Eastern Mali politics of electricity, November 2012-2015 fighting between militia groups in Menaka Eastern Mali Africa meant no electricity for 3 years.

Menaka Eastern Mali living in the dark, the politics of electricity in Africa.

Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture

The Fight to Control the Eastern Mali town of Menaka Electricity.

 
The internal conflict between pro-government militias and rebels claiming a Tuareg homeland from the Northern desert town of Kidal, MNLA (Movement for the National Liberation of Azawad), left the town of Menaka in northern Mali occupied by a succession of rebel groups for three years.

 
It also left them without electricity; Menaka was the last stronghold under MNLA control. The large population of ethnic Songhai in Gao, the regional capital and the north’s biggest city, who do not necessarily agree with the ambitions of the mainly Tuareg population in the key northern town of Kidal, who want the northern territory they call Azawad recognized as an independent state.

 
The groups targeted the electrical grid early on during the occupation. Vendors lost the ability to keep goods cold, homes could not access critical information about the conflict and peace process via television, and most troubling the Menaka hospital was unable to operate lifesaving electrical equipment.

Fighting troops in Northern Mali 

Menaka in Eastern Mali

Former Tuareg rebels operating in northern Mali took control of the key town of Menaka. “While the rebels issue passports and collect taxes in the Republic of Azawad, this is still Malian territory,” said Hamadou Ag Kaoussane, the mayor of N’Tilit, a local community south of Gao. Many analysts believe the battles between rival armed Tuareg groups and their allies in northern Mali are motivated largely by economic disputes over territory and trade routes.

 
Under a peace agreement in June 2015, all armed groups left Menaka in the hands of U.N. peacekeepers and Malian authorities. However, the population of 20,000 was left with degraded public infrastructure including the destruction of the electrical grid. In November 2015, less than three months after work began, the electrical network of Menaka was fully restored by USAID.

 
Today, tentatively, a little over 7,000 subscribers directly access the electrical grid, as well as the public hospital. Community members who were not paying customers of the electrical utility benefited from access to cold goods, neighborhood TVs, and improved health care at the hospital.

 

Did you Know?
Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali.

Rampant urbanization, rural exodus, insecure employment, street children, insecurity and mass youth emigration. African cultures traditions and rituals are in fear of being lost.

South African woman wearing Ndebele neck rings

The current era of globalization is having a melting pot influence on indigenous African cultures.

African social relations based on the traditional values of family solidarity, clan unity and social cohesion have been and continue to be sorely tested by modern times.

Indigenous African cultures have been disappearing, taking valuable knowledge with them. Each African culture is a unique answer to the question of what it means to be human. In today’s rapidly changing world, people from Africa worry about losing their traditional culture, the traditional way of life is getting lost.

Cultures are rooted in a time and place. They define how people relate to nature and their physical environment, to the earth and to the cosmos, and they express our attitudes to and beliefs in other forms of life, both animal and plant.

Throughout Africa, ancestral social relations based on the traditional values of family solidarity, clan unity and social cohesion have been and continue to be sorely tested by modern economies. Economic inequality and the exclusion of social groups in all sectors of the population are among the many factors of instability that exacerbate the loss of meaning of the African traditions of solidarity and sharing.

They are not the only causes but they are the most visible ones and they generate the most rapid transformations – rampant urbanization, rural exodus, insecure employment, street children, insecurity and mass youth emigration. The prevalence of certain practices rooted in ancestral traditions does not encourage the promotion of freedoms and rights, in particular those of women and girls.

In Africa, too, many conflicts and wars have broken out within and between States in the last three decades, with consequences such as the mass displacement of entire populations, the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, and the destruction of social and cultural infrastructure.

In particular, education systems, the cultural heritage, scientific and cultural infrastructure and biodiversity have been affected indirectly by these conflicts and have been damaged irreparably in many cases. Many fear the loss of indigenous cultural identity when ancient African culture is homogenized leading to cultural assimilation including loss of African languages.

The current era of globalization is having a melting pot influence on indigenous African cultures. While this may promote the integration of societies and has provided millions of people with new opportunities, it also brings with it a loss of uniqueness of indigenous African cultures, which in turn can lead to loss of identity and even self-conflict. This is especially true for traditional African societies, which are exposed to rapid modernization.

Language is a part of culture; nearly half of the 7,000 languages spoken in the world are expected to vanish in the next 100 years.  In Africa, over 2,000 are spoken on the continent and hundreds are endangered or critically endangered. 

The extinction of a language results in the irrecoverable loss of unique cultural knowledge embodied in it for centuries. Deep in our hearts, we all understand that the quality of our lives depends, to a great extent, on our being able to take part in, and benefit from our culture.

