Away from Africa

Ms. Ngurungunda pounding aromatic herbs Ever since I saw a video about Herero women and their distinctive way of dressing years ago, I had hoped to one day see them in real life. When I finally did, they were every bit as captivating as I imagined—but what struck me even more was how much I learned about the Herero people, their history, and the broader Bantu cultural heritage across Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the facts I learned was that the first genocide of the 20th century was committed against the Herero people. Germany had colonized Namibia in 1884, often using deceptive agreements. The Herero and Nama were pastoralist communities, but as more German settlers arrived, their land was systematically confiscated. In response, the Herero rebelled—and the consequences were devastating. Between 1904 and 1908, an estimated 80% of the Herero population  was killed.* Ombu Village, Namibia In May of this year, I visited the Ombu Herero Cultural Village in northern Namibia, located off ...

Sao on the tree in Douala There were myriad consequences to colonialism in Africa, and as we know, most of the continent still hasn’t recovered. But I will leave that discussion for the experts in geopolitics and history. One of the consequences is not much discussed: the vocabulary of food products, in particular of fruits, leafy greens, and vegetables. If an item doesn’t exist in the “West,” i.e. Europe and North America, it didn’t get a name. For years, there was little travel within the African continent. It was more expensive and convoluted to go from Douala to Dakar than from Douala to Paris.  Nowadays there are many more African airlines, and even if you are on your way to Paris or London, from an African metropolis, you can make a pit stop in Addis Ababa, for example. But if you are going to another country, and would like to eat your favorite food, how do you know if you can find it in that country? For that matter, even when you travel to another town, and you are sure th...

In happier days - a celebration You're home, you're bored. What activities can you do that you usually don't have time for - and you have an affinity for, or a relationship with Sub-Saharan Africa? Of course we can start with the news . Much of it is depressing - about how many cases of Covid19 are in Africa, who passed away - all sad and frightening. However there are bright spots! Among fashion designers and tailors/sew mistresses around the world, a Rwandan designer is creating masks made of African fabric. They are not medically approved, but at least there is a physical barrier. Other activities : - Submit a film to the Mobile Film Festival ! As per their site:  Founded in 2005, the Mobile Film Festival is an international Festival of short-length movies, based on an simple principle:  1 Mobile, 1 Minute, 1 Film .  And further:  The Mobile Film Festival is a  100% digital festival , thus aiming at reaching the largest audience. Yet, its...

The book  The African Dwelling - From Traditional to Western Style Homes (McFarland, 2019) is published, and available in many countries. It is the English-language version of the French-language book De la case à la villa (Riveneuve, 2014). However, it is not a replica: the book has been updated to reflect more current naming methodology, with some updated images, and includes an index. There are still about 200 images, in black and white. The foreword is by Jack Travis, FAIA. It is my hope that this book will be found in universities as well as personal libraries around the world, as a resource on the evolution of housing in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as a repository for African terms that may not be easily found anymore. Below is a gallery of additional/color photographs. I'll continue posting color photographs as time goes on. Kain Tukuru home in Bonendalé, Cameroon, built 1953-1954 Entrance to a Bamiléké village, photo courtesy Amélie Essesse ...

Masks, Initiés du Bassin du Congo, at the former Musée Dapper* A few years ago, I found out that the hype about Instagram was justified. I found it to be a great platform to post photos, and it's useful for those aiming to sell a product, as I have already purchased items from several vendors seen on Instagram! And not to forget the beautiful and inspirational photos and posts from all over the world. It is also a platform for cultural exchange. As a person with more than a little interest in Africa, I soon started following  @the.kraal . The stated mission:  " Exploring the magic of Africa and the diaspora through history, culture, traditions, spirituality, and more." The feed covers many regions of Africa, especially Sub-Saharan. It features traditions, art, religious practices, but also known and lesser-known heroes of Africa.  So little is known about Africa's history. Not only that there were kingdoms and erudition in pre-colonial times, but post-co...

Photo courtesy of Suzanne Lehn Boukary Konaté , 1977 (?) - September 2017 He left us much too soon. Around early 2009, as I was still new on Twitter, I looked for Africa-centric communities and found  Global Voices , and then Claire Ulrich , Anna Gueye , and finally Boukary Konaté  from Bamako, Mali. We became quite friendly - albeit online - and I admired his desire to further his own education as well as promote and safeguard Malian culture, and bring the internet to rural areas. A group of his online friends, led by First World Music 's Akenataa Hammagaadji, in New York, sent him a solar backpack for that purpose. Boukary was a teacher in a Bamako high school. He wrote one of the rare blogs in Bambara, in fact one of the rare blogs in any African language in general: Fasokan . The blog won a Bobs (Best of the Blogs) award in 2012. In 2014, he created a blog and Facebook page called " Quand le Village se réveille " (When the village awakes), that showcased t...

Douala is not the same as when I left it over twenty years ago. The city has sprawled, rather than grown upwards; what used to be almost countryside, is now covered with construction, unfortunately mostly without any design process. Architects are perceived to be expensive, so any neighborhood, sometimes self-proclaimed draftsperson, will do the job of drawing up a building and finding a way to obtain a building permit (or not). Almost every square inch of sidewalk is taken up by tiny businesses. There is so much unemployment that it is totally understandable, and I salute the young person with a technical degree in electronics selling peanuts from a wheelbarrow. He is trying to make a living on his own, rather than sit home and ask for funds. Motorcycle rider with bags of bread Motorcycles are everywhere, and beware when you cross the street. The bus agency closed years ago, and now motorcycles are many people's preferred mode of public transportation: inexpensiv...