Chic African Culture Blog

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.

African Culture is World Heritage

Appreciate Africa through African art, food, proverb sayings, folklore, biographies, spirituality and African living history.

Freakish African Snails the Size of an Adult Fist

Giant African snail species are on the list of the 100 most harmful invasive alien species in the world, but the Giant African snail is easily adapted to life in regions outside its natural habitat and is considered one of the biggest land snails.


Giant African snails are about the size of an average-sized adult fist.

Freakish Giant African snails live on all continents except Antarctica.


Scientists consider the giant African snail, Lissachatina fulica, to be one of the most damaging snails in the world. It is known to eat at least 500 different types of plants, including breadfruit, cassava, cocoa, papaya, peanut, rubber, and most varieties of beans, peas, cucumbers, and melons.




The shell is generally reddish-brown in color with weak yellowish vertical markings but coloration varies with environmental conditions and diet. A light coffee color is common. In Africa, from Morocco to Mozambique it lives along the edges of forests but can live on the banks of rivers and streams, shrublands, agricultural areas, plantations, gardens, wetlands and in various urban sites.

Giant African snails are active during the night, and during the day it remains asleep, often buried beneath the ground to stay safe from predators. It is not a social species as it lives all its life alone; Not even after laying eggs, it establishes any bond with its offspring. An important part of the anatomy of this snail is a structure in the mouth similar to a tongue, which is called the radula. It has small teeth that allow snails to scrap the food before eating it.

The Giant African Land Snails are hermaphrodite which means that they have the reproduction organs for both males and females, so they have the capability to self-fertilize, but they do not usually do it. They mate in the traditional way.

Eggs hatch in anything from a few hours to 17 days. Snails mature at around 5 to 15 months, depending on the temperature (with cold winter temperatures inducing hibernation and delaying sexual maturity). The giant African snail lifespan can be up to 9 years, with 5-6 years being the normal range.

Giant African snails are also a general nuisance when found near human habitations and can be hazardous to drivers, causing cars to skid. Their decaying bodies release a bad odor and the calcium carbonate in their shells neutralizes acid soils, altering soil properties and the types of plants that can grow in the soil. The natural predators of this species are caterpillars, ground beetles, other species of snails, and many types of vertebrates.

Giant African snails are about the size of an average-sized adult fist.
Giant African snail-eating papaya 
Three giant African snail facts

Believed to be originally from East Africa, the Giant African land snail is also known as the kalutara snail.

The giant African land snail is the common name used to describe any of the three snail species native to Africa.

The giant African snails are (Achatina fulica), the giant Ghana tiger snail (Achatina achatina), and margies (Archachatina marginata).


Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

  1. Historical African Country Name
  2. Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa
  3. How many countries does Africa have?
  4. Roots of Africanized Christianity Spiritual Songs
  5. Chocolate Processing Facts History and Recipes
  6. Awesome Kenyan Woman
  7. Land is Not For Women in Sierra Leone
  8. African Kente Cloth Facts
  9. Accra the Ghanaian Capital Ultimate Mall Experience


Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

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.

This Week’s Best Posts and Pages

Top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals

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Gold Olympic Medals Africa Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Nigeria are the top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals. 10 African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals How much do you know about Africa's history at the Summer Olympics Games? The 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad has been a part of Africa’s history since 1904. Also in Rio 2016, the first-ever Team Refugees will stand before the world and prove that you can succeed no matter where you're from. Top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals African Country Gold Silver Bronze Total Kenya 24 33 29 86 South Africa 23 26 27
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Breadfruit Fries

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Breadfruit fries are easy to make. Breadfruit taste similar to potatoes and breadfruit fries are easy to make. Just like the banana and plantain the breadfruit is eaten ripe as a fruit or green as a vegetable. Breadfruits are edible large size fruit yellow green in color, a very popular recipe ingredient. In the green stage breadfruit is hard and the interior is white, starchy, coarse and hard. When fully ripe, the fruit is somewhat soft, the interior is a creamy yellow color and smells sweet.  Cooking with breadfruit sounds exotic because breadfruit does not look like your typical supermarket fruit. Breadfruit is cooked by baking, steaming, frying, dried and ground into flour.  The steamed fruit is sometimes sliced, rolled in flour and fried in deep fat in Ghana. In Uganda, breadfruit stew is made by boiling green chunks of breadfruit in milk and water until soft, then add onions, garlic, hot peppers, and spices. Breadfruits are edible large cantaloupe size fruit yellow green in col
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South African Beef Curry Recipe

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Perfect South African Apricot Beef Curry Recipe South African beef curry recipe is a South African food recipe to share around the world while learning about South Africa rainbow nation food history and favorite recipes of Black African, Colored mixed race ancestry, White, and Indian. South African Beef Curry Recipe When it comes to quick and satisfying slow cooker crockpot meals South African Apricot Beef Curry recipe is at the top of the African food dinner recipe list. Use your slow cooker for this simple South African Apricot Beef Curry recipe, it is full of apricot jam, spices and tender beef to serve with rice and grilled bread. How to Make Perfect South African Apricot Beef Curry Recipe Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture By Chic African Culture African food recipe South Africa food is one of the most diverse on the African continent. South African apricot beef curry is an easy delicious slow cooker dinner recipe to make on a weeknight. South Afr
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What is the difference between ugali and fufu

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How to make the popular African recipes Ugali and Fufu and what is the difference.  Ugali is a starch dish in Kenya and Tanzania made of fine cornmeal cooked in boiling water into a soft dough. Fufu is a thick, dough-like West African food made by boiling then pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava or a mixture of starchy vegetables. The main difference between fufu and ugali is fufu is boiled first then pounded while ugali is simply boiled. Ugali recipe. Easy Ugali Recipe Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes Ingredients 4 cups finely ground cornmeal 8 cups water Directions Heat water to boiling in a saucepan. Slowly pour cornmeal into boiling water stirring continuously. Add more cornmeal if necessary until it is thick as soft bread dough. Serve immediately with vegetables, stew, or any dish you would use a spoon with to soak up the sauce, ugali is purposely bland tasting on its own. What is the difference between ugali and
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African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

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Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet are dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing African history and heritage celebrating 14 years of service in 2021. Share and support in the pride of being part of an important cultural and educational resource.


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.

Chic African Culture

Be better than average and support African history and culture. Since 2008 Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet highlight Africa through her food and culture. Contact us culture1africangourmet@gmail.com

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