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The African Gourmet: Folktales, Cuisine & Cultural History

Explore Africa’s Heritage

Explore tales that carry Africa’s wisdom, courage, and humor. From river spirits to trickster animals, every story holds a lesson.

From hearty stews to fragrant grains, experience traditional African recipes and the history behind every dish.

Ancient African proverbs and modern interpretations — explore the wisdom passed down through generations.

Dive into Africa’s kingdoms, independence stories, and modern milestones that shape the continent today.

Blackman and White Snake Folklore Story

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Short African folklore story Blackman and White Snake there are countless versions of the same folklore story but the lesson learned does not change. Understanding the significance of this African Folklore story may help in the solution of difficult real life probelms teenagers and adults face daily. White Snake Blackman and White Snake Folklore Story A Blackman was walking by himself and saw a small white snake lying under a large rock. The white snake begged his help; but when she had become free she said, "Now I will bite you!" The Blackman answered, "That is not right! Let us first go to spider." When spider had heard the affair, he said, "It is right." "No," said the Blackman, "Let us ask scorpion!" Scorpion declared the same, saying, "It is right." "Now let us ask bird," said the Blackman in his despair. The bird answered very slowly and considerately, doubting the whole affair, and demanding to see f...

How to measure Africa's overall success

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Africa’s Human Development Index or HDI is a numerical scale from 1 to 189 used to measure an African country's overall success in its education and economic measurements using data from long and healthy life, access to education, high Gross National Income creating an adequate standard of living. One the best 189 the worst Human Development Index ranking scores explanied. In regards to HDI rankings, Norway is ranked 1, The United States of America is ranked 15 and Niger in West Africa is ranked 189 the lowest HDI score possible. 1. HDI health measurement is calculated by life expectancy at birth. 2. HDI education aspect is measured by average of years of schooling for adults aged 25 years and older and expected years of schooling for children of school entering age. 3. The GNI or Gross National Income is in US dollars and is the money earned in a year per person before any tax income is deducted, the HDI standard of living component is measured by gross national income for e...

Somalia Bananas and Warlords

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In Somalia up until 1990, before warlords, insecurity, drought and poor infrastructure over 20 years has led to a collapse of Somali banana industry. Watering banana seedlings. Before the beginning of the reign of terror of Somali civil war and drought; Somalia was the largest banana exporter in Eastern Africa. The banana industry was vital in Somalia with exports mainly to Italy and Middle Eastern markets. Somalia is closer to Middle Eastern main ports and can thus provide fresher bananas at lower transport cost than bananas from other countries. In the midst of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, the banana offered a small glimmer of hope for Somalis trying to reclaim economic harmony. Due to the civil war, warlords, poor roads and storage facilities, which result in much spoilage and high prices far from producing areas, hunger and malnutrition were some of the major causes of suffering for significant sections of the population. Before the civil war, almost all ba...

Air Afrique: Africa's Lost Aviation Dream and The Future of Continental Travel

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Air Afrique: Africa's Lost Aviation Dream From Pan-African vision to SAATM — tracing the continent's journey toward unified skies and economic integration. In 1961, a revolutionary idea took flight: a pan-African airline that would connect the continent and symbolize unity. Air Afrique represented more than just transportation—it embodied the dream of a connected, self-reliant Africa. Though it ultimately failed, its legacy lives on in today's efforts to create a Single African Air Transport Market. Air Afrique represented a bold vision for pan-African connectivity and economic cooperation The Rise and Fall of a Pan-African Vision 1961: Air Afrique launched as a joint venture between 11 Francophone African nations, Air France, and Union Aéromaritime de Transport. Headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, it aimed to promote unity and development through air travel. 1970s: The airline expanded ra...

