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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.

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🔵 African Recipes & Cuisine

Dive into flavors from Jollof to fufu—recipes, science, and stories that feed body and soul.

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🔵 African Proverbs & Wisdom

Timeless sayings on love, resilience, and leadership—ancient guides for modern life.

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🔵 African Folktales & Storytelling

Oral legends and tales that whisper ancestral secrets and spark imagination.

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🔵African Plants & Healing

From baobab to kola nuts—sacred flora for medicine, memory, and sustenance.

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🔵 African Animals in Culture

Big Five to folklore beasts—wildlife as symbols, food, and spiritual kin.

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🔵 African History & Heritage

Journey through Africa's rich historical tapestry, from ancient civilizations to modern nations.

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Photo of Ivy, author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: WikipediaEmory University African StudiesUniversity of KansasUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalMDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

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Start Your African Journey

From political insights through food to traditional wisdom and modern solutions - explore Africa's depth.

Percent of World Population Compared to Africa

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African population increased by 645 million people in 40 years when the population was evaluated in 2015. From those calculations, interesting numbers emerged and the projections are for Africa to grow by 490 million people by 2030, 15 years, and increase by 1.4 billion by 2055 is on track. The World population is 7,677,179,190; Africa's population is 1,345,572,071 as of 2020. Asia is the most populous continent with about 60% of the world's population, China and India together account for over 35%. while Africa comes in second with over 15% of the earth's populace, and Europe has about 10%, North America 8%, South America almost 6%, and Oceania less than 1%. Ten largest urban areas in Africa are Cairo Egypt 20,485,000, Lagos Nigeria 13,904,000, Kinshasha Democratic Republic of the Congo 13,743,000, Luanda Angola 8,045,000, Dar Es Salaam Tanzania 6,368,000, Khartoum Sudan 5,678,000, Johannesburg South Africa 5,635,000, Alexandria Egypt 5,182,000, Abidjan Cot...

Plantain Dumplings With Yam Vegetable Stew

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Yam vegetable stew with plantain dumplings recipe local food name is Counin Zindo that is super simple to prepare by Burkinabé cooks. Plantain dumplings are a small amount of soft dough that is boiled in yam veggie stew. How do you make plantain dumplings from scratch, well its easy just drop plantain dough gently into a pot of simmering stew for about 20 minutes. The full recipe directions and ingredients are below. Ingredients for Yam Vegetable Stew. 2 yams cut into cubes 2 large onions, diced 2 large tomatoes, diced 1 small eggplant, peeled and diced 3 medium carrots, diced 2 medium white potatoes cut into cubes 1 medium sweet potato cut into cubes 1 hot pepper, chopped Salt to taste 4 cups water Directions for Yam Vegetable Stew. Add all ingredients to a large lidded pot simmer 10 minutes. Then follow the directions for plantain dumplings. Ingredients for Plantain Dumplings. 2 ¼ cups self-rising flour 2 large mashed ripe plantains 1 tablespoon ground parsley fla...

What is a person from Africa called?

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Clans and tribes means more than citizenship, nationality and land boarders throughout Africa. List of nationality names in Africa. One classic disastrous example of ethnic or tribal group identity displacing nationality is in East Africa.  Tutsi insurgents continue to fight waging guerrilla battles in Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, the ethnic strife that sparked the slaughters in Rwanda and Burundi continue in the regions.  The Tutsis as cattle-herders were often in a position of economic dominance to the farming Hutus and in many areas, like Rwanda, the minority Tutsis ruled the Hutus, 84% of the total population. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world and a history of xenophobic attacks by people who accuse citizens of other African countries , as well as Asian countries, of coming to steal their jobs.  The South African government does not collect data on attacks or threats against foreign nationals. About 70% of foreigners in South Africa come f...

Boerewors Patty Sausage Sandwich

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Homemade breakfast Boerewors sausage patties.  If you love the taste of Boerewors, a traditional South African sausage, but don't have the time or equipment to make it in links, you can try making these homemade breakfast Boerewors sausage patties instead.  They are easy to make and delicious to eat, with a blend of spices that give them a distinctive flavor. Boerewors means farmer's sausage in Afrikaans, and it is usually made with a combination of beef, pork, and sometimes lamb.  The meat is seasoned with coriander, cloves, allspice, vinegar, and other spices, and stuffed into casings. Boerewors is typically cooked over coals on a barbecue, or fried in a pan on the stove. It is often served in a bread roll with tomato and onion sauce, or with pap, stiff cornmeal porridge, and gravy. Boerewors Sausage Patty Sandwich To make Boerewors sausage patties, you will need the following ingredients: 1 pound of ground beef 1/4 pound of ground pork 2 teaspoons of salt 2 teaspoons...

Two bulls cannot stay in the same kraal

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Two Bulls Can't Stay in the Same Kraal tells the folklore story from Ghana Africa of sibling rivalry and a hard-headed younger brother. Against the African folklife background many microcultures social identity becomes expressed in folklore history often compressed into one African culture and heritage.  The narrative of Africa's folklore traditions is tied into the magnificent historical emergence of many nations.    However, folklore from Africa has been central to folklife magnifying views of culture, views that mattered so much to a continent struggling with rapid changes twisted by large-scale wars, immigration, industrialization, and urbanization.  The African story is one of continual material and social progress, building families through cultural consensus with peoples accepting and embracing an African identity.    Archaeology collects and compares the material relics of old microcultures, the axes and arrowheads. There is a form of study, folk...

