Stolen Colonial Artifacts convey an artificial connection to Africa.

While stolen colonial African artifacts may have physical characteristics associated with Africa, they lack a deeper meaningful connection to the continent spiritually because they are stolen pieces of Africa's soul. In other words, they may share a racial or physical attribute with Africans but have little or no cultural, historical, or experiential ties to Africa because the artifact's value lies in the spiritual connection to higher powers of the African spiritual universe. 

Despite the different ways Africa is represented in diverse fields, such as cultural artifacts, this does not equate to a complete understanding of the African continent's land, people, and history. Looking at African artifacts does not comprehensively grasp the continent's complexities. When viewing the over 1,000 Benin Bronzes stolen by Germany, one is viewing the psychical bronze statues, not the spiritual. 

Benin Bronze Art

Stolen African Spiritual Artifacts

Throughout the colonial era, European powers frequently acquired and transported a wide range of art and artifacts from numerous regions of Africa to Western countries. This practice involved the collection of objects such as masks, sculptures, textiles, and other cultural items, which were often considered valuable and significant representations of the diverse cultures and traditions throughout the continent. 

Due to these collections, many of these items were permanently removed from the communities in which they originated, and they have since been the subject of ongoing debates and discussions regarding cultural heritage, ownership, and repatriation.

During the seizure of the Kingdom of Benin as part of the British Punitive Expedition beginning January 2, 1897, British forces engaged in widespread looting of its cultural heritage, which included the famous bronze artworks of the Kingdom of Benin.

The arrows and spears the Chibok townsmen had used against the British were then collected and sent to London, where they are held in storage today. However, curator labels available online about the background of the items at the British Museum, which holds around 73,000 African objects, make no mention of how the spears got there nor of the Chibok's resistance of colonization. 

While these artifacts may have African origins, they were often acquired without the consent or understanding of the cultures they came from. As a result, they may be displayed in museums or private collections without a genuine connection to Africa beyond their physical presence.

The lack of context or appreciation for the cultural significance of these artifacts can mean that they retain nothing of Africa except their origins. They may be treated as mere curiosities or art objects divorced from their cultural and historical contexts.

Many museums have initiated processes for repatriating cultural artifacts to their countries of origin. This involves returning items that were acquired through colonial or unethical means. Repatriation aims to right historical wrongs and restore a sense of ownership and dignity to the communities from which the artifacts originated.

Museums increasingly use digital platforms to make collections accessible to a global audience. This includes digitizing artifacts and providing information about their cultural and historical significance online, making them accessible to source communities and the public.

The examples provided all share a common feature of shallow engagement with African elements, whether in a business setting, fashion, entertainment, or the handling of cultural artifacts. Although Africa's visual and aesthetic aspects are present, there's often a lack of a more profound comprehension, respect, or connection to the continent's diverse cultures, histories, and traditions.

Stolen colonial African artifacts may possess physical features that are commonly associated with Africa, but they do not hold any authentic spiritual connection to the continent. This is because these artifacts are essentially stolen pieces of Africa's soul and, as a result, lack any meaningful cultural, historical, or experiential ties to the African people. The value of these artifacts lies in their spiritual significance to the higher powers of the African spiritual universe, which is what makes them such a vital part of African heritage and culture.

🌍 Part of the African Diaspora & Back to Africa Movement Collection.

Shakshuka Recipe: North African Tomato and Egg Delight

Shakshuka, a delectable dish hailing from North Africa, particularly Tunisia, has captured the hearts and palates of egg enthusiasts worldwide. Beyond its exquisite flavors, shakshuka's history dates back centuries. Learn the origins of shakshuka with a step-by-step guide to prepare this flavorful dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.

The very name shakshuka has its roots in the Arabic word shakshek, which means “to shake.” This aptly describes the cooking process of gently shaking the pan while poaching eggs in a luscious tomato sauce.

Shakshuka Tomato Egg Recipe

Shakshuka is a delicious breakfast dish that originated in Tunisia and was enjoyed by farmers and workers as a nutritious meal to help them get through a hard day's work. Over time, it has become popular all around the world, with each culture adding its own unique twist to the recipe. Today, despite the price of eggs, shakshuka is loved by many for its rich and satisfying egg and tomato flavors.

North African Shakshuka Egg Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell pepper, sautéing until they soften (approximately 5 minutes).
2. Stir in minced garlic, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Cook for an additional minute to release the flavors.
3. Pour in crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and stir well. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Create small wells in the sauce and carefully crack the eggs into them. The number of wells depends on your desired servings.
5. Cover the pan with a lid and let the eggs cook in the sauce for 5-7 minutes, or until the whites set and yolks remain runny or firm, based on your preference.
6. Once cooked, remove from heat and garnish with freshly chopped parsley or cilantro.

