific research suggests that it can also seriously backfire for many people – leading, for instance, to feelings of stress, loneliness, and personal failure. According to this view, happiness is best seen as kind of timid bird: the harder you strive to catch it, the further it flies away. People might set very high standards for their own happiness

South African Biltong Meat Stew Recipe

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Make South African biltong cabbage stew tonight. Biltong is dried meat eaten on its own, sliced into rice and pasta dishes, used as a topping on salads, soups, and stews and made into sandwiches. Simply add cabbage , biltong, tomatoes, onions, and carrots to create a filling delicious meal. Biltong Cabbage Stew South African Recipe Ingredients 4 cups chopped cabbage 1 cup shredded biltong 3 medium diced tomatoes 1 medium chopped onion 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 4 cups water Directions Add all ingredients into a large pot and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are soft. Serve over rice or as a stew. Biltong is a traditional snack from Southern Africa made of dried meat, biltong is not jerky. Biltong is substantially softer and thicker than jerky because it is air-dried whole for around 20 days and then cut into the desired amount. More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make rig

Returned Evil for Kindness African Folktale

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The Ape, the Snake, and the Lion returned evil for kindness African folktale is a children’s folklore story from Zanzibar Africa. Returned Evil for Kindness African Folktale Long, long ago there lived, in a village called Kendwa, a woman husband died, leaving her alone with a little baby boy. She worked hard all day to get food for herself and child, but they lived very poorly and went hungry most of the time. When the boy, whose name was Akia, began to get big, he said to his mother, one-day “Mother, we are always hungry. What work did my father do to support us?” His mother replied, “Your father was a hunter. He set traps, and we ate what he caught in them.” “Oho!” said Akia “that’s not work; that’s fun. I, too, will set traps, and see if we can’t get enough to eat.” The next day he went into the forest and cut branches from the trees, and returned home in the evening. The second day he spent making the branches into traps. The third day he twisted coc

8 Interesting Facts About Tanzania

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Eight fun and interesting fast facts for kids about Tanzania's wildlife, geography, and history. After achieving independence from Britain in 1961, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. 8 Interesting Facts About Tanzania Learn about Tanzania's wildlife, geography, and history with eight fun and interesting fast facts for kids. After achieving independence from Britain in 1961, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania capital city is Dodoma. Tanzania's 2013 population estimate is more than 49 million. Tanzania is the 13th largest country in Africa, more than six times the size of Georgia and slightly larger than twice the size of California. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and one of only two mountains on the continent that has glaciers

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.

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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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

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