In 2013, Kenya began a campaign toward the Maasai of educating the tribe on the negative connotations of ear stretching and upper cartilage piercing. Some Kenyan officials believe tribalism is hurting Kenya and the more mainstream an individual is the more likely they can absorb into conventional society.

The Samburu are extremely dependent on their animals for survival. On November 11, 2011, thousands of the Samburu livestock were impounded due to a dispute over land ownership with Nature Conservancy and the African Wildlife Foundation who purchased the land and gave it as a gift to Kenya for a national park, to be called Laikipia National Park. The Samburu legal case was heard in the town of Nyeri December 14, 2011 and the court ruled The Kenya Wildlife Service had secured legal registration of the land.

Links to African history and facts

African Water Spirit Mami Wata

Reported Female Genital Cutting Countries

Nkasa Tree Test for Witches

African Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention

Life in the Slums of Africa

The Walking Dead | Learn All About Voodoo

How Drones Are Changing Humanitarian Disaster Response

Learn how to cook red kidney beans to prepare them for use in the best fried fritter recipe ever. Our family-friendly recipe will get everyone excited about red kidney beans and African spices.

Make and share this red kidney bean fritter recipe. Red kidney beans and spices fried in a batter never tasted better. Red bean fritters are the perfect combination of red beans and spices.

Red Kidney Bean Fritters Recipe

Red kidney bean fritters are a fried African snack recipe made with red kidney beans and spices. Learn how to make a tasty African recipe of red kidney bean fritters with Chic African Culture.

Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 15 min Total time: 30 min

Ingredients
1 15 ounce can red beans with all liquid drained
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Oil for frying

Directions
In large bowl add all ingredients and mix well until a soft dough forms. Form into golf ball size dough and flatten, fry until brown about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil, serve as a snack.

Working to Live, Living to Work, Photos tell a story about Africa.

A hand that's dirty with honest labor is fit to shake with a King.

I got work to do pics of Africa

Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture

Kameru preparing a meal for her family in Yaounde the capital of Cameroon.

A villager hollows out a canoe with an adze. The canoe is hollowed next to the water to test the buoyancy. By periodically launching the boat the canoe-builder can judge where it is best to remove material for an even-keel. The shape of the canoe gives stability and permits propulsion.

Woman carrying cassava, Yangambi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ugwono Pauline plants Gnetum (okok) in the village of Minwoho, Lekié, Center Region, Cameroon.

Jean Mombombi Nyangue a fisherman on the Congo River, Lukolela, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Son of the soil, a small family farmer working harvesting grapes.

Madou (foreground) a 14 year old farmer and Zakari a 23 year old farmer are making bricks to sell, Sibi village, Burkina Faso.

A charcoal maker in Nyimba district, Zambia, holds up a piece of charcoal.

Gold mining in Tamiougou just south of Kongoussi. A gold miner pans the crushed ore to find gold. Burkina Faso.

Words to remember about about honest labor

Promise little and do much. 

Words are mere bubbles of water; deeds are drops of gold. 

A hand that's dirty with honest labor is fit to shake with a King.

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

1. African Country Names Your Saying Wrong
2. What do Waist Beads Symbolize in Africa?
3. About African Healers and Witchdoctors
4. Hurricanes are Angry African Ancestors
5. Highest Temperature and Lowest Temperature in Africa
6. About African Night Running

We all have that favorite quote!

African proverbs can distill a lifetime into one short sentence. African proverbs articulate that which we cannot see, identify, sense, believe, think, understand, envision, hope, and dread.

I love that quote!

 

By Chic African Culture

African proverbs have potent power. Need help giving voice to your current state of mind; here are 15 of the best-loved African proverbs online that know exactly what it really means to be you.

The body is easily satisfied but not the heart.

 

Do not abuse the hospitality of others.

 

Do not tell the person who is carrying you that he stinks.

 

Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped.

 

Early corn is best, so the firstborn is the one to delight in.

 

Fortune favors the foolish.

 

In the larger affairs the minor are forgotten.

 

It is a bad child who does not take advice.

 

It takes a village to raise a child.

 

Labor has sure reward.

 

Searching for something can be in the way of finding it.

 

The path is made by walking.

 

The way a man dies is determined by his occupation.

 

To go out often is your father and to sit in one place is your mother.

 

Wealth is short-lived.

 

African Proverbs

35 Unusual Facts About Africa: Wisdom, Reality, and Hard Truths

Africa is often praised as the “cradle of humanity” and the land of deep ancestral wisdom. But beyond the romantic image, Africa is also a continent of contradictions — breathtaking culture and harsh poverty, ancient achievements and modern challenges. Here are 35 surprising facts that paint a fuller, more complex picture.