Serve shakshuka with crusty bread or pita for dipping and scooping up the flavorful sauce and eggs.

Personalize your shakshuka with additions such as spinach, feta cheese, or olives. Let your creativity shine as you adapt this classic Tunisian farmers’ dish to your taste.

As you embark on preparing the African Gourmet's favorite Tunisian egg recipe, take a moment to savor the history and bold flavors of this beloved dish. Whether served for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, shakshuka is a colorful, hearty, and nourishing experience.

For more hearty North African flavors, try our guide to making fufu or explore traditional African food habits that help the planet .

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South African Curry Fishcakes are a delectable dish that seamlessly blends the rich fishing tradition with love for the vibrant South African food scene. Each savory bite is connected to the love for fishing with the aromatic allure of curry in this South African culinary delight. Our recipe is designed to provide a serving size that will cater to a group of four individuals.

South African Curry Fishcakes is a delicious dish where fishing and curry come together to create a perfect combination.

South African Curry Fishcakes

Ingredients

1 cup canned and drained salmon

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 teaspoons grated ginger root

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 cup of crushed pineapples 

1 beaten chicken egg

1 cooked and mashed potato

Oil for frying

Directions

Mix salmon, coriander, garlic, ginger, sugar, lemon rind, and curry paste in a bowl. Add pineapples, beaten egg, and mashed potato; mix well. Shape into cakes and refrigerate until firm. Fry cakes in oil until golden brown on both sides. Serve with a green salad and a side of french fries.

Polio persists in Africa due to inadequate healthcare, limited access in rural areas, conflicts, and vaccine belief systems.

The CDC issued a travel alert about polio in Africa, specifically in Benin, on August 31, 2023. But why does wild polio still exist in Africa when in the United States, wild polio has been eliminated with no cases occurring in the country since 1979.

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Did you know that despite years of efforts to eradicate polio in Africa, the disease still persists? Unfortunately, several deeply complex challenges make it difficult to completely eliminate polio from the continent.

Polio's persistence in Africa is attributed to multifaceted challenges. Inadequate healthcare infrastructure, limited access to remote areas, and socioeconomic disparities impede effective vaccination campaigns. Additionally, political instability in some regions hampers consistent healthcare delivery. 

Cultural beliefs play a significant role in polio non-vaccination, as the local population may hold misconceptions such as the vaccine is a trick of the devil or have cultural practices that influence their perception of vaccines. Vaccination programs to eliminate polio from Africa must encompass the body and mind.

As recently as the 1950s, polio was a common disease in the United States. Polio is a very dangerous disease caused by a virus. Some children and adults who get a serious case of polio become paralyzed. This means that they are unable to move parts of their bodies. They may even die from the disease.

Serious cases of polio cause severe muscle pain and sometimes make the person unable to move one or both legs or arms and may make it difficult to breathe without the help of a machine. Mild cases of polio may last only a few days and may cause the person to have a fever, sore throat, stomachache, and headache.

There are no drugs or other special treatments that will cure people who get polio. There are two variants of polio vaccines: the widely recommended live oral polio vaccine, known as OPV, and the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). OPV involves administering weakened but still live polio virus through oral drops, while IPV utilizes a killed polio virus administered as a shot. A regimen of 3 or more doses of either OPV or IPV provides protection against polio for at least 90 out of every 100 individuals.

Vaccine-derived poliovirus is a well-documented strain of poliovirus mutated from the strain originally contained in OPV. Some circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses have evolved to behave more like the wild virus, making it easier to spread to unvaccinated individuals. This is the reason why the 

Per the CDC, Good hand-washing practices can help prevent the spread of this disease. Because the virus that causes polio lives in the feces of an infected person, people infected with the disease can spread it to others when they do not wash their hands well after defecating. People can also be infected if they drink water or eat food contaminated with infected feces.

Polio still exists in Africa because some countries in the city and rural areas don't have enough good healthcare, making it hard to give vaccines to everyone. Also, in some areas, it's tough to reach people, and not everyone can easily get to a doctor. Problems like wars or political issues in some places make it difficult to have regular healthcare. Some people may not want the vaccine because they believe in different vaccine treatments or have different beliefs. 

How sick people get with the disease and how much they recover differ for each person. Most people who are paralyzed by polio will have some weakness in an arm or leg for the rest of their lives. Many of these people will be seriously disabled.

🌍 Part of the African Diaspora & Back to Africa Movement Collection.