The African Gourmet: African Cuisine, Folktales and Cultural Stories

Cutting Off Hands Became a Form of Payment  In one of history’s most twisted systems of control, soldiers in the Congo Free State were ordered to bring back severed human hands as proof that each bullet they used had killed someone. This grotesque practice wasn’t about efficiency; it was about profit. Bullets were expensive, and King Leopold II didn’t want them wasted. But he had no such concern for human lives.  The soldiers, under pressure to meet rubber quotas and avoid punishment themselves, adopted this warped logic. Soldiers often cut off hands from living people, children included, or collected them from corpses for bureaucratic verification.  The force carrying out these atrocities was called the Force Publique , a colonial army formed by Leopold himself. It was a mix of mostly Belgian or other European white officers and African conscripts. The system Leopold built didn’t just exploit a land as it trained people to believe that human suffering was a necessary cos...

A powerful African tale of how revenge, masked as strength, destroys a family from within. Generational trauma, exposed and exiled. Read this unforgettable story. The Need for Revenge How a Father’s Bitterness Poisoned His Legacy In the village of Okee, where drums echoed through mango trees and the scent of roasted yam hung in the air, lived a man named Ilua. His smile could calm arguments; his carved walking sticks were prized from one end of the market to the other. He told stories, laughed often, and gave freely. But beneath the warmth was something colder—something that remembered every insult, every imagined slight. Ilua didn’t forget. And he didn’t forgive. His wife, Asil, a gifted potter with quiet eyes, had once mistaken his grudge-bearing nature for strength. She married him for his charm but slowly learned to tread carefully, saying little when his bitterness surfaced. When she asked for honey from the market, Ilua returned with n...

Health Drink in Mauritania: A Perspective on Tradition In Mauritania, a vast desert nation in West Africa, cultural traditions have long shaped unique standards of beauty, particularly for women. The preference for fuller-figured women, celebrated as symbols of beauty, fertility, and prosperity, has deep roots in certain communities.  However, as modern influences like social media and health awareness grow, Mauritania is navigating a delicate balance between honoring tradition and addressing health concerns tied to practices like leblouh (force-feeding).  In the eleventh-largest country in Africa, beauty standards among some ethnic groups, particularly the White Moor Arabs (approximately 30% of the population), have historically favored women with fuller figures.  Larger body sizes are associated with wealth, fertility, and marital desirability, symbolizing a prosperous household. In contrast, thinness is at times linked to poverty or poor health, potentially affecting a...

Three Ordinary Influential Women from 1895 Nigeria   For those intrigued by the history of Black women in Africa , this photograph offers a compelling glimpse into the past. Taken on July 19, 1895, in Lagos, Nigeria, it features three women: Amina, Kemi, and Nneka.  This image likely originated from one of the early Lagos-based photographic studios that catered to middle-class Africans eager to document their aspirations. Such portraits weren’t merely keepsakes—they were statements of identity, pride, and social standing in an era of shifting norms. Amina, Kemi, and Nneka In 1895, Lagos was transforming rapidly. The British colonial administration had annexed Lagos just three decades earlier, in 1861. This was a period of expanding infrastructure, increased missionary influence, and economic restructuring. Yet amidst these shifts, African women like Amina, Kemi, and Nneka found ways to assert influence within their spheres.  Everyday Heroines Black Women in Colonial ...

  A Cataclysm That Shook Africa’s Wildlife For students fascinated by animals and Earth’s wild history, the African megatsunami is a jaw-dropping tale. About 73,000 years ago, a massive chunk of Fogo volcano in Cape Verde—160 cubic kilometers of rock—crashed into the Atlantic, unleashing a wave up to 270 meters (880 feet) high. This wasn’t just a wave; it reshaped coastlines and hurled boulders the size of delivery trucks onto Santiago Island, 200 meters above sea level. Confirmed by cosmogenic dating, this event shows how animals survived a catastrophe that changed their world forever. Curious about wildlife in natural disasters ? Let’s dive in! What Is a Megatsunami? Unlike regular tsunamis triggered by earthquakes, megatsunamis—like the one in Cape Verde—stem from massive displacements, such as volcanic collapses, landslides, or even asteroid impacts. These walls of water can tower over skyscrapers, reaching heights like the 880 feet of the Fogo event. They’re rare, but their ...

Grief often lingers in the quiet places. It’s in the stillness of early morning, the soft lap of water against the shore, the silence where a voice used to be. For one man, remembering his wife wasn’t about grand gestures, it was about a small plaque by the lake, where they once laughed, talked, and cast their lines into the water. Over the years, that humble memorial became more than a marker; it became a gathering place for healing, just a man, his son, and the memory of someone deeply loved. Where the Plaque Once Stood: A Short Story of Grief and Healing For twenty years, the plaque stood by Lake Victoria. It was a bronze and simple plaque with her name and the words, “Loved beyond words, missed beyond measure.” It was his way of keeping her close. She died young. Too young. And every weekend, he’d bring their son to that spot. They’d fish, just like she used to with them. The plaque was more than a memorial . It was a promise kept. But time changed the small town. A new park p...