Memorable African Voices

• Nykhor Paul (South Sudanese model): “Dear white people in the fashion world… don’t make me feel bad because I am blue-black — it’s 2015.”
• Nelson Mandela (South African leader): “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
• Dr. Mo Ibrahim (Sudanese billionaire): “You stay divided; you stay backwards Africa.”
• Aliko Dangote (Nigerian tycoon): “In Africa, as you’re being successful and doing things right, you’re also creating a lot of enemies.”
• Patrice Motsepe (South African entrepreneur): “Man cannot live by bread alone… but man can also not live without bread.”
• Sudhir Ruparelia (Ugandan billionaire): “Do business that suits your lifestyle, interests and passion so that you enjoy what you are doing.”

35 Facts: Africa Beyond the Myths

These facts show both Africa’s remarkable heritage and its ongoing development struggles — useful context for anyone who wants to move beyond one-dimensional “Africa is wise” or “Africa is poor” stereotypes.

1. Africa has 54 countries; South Sudan is the newest and Liberia the oldest republic.
2. Sudan was Africa’s largest country until it split into Sudan and South Sudan.
3. Algeria is now the largest African nation by land area.
4. Cairo is Africa’s largest city and Egypt’s capital.
5. Africa’s length and width are nearly equal — about 4,660 miles each way.
6. It’s the second most populated continent: over 1.2 billion people (~15% of the world).
7. Nigeria leads with 200M+ people; Seychelles has fewer than 100k.
8. There are ~3,000 ethnic groups and ~2,000 languages; Arabic is most widely spoken.
9. Many Africans follow traditional beliefs where ancestors guide the living.
10. Sangomas (Southern Africa) serve as healers and seers.
11. The Equator cuts through multiple African nations, shaping diverse climates.
12. The Nile, 4,132 miles, runs through 11 countries — the world’s longest river.
13. Victoria Falls spans nearly a mile on the Zambia–Zimbabwe border.
14. The Sahara covers 3.5M square miles — the largest hot desert on Earth.
15. Mount Kilimanjaro stands 19,340 ft; Lake Victoria covers 26,560 sq mi.
16. Madagascar is the 4th largest island in the world.
17. Namibia’s Dragon’s Breath Cave holds the world’s largest underground lake.
18. Africa hosts 85% of the world’s elephants and nearly all wild lions.
19. Bird diversity is huge — over 25% of the planet’s bird species.
20. Kolmanskop (Namibia) turned from diamond boomtown to ghost town.
21. South Africa’s Blyde River Canyon is the world’s largest green canyon.
22. “King Kong” (1959) launched modern Black South African theatre.
23. Women led much of the anti-apartheid resistance from 1948 onward.
24. By 2025, Africa has 500M+ internet users, but access remains uneven.
25. Ghana helped pioneer Africa’s early broadband with undersea cables.
26. One in four humans will live in Africa by 2050.
27. Climate change threatens up to 180M lives in sub-Saharan Africa this century.
28. South Africa still gets 90%+ of its electricity from coal.
29. Deforestation from Congo Basin to West Africa drives global emissions.
30. 40M people depend on the Congo rainforest, home to gorillas & bonobos.

Challenging the “Africa Is Wise” Stereotype

It’s true Africa gave the world humanity, languages, and early innovation. But reverence alone doesn’t solve poverty, conflict, and environmental risk. Wisdom must be paired with governance, education, and innovation to unlock Africa’s full potential today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Africa really as ancient and wise as people say?

Africa is the cradle of humankind and home to rich philosophies and traditions. But “wisdom” isn’t evenly distributed, and romanticizing it can hide real economic and social struggles.

Why is Africa still poor if it’s so rich in history and resources?

Colonial legacies, governance issues, global trade imbalances, and climate stress keep many nations struggling despite vast natural and cultural wealth.

Can Africa overcome its challenges?

Yes — with innovation, better leadership, trade reform, and investment in education and infrastructure, Africa can transform its potential into prosperity.

Why Turtles Love Water African Folktale

Turtles spend most of their lives in the water and the African folktale, why turtles live in water explains the reason why.

Turtles spend most of their lives in the water paddling along with webbed feet or streamlined flippers. Sea turtles almost never leave the ocean, except to lay eggs in the sand. Freshwater turtles live in ponds and lakes climbing out of the water only to lay out in the sun on logs or rocks, but why? The African folktale, why turtles live in water explains the reason why.

Why Turtles Live in Water is a captivating African folktale.

 
Turtles used to live on the land, they say, until the time a clever turtle was caught by some hunters. They brought him to their village and placed the turtle before the Chief, who said, "How shall we cook him?"

"You'll have to kill me first," said the turtle, "and take me out of this shell." "We'll break your shell with sticks," they said. "That'll never work," said the turtle, "Why don't you throw me in the water and drown me?!"

