Africa Factbook

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 give a

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 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 larger sections will produce bigger cornrows. 2.   Divide the hair section into three equal parts. 3.   Begin to brai

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. Shea butter for sunscreen protection 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 shea butter has undergone processing to re

The problem with aid to Africa is outsiders telling people in Africa how to do things and telling them if they don't behave they will not get help.   Polio vaccinations Is Aid to Africa Doing More Harm Than Good. C. Payne Lucas, a co-founder and former president of Africare, senior adviser to AllAfrica Global Media and president of the business consultancy Lodestar, says: "One thing about Africa: It is capable of change, and that's what we're working with. We now have a woman in Liberia by the name of Johnson Sirleaf, who walked into a living hell and now is going to build a nation-state. She will not be able to build it without the help of the American community and the development community. "No, aid is (currently) not right, but we have an opportunity to change it. One thing we have learned over the years: Our programs must be owned by Africans, they must be African-led, they must be sustainable and they must be accountable." William Easterly

Rice Riots. In 1979, dozens of protesters were killed and hundreds injured in rice riots following a proposed increase in the price of rice in Liberia. All About The Liberian Rice Riot of 1979 In Liberia, rice is a socially and politically important food crop. Unloading rice in Liberia Africa Liberian Rice Riot of 1979 Former President William Tolbert, without warning increased the price of a 100-pound bag of rice from $22 to$26- $30, an unheard of price increase considering most Liberians at the time lived on less than $1 US dollar per day. The  rationale  for Florence Chenoweth, Tolbert's minister of agriculture was for rice farmers to increase the production of rice instead of relying on imported rice. The increase in the price of rice called into action Gabriel Baccus Matthews who formed an opposition group called the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) to the government of Tolbert. Matthews and PAL called for a peaceful demonstration in Mon