Africa Factbook

Toothbrushes and toothpaste are not the only ways to brush and whiten your teeth, using African teeth cleaning sticks from the neem and other trees is a traditional way to brush and whiten teeth. Nature's toothbrush, in Africa, that can mean keeping your toothbrush in your mouth all day long African Toothbrush Trees and Natural Toothpaste.  While it is common in industrialized countries to use factory made toothbrushes, most of the world’s population, especially indigenous cultures in Africa, still use old-world techniques to keep their teeth clean.  How to clean your teeth without a toothbrush?  In many regions of the world, people are cleaning their teeth with twigs, most often from the abotesima tree, gum tree, Kola-nut tree and the neep-neep or neem tree to name a few. People chew neem twigs instead of using toothbrushes, which can be very costly and must be replaced often.  Teeth twigs or toothbrush trees go by hundreds of names throughout Africa depending on the region;

What have you gained from holding on to things that want to be let go? Here are 14 African proverbs to help let it go, there is power in letting it go and opening up to new possibilities.  Many of us hold onto things long after we should have let go. We have to let go of the things that weigh us down and make peace within. Inner peace starts with looking from the inside. Let it go African Proverbs True Facts in Swahili and English Languages Swahili - Je, si kumwaga chozi kwa nini siyo ya wewe. English - Do not shed a tear for what does not belong to you. Swahili - iliyovunjika udongo sufuria au sahani haina kuwa mzima tena. English - A broken clay pot or plate does not become whole again. Swahili - Wale wanaoficha maumivu litajulikana wakati akilia. English - Those who hide pain will be made known when weeping. Let it go Swahili - Je, si kuvunja sufuria yako ya kupikia kwa kupita mgeni. English - Do not break

Look into African Dambe Fight Club Rules Learn about African Dambe, Hausa Communities, Africa Fight Club Rules, National Sport Africa, and Nigerian culture. Traditionally among the Hausa communities, Dambe fight clubs are a national sport centuries old and very popular. Dambe is a mixed martial arts boxing tradition that has been a part of Nigerian culture for centuries. Within the African Hausa social structure, individuals are classified as either being commoners or chiefs, depending on which profession they hold and the amount of wealth they possess.  Among the common class of Hausa communities, Dambe fight clubs are a national sport centuries old and very popular. African Dambe Fight Club Rules Ready to fight Fights last for three rounds, the competitors’ goal to knock down their opponent using kicks and punches. Quickness is important in Dambe, and like with many striking arts, a good reach is a big advantage.  The fi

Attiéké is a traditional Côte d'Ivoire African dish made from fermented ground cassava roots that Ivorians love to eat. The most popular recipe, attiéké poisson grille, fried fish prepared with sliced a tomato and onion salad is a Côte d'Ivoire national dish. Homemade attiéké looks like couscous and prepared correctly takes two days to make from scratch. Making it involves peeling and grating cassava to make a paste that is mixed with a small portion of already fermented paste. The mixture is left to sit for a day or two and ferment. The paste is then dried in the sun and steamed serving. Fried Fish Attiéké Poisson Grille Chic African Culture Côte d'Ivoire in Africa attiéké (pronounced atchekay) recipe has traveled far beyond the country’s borders to become a well-loved food in the African diaspora and beyond. Ingredients 1 large white fish  2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 medium onions, sliced thin Côte d'Ivoire African Fried Fis

Learn 33 interesting facts about the African country of Burundi including her geography, history, climate, people, and government. It is important to see beyond what a tourist usually sees and understand Burundi culture, economy, and her people. Make an effort to learn as much about Africa and Burundi as you can learn an African country a day to demonstrate your willingness to learn as well as a respect for the culture. 33 things Burundi is known for Facts about Burundi Africa You Need to Know. 1. Burundi goes by three names; her official name is the Republic of Burundi, short name Burundi and her local name is Republique y'u Burundi. 2. Former name of Burundi was Urundi derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi in the 17th-19th centuries. 3. Burundi is the most population-dense country in Africa. There is an average of 248 people per square mile and the population is growing rapidly at nearly 3% each year. Batwa Woman P

Shea butter is a staple of African skin care, cooking and medicine for a millennia. Shea butter comes from an African nut shea tree and is used in cosmetics, cooking and medicine. For centuries the shea tree and the butter produced from its fruit have been central to the lives of rural communities mainly women in Mali and other west African countries. Mali has one of the largest areas of trees in the so-called shea belt. Shea nuts used to produce shea nut butter Shea butter comes from the nuts of karité trees that grow in the Sahel region extending from West to East Africa, from Guinea and Senegal to Uganda and South Sudan. The women continue to harvest the fruit by hand from wild trees which grow in abundance across Mali’s red earth. The nuts are extracted, boiled, dried and shelled by groups of women and girls working together. They are then crushed, roasted and ground into a paste to make the butter. This physically demanding process has changed little since the late 18th century