Do not invite evil to sit at your table then cry

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The proverb is a reminder that we are not helpless victims of our circumstances. We have the power to choose our own company and our own path in life. African Elders will tell you do not invite evil to sit at your table then cry because your life is hard. The African proverb Do not invite evil to sit at your table then cry is a warning against the dangers of associating with negative people and behaviors. The proverb teaches that if we choose to surround ourselves with people who are negative, toxic, or destructive, we will eventually reap the consequences of those choices.  We can apply this proverb to many different areas of our lives. For example, if we choose to associate with people who are always complaining, we will likely start to complain more ourselves. If we choose to associate with people who are always gossiping, we will likely start to gossip more ourselves. And if we choose to associate with people who are always making bad decisions, we will likely start to make ba...

Africa COVID-19 Corruption and Deaths

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In Africa the Covid-19 virus infected around 1 million people with 20,276 deaths in 47 countries many are embroiled in Covid-19 corruption scandals. As of August 19, 2020, there were 2,071 new Covid-19 related deaths, a 15% decrease that occurred in 33 countries, with 73% of the deaths in South Africa at 1,513, followed by Ethiopia with 132 deaths and Algeria with 57 deaths.   South Africa is the hardest hit country with Covid-19 on the African continent and is ranked fifth globally, although with relatively low numbers of deaths, 2.1% fatality ratio. Health worker infections continue to increase gradually with 38,382 or 4.2% infections reported in 42 African countries since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak. According to the WHO, These 10 countries collectively account for 88% of all reported Covid-19 cases. Covid-19 WHO Data as of August 19, 2020 table. African Country Reported confirmed Covid-19 cases South Africa ...

How big is the UN and what does it do in Africa?

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How the United Nations supports Africa, from Nairobi HQ to agencies, funds, and programs promoting peace, rights, and development. The United Nations in Africa: Agencies, Funds, and Programs Updated September 2025 — The United Nations (UN) is the world’s most representative organization. Across Africa, the UN works to uphold international law, deliver humanitarian aid, protect human rights, promote sustainable development, and maintain international peace and security. This guide explains the UN’s presence on the continent, its major offices, and the specialized agencies, funds, and programs that support African nations. Table of Contents UN Overview in Africa How the UN is Organized Five Core Purposes of the UN Specialized Agencies Operating in Africa Funds and Programs in Africa Other UN Entities Why the UN Serves Africa UN Overview in Africa The United Nations maintains two major offices on the continent: the UN Office at Nairobi, Kenya , and the UN E...

The Queen Mothers Do Not Speak – They Echo in Your Bones

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The Queen Mothers Do Not Speak – They Echo in Your Bones The Queen Mothers Do Not Speak They echo in your bones long after their voices have turned to wind Little eyes are not just watching. They are becoming. In every Akan palace, every Ga mantse’s courtyard, every Ashanti village under the old baobab, there sits a Queen Mother. She does not need a loudspeaker. She does not post on Instagram. She does not raise her voice. Yet every child born within a hundred miles will grow up speaking with her accent of wisdom, walking with her posture of dignity, and loving with her measure of fire. Because Queen Mothers do not teach with words alone. They teach with the way they tie their headscarf when someone has died. They teach with the silence they keep when a fool is speaking. They teach with the small nod they give when a child tells the truth. And when they finally open their mouths, the proverbs that fall out are not decora...

Five hundred million African people are without legal ID

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In Africa, half the population of the continent are without legal identity. Legal identification is a means of identifying or authenticating the identity of an individual and the recognition of a person’s existence before the law. In many African countries, a birth certificate is necessary to attend primary school and to graduate, and a national ID card is necessary to enroll in university and to vote in elections. Throughout the continent of Africa, half of the estimated 1.2 billion people are without identity. Digital identity can be created from information found on a government-issued legal identification such as national identity cards and can be used to accurately recognize an individual. However, the barriers are great in Africa. The absence of legal identity arising from a weak government can be particularly acute in countries that have experienced violent conflict. It is extremely difficult to construct a measure of legal identity that represents the different legal, pol...

Food shortages unemployment rates and Covid 19 in Africa

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In Africa, 34 countries are in crisis needing assistance for food due to Covid-19 where unemployment rates were already high.   The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and food shortages are due to disruptions to the supply of agricultural products and income losses due to closure and illness. To different degrees all 34 African countries listed have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as civil war, floods, desert locusts, planting shortages and high food prices.  Covid-19 made a bad situation worse for these African countries and the need of humanitarian aid. Humanitarian aid is usually short-term help until the citizens themselves, governments and NGOs or other institutions can supply the long-term needs of a country. The Covid-19 pandemic is disrupting the global food supply but the effects are more acutely felt in Africa. Below is a listing of the African country, issues causing food shortages and explanations of the issues relating to the Covid-19 pandemi...

Recipes Explain Politics

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

Africa Worldwide: Top Reads

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.

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.