African Food, Art, and History Blog

Drink Camel Milk and Eat Camel Meat Camel meat is widely eaten in Egypt and Somalia. 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, but sometimes it is salty and at times the milk tastes watery.  Some p

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. Abuse can derail a child's emotional development  More teaching lesson African saying

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

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 Curry Ingredients 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 tablespoo

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. Endangered mountain gorillas are herbivores 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 Natio

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  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 popul

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 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 regenerate, to

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, smalle

Read about Mount Kilimanjaro and test your mountain facts. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania Africa. Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro. Some of the largest volcanoes in Africa and the Rift Valley are Mount Kilimanjaro located in Tanzania, this is a dormant volcano and Mount Kenya has never erupted. Kilimanjaro is the fourth most topographically prominent peak on Earth. It is part of Kilimanjaro National Park and is a major climbing destination. A network of rivers drains Kilimanjaro and streams, especially on the wetter and more heavily eroded southern side and especially above 1,200 meters or 3,900 feet. Below that altitude, increased evaporation and human water usage reduces the water flows. The Lumi and Pangani rivers drain Kilimanjaro on the eastern and southern sides. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania Africa . The mountain and its surrounding forests were designated a game re

Use DIY Fluffy Whipped Shea Butter Cream a deep conditioner for hair, body massage oil, dry skin hydration, eczema relief, and sunscreen protection. DIY Fluffy Whipped Shea Butter Cream Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups room temperature raw shea butter (yellow in color) 1/2 cup coconut oil 2 tablespoons honey 8 drops of your favorite essential oil Directions: Add all ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape the side of bowl while mixing. Add your fully whipped shea butter to a mason jar or an empty plastic jar with a cap. Use: Use DIY Fluffy Whipped Shea Butter Cream a deep conditioner for hair, body massage oil, dry skin hydration, eczema relief, and sunscreen protection. Types of shea butter 1.   Raw shea butter is butter is shea butter which has not been filtered or molded into shapes. 2.   Unrefined shea butter is filtered and sometimes molded. 3.   Refined sh