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A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories through food, history, and folklore. Selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage, ensuring our digital timeline endures for generations.

Trusted by: Wikipedia • Emory University African Studies • University of Kansas • University of KwaZulu-Natal • MDPI Scholarly Journals.
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African Folktale: Swimming with the Laluba Mermaids

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📁 Kingdom of Laluba Mermaids 📁 Mermaid Spirituality 📁 Mermaids African Folktale

Swimming with the Kingdom of Laluba Mermaids African Folktale encourages us to embrace the natural world as a source of wonder and peace.

Swimming with the Mermaids teaches it's important to be open-minded and willing to try new things. Ujua was hesitant to go to the underwater kingdom at first, but she eventually took a chance and found happiness. Now, Ujua's legacy is bringing joy to the mermaids showing that her kindness and positivity had a lasting impact.

Swimming with the Mermaids African Folktale
Ujua the River Mermaid

African Folktale Swimming with the Mermaids: Ujua's Adventure in the River

As the elders say, there was a woman named Ujua who lived in a small fishing town in Ghana. She was known for her constant grumpiness and bad temper, and no matter what anyone did to make her happy, she was never satisfied. Her sour disposition made everyone around her miserable, and they often avoided her company.

One day, Ujua went to the Naserian Enkare river to fish, hoping that it would cheer her up. As she was casting her line, she noticed a beautiful mermaid swimming towards her. Ujua was initially frightened, but the mermaid assured her that she meant no harm. The mermaid asked Ujua why she was so unhappy, and Ujua poured out her heart to the mermaid, telling her about all her problems.

The mermaid listened patiently and then offered to take Ujua with her to the underground mermaid kingdom of Laluba, where she could find peace and happiness. Ujua was hesitant at first but eventually agreed to go with the mermaid.

When they arrived at Laluba, Ujua was amazed by the beauty of the underwater kingdom. The mermaids welcomed her with open arms and showed her around. She saw coral reefs, schools of fish, and other wondrous sea creatures that she had never seen before.

Ujua was given a beautiful underwater home, and she began to feel happy for the first time in her life. She spent her days swimming with the mermaids, exploring the ocean, and learning about the underwater world. She no longer felt the need to make other people around her miserable because she was finally content and at peace.

Years passed, and Ujua grew old. The mermaids held a grand ceremony to celebrate her life, and they told stories about how she had brought joy and happiness to their kingdom. Ujua passed away, but her legacy lived on in the hearts of the mermaids who had come to love her.

From that day on, whenever a grumpy person came to the river, the mermaids would appear to them and offer to take them to Laluba. And just like Ujua, these people would find peace and happiness living amongst the mermaids.

Kingdom of Laluba Mermaid

Kingdom of Laluba Mermaid.

There is beauty and wonder in the natural world, and we can find peace and happiness by immersing ourselves in it. Ujua found happiness by exploring the underwater world and learning about the mermaids and the Naserian Enkare river secret to happiness. Sometimes, unexpected encounters can lead to life-changing experiences.

The natural world is full of beauty and wonder, and exploring it can bring a sense of peace and awe that is hard to find in other places. Rivers, oceans, forests, and trees are just a few examples of the many wonders that nature has to offer. Rivers are some of the most fascinating natural features on our planet. They flow through landscapes and connect bodies of water, providing essential habitats for many plant and animal species including mermaids. 

The natural world is a source of endless beauty and wonder, and exploring its many wonders can be a deeply enriching and rewarding experience. From rivers and oceans to forests and trees, the natural world is a treasure trove of sights, sounds, and experiences just waiting to be discovered.


Naserian Enkare river mermaid.
Naserian Enkare river mermaid.
The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

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

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
Understanding Africa through the stories our food tells • Since 2006

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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