Chic African Culture

Who Drinks Camel Milk and Eats Camel Meat
Interesting facts for the curious mind about eating camel meat, drinking camel milk and making leather goods from camel hide. Camel population in Kenya, Mali and Sudan rank below Somalia which has around 5.3 million heads. Camels are big business in Somalia, with a general annual export value estimated at over $250 million. There are two species of camels, one-humped Arabian camels or dromedaries the camels of the plains; and two-humped Bactrian camels the camels of the mountains.

The camel, like the cow, has a four-quartered udder. There are four teats, each having two holes. The camels are milked an average of three times a day and depending on the season, dry or rainy, the average milk production is about 5-30 liters per day. Camels lactate for about a year and unlike cows, which store all their milk in their udders, camels keep their milk further up their bodies.

Camels milk is generally opaque white. Normally it has a sweet and sharp taste…

Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone

Africa Youth Instruction in youth is like engraving in stone African proverb teaches love, security and recognition should be at the heart of family life.
Teaching Lesson African Proverb
Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture
7-29-2016


Children need leading in the right direction. When one hits you with a stone, you do not hit others with a piece of cotton.


It is easy to recognize when a child needs food when they are hungry and warm clothes when they are cold. Yet, a child’s mental and emotional needs may not be as obvious. Children need leading in the right direction. When children grow up without love they look for love and acceptance wherever they can find it because they never experienced love in a healthy way. Abuse can disrupt a child's emotional development.



More teaching lesson African sayings, quotes and proverbs
If better were within, better would come out.

When one hits you with a stone, you do not…

African folklore storytelling recounts the adventures of people and animals, and enlightens us on the mysteries of nature. One person does not invent folktales but they belong to the entire village, they are in the bones and the stones of the village.
African Folklore Story of How the Elephant Got Its’ Trunk
Now it is a matter of common knowledge that The elephant has a long trunk, which he uses both as a nose and as a sort of hand. It is a very useful trunk indeed. But he was once without it, and had a very ordinary short snout like other animals.
Elephant was always inquisitive and went sniffing about the forest, prying into the secrets of the other animals. One day he came across a dark hole in the ground, and into this hole, he poked his nose, to see what was there.
He at once regretted his curiosity, for a large snake, which lived in the hole, seized him by the nose and tried to swallow him. At this, the Elephant made a great uproar, and his wife came rushing to his assistance. Sh…

South Africans of Indian origin have retained their cooking traditions; Indian influences have contributed to the rainbow nation diversity of South Africa. South African Indian fish curry is a classic Indian recipe.

The first Indians arrived during the Dutch colonial era, as slaves, in 1684. In the decades, 1690 to 1725 over 80% of the slaves were Indians. This practice continued until the end of slavery in 1838. The Indian population in South Africa lives mostly in, Durban. South Africa has an Indian population of over 1 million people of Indian descent.

South African­ Indian Style Fish CurryIngredients 1 ½ pounds white fish fillets 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon garam masala 10 fresh curry leaves 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large red tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 hot pepper, finely chopped ½ cup coconut milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Water
Directions Heat oil in a frying pan over …

Mountain Gorilla Sightseeing in Rwanda and Uganda Endangered mountain gorillas are threatened by habitat loss, poaching, disease, and war in forested volcanoes that straddle the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and The Democratic Republic of Congo.



Mountain Gorilla Sightseeing in Rwanda and Uganda

Rwanda is one of only three countries in the world where the critically endangered mountain gorillas live in the wild. There are only around 1,000-700 mountain gorillas remaining on earth. In 1967, there were only around 240 mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, however, today due to conservation efforts, the population of mountain gorillas has doubled.

The endangered mountain gorilla is an herbivore living in the Virungas, a cluster of forested volcanoes that straddle the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and spans four national parks, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and Virunga National …

Chickpea Curry (Chole Masala) is a traditional vegetarian South African Indian recipe using a blend of chickpeas, vegetables and eight spices.
 South African Indian Chickpea Curry Chole Masala
Ingredients 3 cups cooked chickpeas 1 large potato, cooked and cubed 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 1 large red tomato, diced 1 teaspoon ginger paste 1 teaspoon garlic paste 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon salt  1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ cup vegetable broth or water
Directions Heat oil in a large frying pan and sauté spices for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, chickpeas, and 1/2 cup of water or vegetable broth and heat for 5 minutes.

About the South African city of Durban
South Africans of Indian descent largely live in and around KwaZulu-Natals’ city of Durban, South Africa with a population of over one million. Durban is the third most populous city in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town and the large…

What is Your Dagara Cosmology Sign

Dagara Cosmology In the Burkina Faso Dagara Cosmology tradition, there are two terms both pointing to the same Earth, Tingan and Tenbalu; Tingan is male, and Tenbalu is female.

What is Your Dagara Cosmology Sign
Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture
7-23-2016




Dagara Cosmology


The Burkina Faso Dagara Cosmology tradition is similar in thought to string theory where it is the theory of everything. Every particle in the universe contains a vibrating string which leads to other dimensions, nothing dies; instead, Tingan and Tenbalu are continually reshaping into other forms of matter.

Dagara Elder Malidoma Patrice Somé explains in Dagara Cosmology, the masculine and the feminine have little to do with biology. The masculine is Tingan similar to fire with an endless propensity to consume. The feminine is Tenbalu because of its nurturing and caring instinct. Earth is therefore a man and a woman with an endless capacity to generate and rege…

Red Carpet Cornrows | How to braid simple cornrow hairstyles

Red Carpet Cornrows Braids are making appearances both on and off the red carpet but braids are nothing new. Cornrows are a traditional African style of hairstyle dating back thousands of years where the hair is braided to the scalp. Learn how to braid red carpet cornrows hairstyles.
Red Carpet Cornrows | How to braid simple cornrow hairstyles
Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture
7-22-2016


The side braid, pigtail braids and the crown headband braid, double braid, and fishtail braids are variations of cornrows. There are countless traditional cornrow African styles, ranging from intricate turns and coils to the simple line style.
How to braid a simple cornrow hairstyle
Note: If you are cornrowing the hair needs to be detangled with water or a leave-in conditioner in order to create neat cornrows.
1.Uses a comb to create the size section you want, smaller sections will make smaller rows of cornrows, and lar…

Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro Quiz

Mount Kilimanjaro Quiz Take the quiz on Mount Kilimanjaro and test your mountain facts.
Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture
7-24-2016


Polo-Polo, the questions can be tricky so pay close attention to the details of each question before you answer.



The answers to the questions are below. Bahati nzuri, that is good luck in Swahili!
Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro Quiz

1. Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano that is comprised of three volcanic cones, Shira, Kibo and Mawenzi.
2. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the world and one of the Seven Summits.
3. An average climber can climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 15 days.
4. Mount Kilimanjaro is the most challenging mountain to climb in the world because from top to bottom, Kilimanjaro temperature ranges from 90 degree F to -10 degrees F.
5. Mount Kilimanjaro is completely located in Tanzania.
6. The first person to climb the mountain in a …