"Excellent idea," said the Chief. They took the turtle to the river and threw him into the water to drown him. They were congratulating themselves on their success in drowning the turtle, when two little green eyes poked up in the water and the laughing turtle said, "Don't get those cooking pots out too fast, foolish people!

As he swam away he said, "I think I'll spend most of my time from now on, safely in the water." It has been that way ever since!

Links to more African Folklore

Baboon Shepherd African Folklore
The Bird That Made Milk African Folklore
Why Some Souls Are White and Others Black
Legend of Deepest Darkest Africa
Rabbit Angered Moon African Folktale
Nkasa Tree Test for Witches

Wise African Proverbs

Chic African Culture

Intelligence has its advantages but you can be intelligent without being wise. Wisdom goes beyond intelligence and those who think of themselves as intelligent and put down others for not being book smart are certainly not wise.

Wise men in Afataranga Benin Africa

How to Think Like a Wise Person African Proverbs

The wise man never takes a step too long for his leg.

The opinion of the intelligent is better than the certainty of the fool.

Follow the saint no further than his doorstep.

You become wise when you begin to run out of money.

Optimism leads to riches and pessimism leads to poverty.

A man dies, but his word lives forever.

Your lips are your enemy.

If you want to eat honey, follow the bees.

If generously shared, a flea can be bitten twice.

You will die poor if you rely on relatives.

One should either become a pillar or lean against one.

A wise man plans for tomorrow, a fool plans only for today.

The patient person eats ripe fruit.

Learn politeness from the impolite.

How to Think Like a Wise Person African Proverbs​.

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe 8-Year Letter Writing War Against Apartheid to free her husband.

About apartheid political prisoner Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe and his wife Zondeni.

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe 8 year letter writing campaign from 1960-1968 to white elected officials during Apartheid were part of her activist's toolkit demanding good quality healthcare and release of her husband, Apartheid political prisoner Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe.

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe, wife, mother, nurse and activist.

I will not be ignored!

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe
wife of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe
and their twin boys

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe wife of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, founding member and first president of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and Robben Island prisoner waged an 8-year letter writing war against the apartheid government and refused to be ignored.

Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe is a black South African woman whose husband Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe on May 4, 1960, was sentenced to three years in prison charged with sedition and incitement to riot for leading South Africans to demand the repeal of the pass laws. 

On April 7, 1960, the Unlawful Organizations Act No 34 provides for organizations threatening public order or the safety of the public to be declared unlawful. The ANC, Nelson Mandela organization and the PAC, Robert Mangaliso organization were immediately declared unlawful on April 8, 1960 and is banned in South Africa.

At the end of his three-year sentence on May 3, 1963, Parliament enacted a General Law Amendment Act and included the Sobukwe Clause, which legally permitted the Minister of Justice, Frans Christiaan Erasmus to prolong the detention of any political prisoner indefinitely.

The Sobukwe Clause was renewed every year and Sobukwe remained at Stoneyard in Benoni then he was then taken to Stofberg, from there to Witbank, from Witbank to central jail where he spent three years. After that, he was transferred to Robben Island to serve the remainder of his time indefinitely mostly in solitary confinement. 

Mrs. Sobukwe requested a hearing with the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and on May 12, 1997, under oath stated, “He was not even re-arrested, he had completed his sentence, on that day I was knitting jerseys for the children. My husband said that I must cook him dinner because he was coming back home. When I went to visit him, I was told that he was transferred to Robben Island under the Sobukwe Clause.”

“Nothing came to my surprise or shock, because from the day I met him he was in the struggle and he died in the struggle. Everything was to be expected. I was not too grieved, in the sense that I expected these things.” - Zondeni Veronica Sobukwe wife of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, founding member and first president of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and Robben Island prisoner.

Mrs. Sobukwe challenged through her numerous letters the inadequate medical treat her husband received from doctors Robben Island. Not one of her multiple requests for meetings with her husband’s doctors or specialists were granted. Mrs. Sobukwe stated, “All those doctors that examined my husband whilst he was in custody, the Government of the National Party must give me answers. Why was he in solitary confinement?” during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing.

Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe

Mrs. Sobukwe wrote letters to Prime Minister Hendrik Frensch

Verwoerd and Frans Christiaan Erasmus the Minister of Justice demanding her husband be released to obtain medical attention at home, but government officials ignored her and her requests. 

She did not stop there, Mrs. Sobukwe wrote letters to lawyers requesting they intercede in order to force Robben Island's Medical officials to consult an independent doctor, but this request was also refused. 

Parliament would discuss whether her husband was to be released, but they would refuse also. "I was writing twice a year asking for his release. I wanted him to be treated. In 1965 or 1966, he complained that his food was served with broken glasses."

