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One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.

Welcome to the real Africa— told through food, memory, and truth.

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🔵 African Recipes & Cuisine

Dive into flavors from Jollof to fufu—recipes, science, and stories that feed body and soul.

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🔵 African Proverbs & Wisdom

Timeless sayings on love, resilience, and leadership—ancient guides for modern life.

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🔵 African Folktales & Storytelling

Oral legends and tales that whisper ancestral secrets and spark imagination.

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🔵African Plants & Healing

From baobab to kola nuts—sacred flora for medicine, memory, and sustenance.

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🔵 African Animals in Culture

Big Five to folklore beasts—wildlife as symbols, food, and spiritual kin.

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🔵 African History & Heritage

Journey through Africa's rich historical tapestry, from ancient civilizations to modern nations.

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About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: WikipediaEmory University African StudiesUniversity of KansasUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalMDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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Staff Picks 16 African Proverbs We Really Love

Chic African Culture Staff Picks 16 of their favorite African Proverbs. 

Africa is energy. Africa is love. Africa is happiness. Africa is wisdom. Africa is distinctive. Africa is alive.
Staff pick favorite African proverbs

One of the ways we celebrate our staff at Chic African Culture is through the Staff Picks on the homepage. We are an eclectic group of readers and writers with broad interests and strong feelings about the articles and the information we place on our website blog.

Sharing our 16 favorite and memorable African Proverbs was a tough job. However, Baaratou Abubakar, Karimou Karidjo, Sunu Nama and Bema Soro got the job done and here are their favorite African proverbs.


Staff Picks 16 favorite African Proverbs.


Suffering is a teacher - African Proverb
Abubakar Favorite African Proverbs

Baaratou Abubakar is Chic African Culture’s content editor since April 2009. Abubakar says, “It was hard to narrow my list down to four proverbs, I mean only four proverbs from the millions my family handed down over the years!  I choose the following proverbs because I remember my grandfather and father living as real men with very little book learning but a wealth of living knowledge, truth and principles.”

 

African Proverbs

Suffering is a teacher.

Truth crosses fire without being burnt.

The one who does not ask does not learn.

Days look alike but they are not the same.


Every town has its own way of cutting up a chicken. African Proverbs
Karidjo favorite African Proverbs

Karimou Karidjo is Chic African Culture’s layout designer since December 2009.  Karidjo says “Growing up I was painfully shy and had trouble making friends. I choose people who choose me and I learned the hard way in life many times over”

African Proverbs.

The beginning is hard.

Every town has its own way of cutting up a chicken.

The chicken is never proven innocent in the court of the hawks.

The crocodile does not have babies that end up acting like fish.


The patient person eats ripe fruit. - African Proverb
Nama favorite African Proverbs

Sunu Nama is Chic African Culture’s lead researcher since January 2010. Nama says “In my family if you are not a go-getter running fast and furious then you will never be a winner. I choose my four proverbs because they remind me everyone is different and now I understand that is ok.”

African Proverbs.

The patient person eats ripe fruit.

One who loves does not take revenge.

A little is better than too little.

Whoever counts the mistakes of a lover will never be loved.


The youth can walk faster but the elder knows the road. African Proverb
Soro favorite African Proverbs

Bema Soro is Chic African Culture’s social engineer since its online inception February 2008. Soro says, “I lost my sister to an accident when we were very young. I will never forget the kindness shown to my family by friends and neighbors. The experience touches me deeply still to this very day. My proverbs keep the small voice inside me motivated to never fall for the lie kindness and families are a thing of the past”

African Proverbs.

The basket that was used to carry a gift to a neighbor will bring back another gift.

Blessing is like the wind, even when doors are closed it enters.

A tree without roots cannot survive the wind.

The youth can walk faster but the elder knows the road.


The African Gourmet Logo.
African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.