Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Kichalundu Heaven Tree African Folktale

Kichalundu the Heaven Tree is an African Folktale teaching the beauty of life from death.



Kichalundu the Heaven Tree is an African Folktale teaching the beauty of life from death.
 Kichalundu 

Kichalundu the Heaven Tree


Kichalundu went out one day to harvest vegetables from her garden, finding the gourd patch growing very luxuriantly; she stepped on the lushest spot and sank quickly into the soil. Frantically her friends took hold of her hands and tried to pull her out, but in vain; she vanished from their sight.

They heard her crying, "The ghosts have taken me. Go and tell my father and mother," and they ran to call the parents. The whole countryside gathered about the place, and a spiritualist advised the father to sacrifice a cow and a sheep. This was done, and they heard the girl's voice again, but growing fainter and fainter, until at last, it was silent, and they gave her up for lost.

But, after a time a tree grew up on the spot where she had disappeared. It went on growing until at last, it reached the sky. The herd-boys, during, the heat of the day, used to drive their cattle into its shade, and themselves climbed up into the spreading branches. 

One day two of them ventured higher than the rest, and called out, "Can you see us still?" The others answered, "No! Do come down again!" but the two adventurous boys refused saying, "We are going on into the sky to see Kichalundu in the world above" Those were their last words, for they were never seen again.


Kichalundu the Heaven Tree is an African Folktale teaching the beauty of life from death.
 Kichalundu Heaven Tree African Folktale

Read more about African folklore


Kichalundu Heaven Tree African Folktale


Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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