Mrs. Sobukwe stated “Between the hours of nine and ten the police would always come. We tried to cheer ourselves up as the ladies and we would laugh, make a joke out of it. In 1969, they answered me from the very last letter I wrote in November 1968, they wrote back to me saying that they will not release my husband because they got information that he was still quite dangerous but then in May 1969, they released him without notice.”

Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe was hospitalized in 1977 due to lung cancer. His wife and doctors requested that the government allow him freedom to travel without a pass due to humanitarian reasons but the request was denied. He died on February 27, 1978, and was buried in the town of Graaff-Reinet on the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa March 11, 1978.

Goat cheese can easily be made at home

Chic African Culture

Artisan Goat Cheese Making at Home

Goat cheese is easier to digest than cow's milk making it a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant. Goat cheese can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

By Chic African Culture

Goat cheese or chèvre is cheese made from goat's milk. Goat cheese is made all over Africa where goats and goats milk are in abundant supply.


Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 12 hours

Fresh Goat Cheese Recipe

Serves 8
Food of Africa
There are many types of cheese and just as many methods for making it.

Nutrition facts: 103 calories per serving, 8 grams fat

Ingredients

8 cups pasteurized goat milk
1/8 teaspoon direct-set mesophilic starter culture
1/8 teaspoon liquid animal rennet
1 tablespoon cold water
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt


Directions

Slowly heat goat milk in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until the temperature is 90 degrees, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle culture over surface of the milk and gently stir until combined. 

Dilute rennet in water, then stir into goat milk until well combined. Cover and let sit, undisturbed, at room temperature until mixture fully separates into solid curds and translucent whey, 12- 24 hours. Line a colander with cheesecloth and ladle curds into the prepared colander and let drain 2-4 hours, until whey no longer runs freely from the colander, and curds are thickened but still moist. 

Transfer drained cheese to medium bowl, stir in salt, and divide cheese in half. Working with one-half at a time, bundle cheese in cheesecloth, then tie to secure. Tie cheese bundles to a wooden dowel or spoon and place over a deep large container to drain upside down. Make sure the cheese bundles do not touch the bottom of the container, Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours and enjoy. 

Take your cheese making a step further and roll your homemade goat cheese into your choice herbs such as dried chives, red pepper or basil.

What is rennet and mesophilic

Rennet is used to separate milk into solid curds for cheese making and mesophilic is a non-heat loving culture and is used for making cheeses that are not heated.

Efo Riro Stew

Efo Riro is a traditional stew of the Yoruba Tribe made with green leafy Amaranth leaves and a variety of meats.

What is Efo Riro Stew? Efo Riro is a rich throw everything in the pot meat and vegetable stew that is native to the Yorubas of Western Nigeria. The traditional vegetables used to make the stew are Amaranth leaves, but if these are not readily available where you live, fresh spinach is a good substitute.

Yoruba Efo Riro Stew Ingredients and Directions

Ingredients
1/2 pound medium cut beef chunks
1/4 cup palm oil
3 handfuls Amaranth leaves or spinach
1 medium red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons ground shrimp
2 medium onions, sliced
2 tablespoons locust beans
2 medium Irish potatoes, diced
1 hot pepper finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable stock

Directions
In a large lidded pot add beef, onions and palm oil and brown over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add stock, hot pepper and salt. Cover, cook for 20 minutes then add potatoes, cover cook an additional 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cover cook 10 minutes. Serve with fufu or white rice.

What is Locust bean? Locust bean, commonly referred to as iru by Yorubas, is a seasoning used in soups and stews.

Three Easy Bitter Leaf Stew Recipes

The African Gourmet

Bitterleaf Stew is not bitter as suggested by the name of the recipe but a delicious mix of beef, fish, chicken, pork, and shellfish served over fufu.

Bitter leaf alone has a bitter taste and are sold fresh or dried. The leaves are green with a robust odor and a bitter taste.

Yorubas call bitter leaf Ewuro and Igbos Onugbu. All of the plant is beneficial, from the stem, leaves, and roots. Liberian stews are unlike most recipes. Liberian stews are hearty stews that combine numerous meats, fish, and vegetables in one stew.

Liberian Bitter Leaf Stew

Serves 4
Low-fat option with shellfish and no palm oil
African food
Stew
Nutrition facts: 340 calories, 3 grams of fat

Ingredients

5 ounces of cubed beef

5 ounces of pork or pork sausage

2 skinless chicken thighs

3 smoked fish, flaked

1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 onions, chopped finely

1/4 cup palm oil

1 bunch bitter leaf, chopped

Water to cover

Directions

Add all ingredients except shrimp to a large pot over medium heat. Cover ingredients with water. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Add shrimp and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.