Nigeria: The Beer Belly of Africa Where the Bulge Brews Big If Africa carried a beer belly, it would take the shape of Nigeria — lively, loud, and overflowing with lager-soaked swagger. Nigeria is bold, unapologetic, and full of life, much like the proud, rounded belly of someone who’s enjoyed a few too many cold ones. Nigeria: Africa’s Beer Belly Nigeria’s Cultural Influence From the beats of Afrobeats to the cinematic juggernaut of Nollywood, Nigeria’s creative output is a global force. Artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido have taken Afrobeats to international stages, blending traditional rhythms with modern sounds that make you want to move, no matter where you’re from. Why Beer Belly of Africa? Look at the map of Africa: Nigeria is the rounded bulge jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. Add its love of lager, booming brewery scene, and robust beer consumption, and the metaphor fits perfectly. This isn’t a beer gut — it’s a beer badge of honor. The “B...

Somalia beyond the Green Line is still one of the most dangerous regions in the world. The term Green Line once described a battle-scarred boundary slicing through Mogadishu during the height of Somalia’s civil war in the 1990's. It divided the capital between rival warlords Mohamed Farah Aideed and Ali Mahdi Mohamed and became a deadly front line of urban warfare, snipers, and relentless shelling. Though the physical line has long since disappeared through peace talks and power shifts, its legacy remains deeply etched into the political geography of Somalia.  Today, the phrase Beyond the Green Line is more than historical as it captures the reality of life outside the control of Somalia’s federal government, where Al-Shabaab militants, clan militias, and ungoverned spaces continue to challenge efforts at national unity and security. This article explores what lies beyond that line then and now. Somalia beyond the Green Line is still one of the most dangerous regions in the world. ...

Kidnapping Insurance Explained: What Travelers to Africa Should Know When planning a trip to Africa, many travelers think about vaccinations, visas, and what to pack. But one lesser-known topic that occasionally surfaces is kidnapping insurance also known as K&R insurance (Kidnap and Ransom insurance).  It sounds like something out of a spy novel, but it’s a very real type of coverage, and it’s offered by major insurance providers around the world. If you're visiting Africa or any region where there’s perceived security risk understanding how K&R insurance works can help you make informed choices. Kidnapping is a known strategy and foreign nationals are high-value targets. What Is Kidnapping Insurance (K&R Insurance)? Kidnapping and Ransom (K&R) insurance is a policy that provides financial and logistical support if a traveler is kidnapped, extorted, detained, or hijacked. This coverage typically includes: Ransom reimbursement (if paid to secure release). Crisis ne...

Classic Paternoster South African Folktale Shadows of the Green River Shadows of the Green River Long ago, in the bones and stones of what is now the town of Paternoster South Africa, there was a serene river called Umzali, meaning Mother of Life.  The river gave life to lush green trees, fertile lands, and animals who thrived in the warmth of her embrace. But Umzali held a secret — her waters were guarded by Izithunzi, the Shadows of the River. Izithunzi were spirits that lived in the trunks of the tall trees growing along her banks. They only came alive when the sun cast long shadows, stretching their reach far across the water. It was said they were the first to drink from the river when it was created, and in return, they vowed to protect its purity.  Travelers who sought to take more than they needed or who disrespected the river often found themselves mysteriously lost, their footprints erased by the shadows. One day, a proud and boastful hunter named Vusumuzi arrived in...

Deportation of Eight Men to South Sudan On July 5, 2025, eight men were deported from the United States to South Sudan following a prolonged legal battle. The men, immigrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam, and one from South Sudan , were held in a converted shipping container at a U.S. military base in Djibouti from late May 2025 until their deportation. The deportation followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision on July 3, 2025, which lifted an injunction by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, allowing the Trump administration to proceed with the removal. Details of the Deportees The eight men were convicted of serious crimes in the United States, including murder, robbery, sexual assault, possession of a deadly weapon, assault by a confined person, and driving under the influence. Their home countries refused to accept them, leading to their deportation to South Sudan, a third country, under the authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which permits deportations to cou...

Mauritian Chutney: The Soulful Condiment of the Indian Ocean For the culinary explorer, the food of the Indian Ocean is a siren song of spice routes and cultural fusion. Nowhere is this more evident than in Mauritius, a volcanic island where African, European, and Asian flavors have collided to create one of the world's most dynamic cuisines. And at the heart of every Mauritian meal, you'll find its vibrant soul: chutney . Forget what you know about the preserved chutneys in jars. Mauritian chutney (or chatini ) is a fresh, often daily-made condiment that is the very essence of the island's "gout" or taste. It's a living history lesson—a taste of India, reborn with the tropical bounty of the Indian Ocean. From Indian Staples to Island Innovations: A Culinary Migration The Roots: Indentured Labor and Culinary Memory In the 19th century, Indian indentured laborers arrived on Mauritian shores, carrying little but their culinary heritage. They br...