The African Gourmet: African Cuisine, Folktales and Cultural Stories

Even though foreign investors may own or lease land, native Sierra Leonean women rarely can. Women’s land ownership rights in Sierra Leone remain limited. Colonial laws and tribal customs still block women from owning or inheriting land. Land in Sierra Leone operates under a dual tenure system dating back to the British colonial era. The British Crown Colony of Freetown (est. 1808) used English freehold and leasehold systems, while the surrounding Protectorate (declared 1896) was governed by local customary law. Freehold tenure grants the legal right to own land outright; leasehold allows renting from an owner. These Western forms exist mainly around Freetown. In the rural Protectorate, customary law dominates —and that often means land is passed through male lineage, keeping women as users but not owners. How Customary Rules Keep Women from Owning Land Land disputes in rural Sierra Leone are settled informally by chiefs and elders, with rules based on unwritten ...

Usage of Amen and Ashe or Ase Ashe to Amen learn about the custom of using the words Ashe and Amen historically. Where did the word Amen and Ashe come from why is it said and what does it mean? In Judaism, 3,500 years old and Christian religions 2,000 years old, Amen, means may it be so. In the African Yoruba language among the Yoruba people whose culture is as old as time, Ashe or Ase means may it be so. Ase or Ashe means power, commandment, and authority, the ability to make whatever one says happen from the spiritual to the physical realm. In the Yoruba language, Ashe is omnipresent spiritual energy. Followers of Judaism and Christian religions use the word Amen. It is the word utilized to end prayers as an affirmation for the requests to be provided by God. Yoruba is as old as time, Ashe refers to the life force within all living things, the spark that animates life. It is used as a term used in the same manner as Amen at the end of appeals and prayers as an affirmati...

Three-Ingredient North African Tahini Honey Butter Recipe Tahini is simply sesame seeds ground into a rich, smooth paste. Making your own at home is easy, fresher, and less expensive than buying a jar at the store. You only need three ingredients: sesame seeds, honey, and oil. Add salt to taste if you like. Store your homemade tahini honey butter in a clean, tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Use North African tahini honey butter as a spread or dip Nutrition (per serving) 2 grams fat 38 grams carbohydrates 2 milligrams sodium Ingredients 1 cup honey ½ cup sesame seeds 2 tablespoons sunflower oil Salt to taste (optional) Directions In a dry frying pan over medium heat, lightly toast the sesame seeds until golden and fragrant. Transfer toasted seeds to a food processor. Add sunflower oil and blend until a thick paste forms. Add honey and blend again until smooth and creamy. Pour into a clean jar or conta...

African Proverbs Difficult To Understand African Proverbs are often difficult to understand because they often refer to local customs or situations. However, among the strongest influences for learning lessons from people long on experience are through a nation's popular proverbs.  They come, backed by the authority of the masses and that which everybody says we instinctively accept as true. Naturally, there is a tendency among the 54 African nations to make these compact and concise sayings, carved from real life.  African proverbs and sayings are compressed summaries of practical wisdom, pure condensations of life-experience. Studying African Proverbs  There are many popular African proverbs which are full of truth and worthy of our study on social issues of hunger, injustice and global piracy of African land. Formed from the wisdom of many proverbs are crystallizations of experience, brief expressions of the wisdom of the ancients. Below are 21 Ancien...

Cassava and cassava flour, everything you ever wanted to know. Cassava is known by various names, manioc, yucca, yuca, mandioca, and tapioca. Cassava originated from tropical America and was first introduced into Africa in the Congo basin by the Portuguese around 1558. Adding cassava and cassava flour to your diet can easily lead to weight gain since cassava flour has double the carbohydrate and calorie content of sweet potatoes. Cassava flour is great if you are looking for high-calorie food but not so great when trying to lose weight. Cassava flour maybe a gluten-free, wheat flour alternative, however, cassava root is essentially a rich carbohydrate source. Cassava grows well in poor soils with little attention needed to grow the crop. However, it requires considerable postharvest labor because the roots are highly perishable and must be processed into a storable form soon after harvest. Roots can be harvested between six months and three years after planting. Cass...

Reading and collecting three famous short African folklore stories, Foolish Tongue, Why Frogs Croak and Why the Sky is Curved. Surma tribe folklorw in southwestern Ethiopia In Africa, in the earliest times before there were pictures or written words there was the African folktale. For centuries, stories were passed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next. As Africans traveled across the African continent, they took their stories with them. Every community had a storyteller who sat around the fire at night spinning yarns of magical tales and legends. African folktales reached into the heart of the people and grew into the lifeblood of the African community. African folklore storytelling has long been accepted as a form of teaching to be defined as a series of events told in such a way that it moves the emotions and the intellect. African folklore storytelling is a spiritual legacy passed down from one generation to another. It is as old as Africa herself with a deep...

In many African countries sexual, physical and social violence because you are female is common. Due to segregation and margination many prospects for women in Africa are gender limited.  Homeless women and children in Darfur in western Sudan.  Around 46% of women in Africa have experienced either non-partner sexual violence or physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, or both. Physical violence meant the woman had been: slapped, or had something thrown at her; pushed or shoved; hit with a fist or something else that could hurt; kicked, dragged or beaten up; choked or burnt; threatened with or had a weapon used against her. Sexual violence meant the woman had: been physically forced to have sexual intercourse; had sexual intercourse because she was afraid of what her partner might do; been forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating. In Ethiopia, of women who had ever experienced physical violence by a partner, 19% had been inj...

Homemade South African Indian Garam Masala Garam masala simply means “hot spice mix.” This traditional blend of aromatic spices traveled from the Indian subcontinent to Africa and became the heart of South African Indian cooking. Our recipe is simple, budget-friendly, and adds warmth to any meal. South African Indian recipes often include garam masala — a mix of seven key spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Indian food is unimaginable without Garam Masala Spices give South African Indian cuisine its distinctive flavor and personality. Most South African Indian recipes use many different spices, but don’t let that intimidate you — most are easy to find in local supermarkets or Indian grocery stores. One thing new cooks often find intimidating about Indian food is the wide variety of spices, but blending them yourself creates depth and balance that store-bought mixes can’t match. Homemade Garam Masala Recipe Ingred...

Elders wear a garland of silver and grey to grace their heads. One of the most revered sources of knowledge and guidance in African cultures is the words of the Elders, who have accumulated a wealth of experience and insight throughout their lives. Their sayings are often proverbial, using metaphors, analogies, and stories to convey deep truths and lessons.  Many people believe that the words of the Elders are inspired by the Spirits, who watch over the affairs of humans and intervene in times of need. Therefore, the Elders' words profoundly impact the hearts and minds of those who hear them, influencing their decisions, actions, and attitudes.  The wisdom of the Elders is not static but dynamic, as it adapts to changing circumstances and contexts. It is also not exclusive but inclusive, as it welcomes new perspectives and contributions from younger generations. The words of the Elders are a precious heritage that has been preserved and transmitted through oral tradition for c...

Medical Missionaries Touching Ghana with the Love of Christ? Racism is a Religious Healthcare Issue Controversial White Archangel Michael and Black Devil Statue in Ghana. Tepa is a small town and is the capital of Ahafo Ano North, a district in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, the Catholic Church in Ghana is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. There are three million Catholics in Ghana , which is around 13 percent. Tepa grotto garden falls under the leadership of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga. Church Interviewed GhanaWeb interviewed some church members who explained why the statue should not be described as racist. An ardent member of the Church defends that color does not matter when issues of religion are being discussed as faith is colorless and emphasized that whether black or white, it should not be interpreted as racism.  “In my opinion, it’s not a racist statue. I see this statu...