[Read: How to Make Niter Kibbeh Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter Recipe]

The bitter leaf plant has its origins in Nigeria and is a small tree whose leaves are green and have the odor and taste of bitterness. Bitter leaf grows, and a range of zones in Africa, arid to semi-arid to Tropical. There are over 200 species of bitter leaf. The leaves are used to make vegetable dishes but must be washed before eating to eliminate the bitter taste.

A favorite recipe in French-speaking Cameroon is a Bitter leaf vegetable stew. This stew is made from six types of vegetables, palm oil, and simple spices and is a popular dish throughout the country. Try our recipe below for Cameroon bitter leaf vegetable stew or as French-speaking Cameroon calls the recipe Recette de ragoût de légumes aux feuilles amères du Cameroun.

Cameroon Bitter Leaf Vegetable Stew Recipe

Serves 4
African food
Stew
Nutrition facts: 310 calories, 3 grams of fat

Ingredients

4 handfuls of bitter leaf, washed and chopped

1 medium-sized yam, diced

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 green peppers, diced

3 tablespoons oil palm

5 cups of water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 hot pepper, whole

Directions

In a large pot with a lid, add palm oil and sauté onions until slightly soft. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until yams are soft. Serve warm as a stew with toasted bread.

Bitter Leaf Stew Rural Recipe

For rural households and communities, the best security is a home garden that provides food year-round. Many villages are located some distance from towns and markets. Food supplies from outside are often expensive and difficult to transport, especially if heavy rains have flooded or damaged the roads.

Growing food at home saves money and effort and ensures a regular food supply if roads are cut off. Bitter leaf leafy vegetables are ready for harvest 7-9 months after planting. 

Other major crops of rural Ghana are cassava leaves 3-4 months, amaranth 30 days, African eggplant 90 days, sweet potato leaves 30 days, tomatoes 90 days, and chilies 120 days. These traditional foods are foods produced locally that form part of the food culture in rural households and communities of Ghana.

Ghanaian Bitter Leaf Stew with Sweet Plantains

Serves 4
African food
Stew
Nutrition facts: 310 calories, 3 grams of fat

Ingredients

4 handfuls of bitter leaf, washed and chopped

3 tablespoons oil palm

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 hot pepper

3 tomatoes, diced

¾ cup egusi seeds

2 sweet yellow plantains, peeled and sliced

5 cups of water

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot with a lid, add palm oil and sauté onions until slightly soft. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until yams are soft. Serve warm as a stew with toasted bread.

Sankofa teaches how to productively learn from the past and developing oneself.

Chic African Culture

Learning from experiences is one of the ways in which we decide if experience may frighten us, weaken us or make us self-doubt, but it may also make us stronger. Sankofa teaches there are valuable lessons to be learned from the past.

Sankofa African Proverbs on learning from experience; knowledge is a personal characteristic that allow us to look at the past in order to see the future.

Learn from Experience African Proverbs

By Chic African Culture

Learn from Experience Sankofa African Proverbs

Those who use their teeth for climbing know which trees are bitter.

It is not always the one who speaks the loudest who wins the dispute.

One who makes soup does not know what one who pounds yam experiences.

When a snail crawls, it pulls its shell along with it.

If the hand opens the door, the mouth will claim responsibility.

What is Sankofa?

Sankofa is an African word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. The literal translation of the word and the symbol is “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi", “it is not taboo to go back to the past and bring forward that which is useful.”

The Sankofa word is derived from the Twi language words:
SAN (return),
KO (go),
FA (look, seek and take).

Sankofa symbolizes learn from experience and quest for knowledge based on examination and investigation of your past to learn from the good and bad experiences.

Sankofa African Proverbs

More articles on the street festival food of Ghana, African Kente Cloth Legend and Three African Tribes Hair Ceremonies Traditions and Rituals.

1. Street Food Magic
 
2. African Kente Cloth Legend
 
3. Three African Tribes Hair Ceremonies Traditions and Rituals

Solar Eclipses in Africa: Complete Guide 2024-2030

Upcoming Solar Eclipses Visible from Africa (2024-2030)

Upcoming African Solar Eclipses

🔭 October 2, 2024 - Annular Solar Eclipse

Visible in: Southern Chile, Argentina, Easter Island • Partial eclipse visible in southern Africa

🔭 August 2, 2027 - Total Solar Eclipse

Major African visibility: The path of totality crosses Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt • Partial eclipse visible across entire continent

🔭 January 26, 2028 - Annular Solar Eclipse

Visible in: Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, French Guiana, Portugal, Morocco • Partial eclipse visible in West Africa

🔭 June 1, 2030 - Annular Solar Eclipse

African path: The annular path crosses Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia

🔭 November 25, 2030 - Total Solar Eclipse

Southern Africa visibility: The path of totality crosses Namibia, Botswana, South Africa

📖 Historical Eclipse: August 21, 2017

Notable African viewing: West African Cape Verde experienced a nearly 85% total Solar Eclipse during this event.

