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The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

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.

Christmas & New Year in Africa

FOOD PROVERBS

Linking African Diaspora and Africa

Africans of America, the entire African Diaspora and the history of the struggle for Africa's rights are irrevocably linked. Below are three African proverbs about growth, struggle and inheritance. 

To the lovers of freedom for Africa

To the lovers of freedom for Africa and those who identify with her sufferings and resent the wrongs done to her, there can be few things more interesting than the history of the struggles that are hallowed by the blood of her people.


Three African proverbs about growth, struggle and inheritance of Africans and the African Diaspora.

African proverbs about growth, struggle and inheritance of African and the African Diaspora
African Proverb


The efforts of the African race to break the handcuffs that foreign governments imposes on them, and elevate a continent from bondage and degradation to a place among free nations, fill a page in the world's history which no devotee of freedom can read without visceral emotion.

Who cannot identify with a cause ennobled by loyalty and sacrifice, sanctified by the blood and tears of a nation as they look on the spectacle of Africa in her decay and rebirth?

How deeply rooted is the love of true independence is in the hearts of the African people which has been clung to and survived through centuries of persecution, colonialism and warfare for which generations have arisen, and fought, and bled, and shattered themselves against the power of the oppressor.

African proverbs about growth, struggle and inheritance of African and the African Diaspora
African Proverb

The prolonged frustration of a people's is on oral and written record given to humanity the understanding Africans possess of the strength of the principles of freedom, and the indestructibility of coast-to-coast kinship with the African Diaspora.

Africans of America, the history of the struggle for Africa's rights is irrevocably linked. We live amidst the scenes where battles against the color black with strangers and enemies were fought. The bones of the citizens who labored for and loved Africa, and of those who died for her, rest in unmarked graves around us; and we have still among us the inheritors of their blood, their name, and their spirit. 

Their blood was shed to make us free in the hearts, minds, spirit and body of African people. The history of Africa is innovation; prized with brimful of lessons of pride and genius.

African proverbs about growth, struggle and inheritance of African and the African Diaspora
African Proverb

Definition of the African Diaspora.

In the early part of April 2005, the African Union Commission held a two-day meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to create a definition of the African Diaspora. The consensus of the meeting defined the African Diaspora as - Peoples of African origin living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union.

The African Union Commission also felt the definition of the African Diaspora should not be limited by time or history. Globally, Africans in the diaspora are spread out across the continents. In North America, there are 39 million from the African Diaspora; 113 million in Latin America; 13.6 million in the Caribbean; and 3.5 million in Europe.

The three D’s about Africa, death, despair and disease still prevail in the minds of many people in the world, the definition of African Diaspora, irrespective of their citizenship and nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of Africa.


Definition of the African Diaspora

What is Negritude.

Negritude is a consciousness of and pride in the cultural and physical aspects of the African heritage. Negritude is the state or condition of being black. Negritude is a term used to describe that which is unique about the African culture as found on the continent of Africa and in the African diaspora. Senghor's Anthology “De la nouvelle poésie nègre et malgache de langue française” written in 1948 is a collection of stories reflecting negritude, and is noted as a milestone in African literature.

Define Negritude


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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

African Recipes Organized by Meal Time

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Ivy, founder and author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

Ivy is the founder and lead writer of The African Gourmet. For over 19 years, she has been dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the rich culinary heritage and food stories from across the African continent.

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

The African Gourmet is preserved as a cultural resource and is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives.

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Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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Recipes as Revolution

Recipes as Revolution

When food becomes protest and meals carry political meaning

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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.