Number of Doctors in Africa

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The qualified healthcare worker shortage in Africa is felt keenly by the poor as HIV AIDS is the biggest killer second Diarrhea diseases third Malaria.  This article provides data from The World Health Organization on the number of generalist and specialist physicians per 1,000 of the population in Africa but first, the facts. The shortage of qualified healthcare workers brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large. Out of 54 African countries, only one African country, Mauritius meets the criteria established by The World Health Organization. The World Health Organization states 23 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10,000 populations would be sufficient to achieve coverage of primary healthcare needs. African countries that fall below this minimum threshold struggle to provide skilled care to pregnant women, at birth through old age as well as emergency and specialized services. This has direct consequences on the numbers of deaths...

Tasting African History Through Street Food

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Zowey is a popular street food in Ghana made from peanut butter, flour and ginger spices, Puff-puff from Nigeria is a traditional African snack similar to a large hot fresh doughnut hole,  Kelewele is also popular for breakfast in Ghana. The number of street food vendors in Africa is unknown but the historic economic, social and cultural value of street food in Africa throughout history is priceless. Tasting African History Through Street Food. Working on average 10 hours per day street food for many African people becomes the only way to earn a living, and street food vending, in particular, represents one of the easiest and viable jobs, as it requires little start-up capital. Limited access to credit is a major barrier to the growth of the street food enterprises. Food vendors need a license to legally trade in many places in Africa. However neither at the national nor at local level, in Africa there is no framework policy or law specifically regulating street food vending. Str...

Average of 78% of people in Africa are without internet access

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Top 10 African Countries with the lowest internet access. Average of 78% of people in Africa are without internet access, phone and computer internet access is failing to reach one billion people in Africa. Equatorial Guinea 0.2% Eritrea 1.2% Somalia 1.9% Democratic Republic of the Congo 3.8% Guinea-Bissau 3.8% Niger 4.3% Central African Republic 4.6% Madagascar 4.7% Chad 5% Burundi 5.2% = 3.74% average internet access for 10 African countries. Top 10 African Countries with the highest internet access. Morocco 58.3% Seychelles 56.5% South Africa 54% Mauritius 53.2% Tunisia 50.9% Cabo Verde 48.2% Gabon 48.1% Uganda 45.9% Algeria 42.9% Egypt 41.3% = 49.9% average internet access for 10 African countries. How does Africa compare to the rest of the world for internet access? The United States of America 76.2% United Kingdom 94.8% China 53.2% Brazil 59.7% Japan 92% Russia 76.4% Mexico 59.5% Germany 89.6% Africa 22% Average of 78% of people in Africa ...

Average Age of People in Africa

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List of African countries by median age of the total population and male and female median ages. Which African country has the youngest population. Niger with an average age of 14.8 years old is the youngest country in Africa and the youngest country in the world. Which African country has the oldest population. Seychelles with an average age of 36.8 years old is the oldest country in Africa. What is the average age of the world population; 31 years old. The age demographics for Africa is very young, in fact Niger is the youngest country in the world; 19 out of 20 youngest countries in the world are in Africa. Top 20 youngest countries in the world. Niger 14.8 years old. Uganda 15.7 years old. Angola 15.9 years old. Mali 16 years old. Chad 16.1 years old. Democratic Republic of the Congo 16.7 years old. Malawi 16.8 years old. Zambia 16.9 years old. Mozambique 17 years old. Benin 17 years old. Burundi 17.7 years old. Burkina Faso 17.9 years old. Liberia 18...

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Folklore Meets Science

Folklore Meets Science
African stories that explain the universe

African Gourmet FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The African Gourmet blog about?

The African Gourmet explores African food, history, and culture through recipes, folktales, and proverbs written for curious readers worldwide.

Who writes The African Gourmet?

The blog is written and curated by Ivy, a lifelong historian and storyteller who highlights Africa’s culinary and cultural richness.

How can I find African recipes on this site?

Use the “African Recipes” category or explore posts like African Recipes for regional dishes and ingredients.

Can I share or reprint your articles?

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Where can I learn more about African proverbs and folklore?

Explore our African Proverbs and African Folktales sections for timeless wisdom and stories.

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African Studies

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