Africa 2017 Eclipse Map (Historical Reference)

For the August 21, 2017 total Solar Eclipse, the map shows where the partial solar eclipse was visible in Africa. Partial eclipse occurred in North and West Africa with Cape Verde experiencing a nearly 85% total Solar Eclipse. Cabo Verde (formally known as Cape Verde until 2013) is a group of 18 U-shaped islands located off mainland Western Africa in the Atlantic Ocean.

Solar Eclipse Facts

Most calendar years have two solar eclipses. The maximum number of solar eclipses that can take place in the same year is five, but this is rare.
According to NASA calculations, only about 25 years in the past 5,000 years have had five solar eclipses. The last time this happened was in 1935, and the next time will be in 2206.

There are three main types of solar eclipses:

• Total solar eclipses - Moon completely covers the Sun
• Partial solar eclipses - Moon partially covers the Sun
• Annular eclipses - "Ring of fire" when Moon is too far to completely cover Sun
• Hybrid eclipses - Shifts between total and annular along its path

When Does a Solar Eclipse Occur?

Solar eclipses can only happen around New Moon because of the alignment of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun, which happens at that time. However, this does not mean that eclipses of the Sun happen every New Moon night.
The New Moon and the Sun also have to be near a lunar node, which happens a little less than 6 months apart, and lasts, on average, around 34.5 days. This period is called the eclipse season, and it is the only time that eclipses take place.

Eclipse Viewing Safety

Never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection. Use ISO-certified solar viewing glasses or indirect viewing methods to safely observe solar eclipses.

American Colonization Society back to Africa plan was complex. What does the American Colonization Society, six African Kings and Haiti have in common?

The American Colonization Society (ACS) platform to freed Blacks in America was blunt: if you do not like it here, ships are leaving the harbor, and we will help you go back to Africa.

Note: Emigrants are persons who leave their own country in order to settle permanently in another. Immigrants are people who come to one country from another to settle.

Origins of the American Colonization Society (1816)

The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) haunted American slaveholders and inspired free Blacks. Its success showed that enslaved people could overthrow colonial powers and govern themselves. This fear and hope formed the backdrop for the creation of the American Colonization Society.

The ACS began in 1816 when Charles Fenton Mercer, a Virginia legislator, revisited earlier debates on colonization after Gabriel Prosser’s attempted rebellion. On December 21, 1816, the society was formally established at the Davis Hotel in Washington, D.C. Attendees included James Monroe, Bushrod Washington, Andrew Jackson, Francis Scott Key, and Daniel Webster, with Henry Clay presiding.

Song of Africa

First Voyages and the Founding of Liberia

On February 6, 1820, the first ACS ship, the Elizabeth, sailed from New York to West Africa with three white agents and 88 freed Black emigrants aboard. By 1822, a settlement was established on the West African coast. In 1847, it became the independent nation of Liberia.

Virginia supported the effort with $30,000 annually in the 1850s, joined by legislatures in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland. States such as Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Mississippi even founded their own colonies. By 1867, the ACS had sent more than 13,000 Black emigrants to Africa.

Debates Within Black and White Communities

From the start, colonization divided opinion. Some free Blacks supported emigration, believing they would never receive justice in the United States. Others, like abolitionist David Walker and later Frederick Douglass, denounced colonization as a scheme to exile African Americans rather than recognize their rights.

Some whites saw colonization as a way to remove free Blacks, whom they associated with rebellion. Others thought colonists would be happier in Africa, free from discrimination. Still others believed Black American settlers could “civilize” and Christianize Africans.

Liberia near Monrovia Hotel-Ducor

Land Purchases from African Kings

In 1821, Dr. Eli Ayers and naval officer Robert F. Stockton negotiated land purchases with local rulers: King Peter, King George, King Zoda, King Long Peter, King Governor, and King Jimmy. King Peter initially resisted but was pressured into agreement.

The ACS agents often exchanged land for goods such as tobacco, rum, powder, umbrellas, and shoes. These transactions altered power balances and reflected the unequal terms of negotiation. By 1825, Jehudi Ashmun secured more land in similar deals, expanding the colony.

Gabriel Prosser and the Haitian Connection

What was the Gabriel Prosser rebellion?

In 1800, Gabriel Prosser, a literate enslaved blacksmith, plotted a rebellion in Richmond, Virginia. Inspired by the Haitian Revolution, his plan aimed to seize Capitol Square and capture Governor James Monroe. The plot was betrayed, and Prosser and 26 others were executed. In its aftermath, Virginia passed stricter laws limiting the mobility and education of free and enslaved Blacks.

Saint-Domingue (Haiti) Did You Know?

In 1791, enslaved and free Blacks in Saint-Domingue began a rebellion against French rule. After slavery was abolished in 1793 and French troops withdrew in 1803, the colony declared its independence as Haiti in 1804. Haiti’s success directly influenced both Prosser’s rebellion and the fears of American slaveholders.

Legacy of the American Colonization Society

The ACS left a complicated legacy. It helped found Liberia, yet its motives ranged from humanitarian hopes to racial exclusion. For some African Americans, Liberia symbolized freedom and self-determination. For others, it was evidence that America refused to grant them equal rights at home.

The debates around colonization remain central to understanding African American history and the transatlantic ties between the United States, Africa, and Haiti.

FAQ on the American Colonization Society

Why was Liberia founded by the American Colonization Society?

Liberia was established in 1822 by the ACS as a colony for free Blacks from the United States. In 1847, it became the first independent African republic founded by formerly enslaved people and their descendants.

How did the Haitian Revolution inspire Gabriel Prosser?

The Haitian Revolution proved that enslaved people could successfully revolt and govern. Gabriel Prosser drew inspiration from Haiti when he planned his 1800 rebellion in Virginia.

Which African kings were involved in land deals with the ACS?

In 1821, ACS agents negotiated with six local rulers they named King Peter, King George, King Zoda, King Long Peter, King Governor, and King Jimmy. These agreements were often made under pressure and for goods like rum, tobacco, and weapons.

Why did some Black leaders oppose colonization?

Leaders like Frederick Douglass and David Walker argued that colonization was a racist scheme to exile free Blacks rather than guarantee their rights as American citizens. They believed African Americans should fight for equality in the United States.

🌍 Part of the African Diaspora & Back to Africa Movement Collection.

Desert horses and ghost towns in the Southern African country of Namibia.

The Namib Desert of Southern Africa is one of the worlds oldest and largest deserts, the origins of the desert wild horses of the Namib Desert is a secret the desert ghost towns and desert horses keeps to herself.

Kolmanskop was a rich German diamond-mining town but presently is a ghost town in the Namib Desert visited only by Namib wild horses and the occasional tourist. Origins of the wild horses of the Namib Desert remains a mystery fueled by theories and urban legends because originally there were no horses in southern Africa. There have been a number of theories proposed over the years as to the origin of the wild horses in the Southern African country of Namibia.

One theory is around 1914 during WWI the Union of South African troops were stationed at the small town of Garub. The German forces set up a stronghold in the hills at the town of Aus, which bombed the Union camp sporadically. It is believed the Union forces might not have had enough time to round up all the horses before advancing on the retreating Germans and thus horses were left behind.

Another theory is Emil Kreplin, who was the mayor of the town of Lüderitz from 1909 to 1914, had a horse farm near the town of Aus. Kreplin bred 2,000 workhorses for the mines and racehorses, however; he was drafted into the Union of South Africa Army and while fighting in the war he lost his fortune.

African Ghost Towns and Wild Horses

Kreplin’s horses were ownerless began to scatter throughout the area. Whatever their origin is, for nearly a century the Namib Desert horses developed generation after generation becoming a wild breed. The wild horses maybe regarded as a breed in their own right, the Namibs.

The desert horses gather in the area around the town of Aus, finding water at the springs and at the Garub borehole or well. Namibs gather-around the permanent water source Garub’s well which is a water drinking trough currently maintained by Namib Naukluft Park.

The Garub well was originally created for topping off locomotives on the nearby railway line but today a scenic photo opportunity area and shelter was erected at the drinking trough at Garub to give visitors the opportunity to watch and study the Namib wild horses. The Namib desert of Africa is one of the world’s oldest and largest deserts, the origins of the wild horses of the Namib desert is a secret the desert keeps to herself.

African Ghost Towns three facts

In Central African Republic towns of Goroumo, Beogombo Deux, and Paoua are among the many deserted villages created by the actions of government forces and killings by armed gangs from the years 2005 to 2008.

Western Sahara, La Güera is a ghost town on the Atlantic coast at the southern tip of Western Sahara. It is Western Sahara's southernmost town. It has been uninhabited and partly buried by drifting sand since 2002.

In South Sudan, Lukangol was destroyed during the 2011 South Sudan war but before its destruction, it had a population of 20,000.

Origins of wild desert horses of Namib Desert remains a mystery because no horses were in southern Africa. There have been a number of theories proposed over the years as to the origin of desert horses in Namibia Africa.

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