That “tribal” word
I cringe whenever I see that word in a news article. And I see it so often in journalese. Stories about developing countries often feature phrases like tribal healer, tribal […]
Category Archives: History
Why The Most Important Person in Africa is the Storyteller
Storyteller. At its basic level, the word conveys the role of someone who preserves the memories, beliefs, aspirations, experiences of a people, a society, a civilization. Storytelling is the convergence of many disciplines, as many disciplines involve storytelling such as history, sociology, anthropology, photography and of course, literature.
I appreciate the storytelling that is done on a micro-level that requires one-one-one interaction with people on-the-ground.
Researchers say that it’s the ability of humans to tell stories that has greatly contributed to our survival as a dominant species.
Stunning new images celebrate Kenyan female icon who stood up to colonialists
Mnyazi wa Menza a.k.a Mekatilili was a strong woman known for her fierceness and resistance of colonial rule in Kenya. This photography project represents her life in the Giriama region of Kenya where she lived from the1840s to 1924, according to local sources. In this reimagination, a fearless Mekatilili is pictured readying for battle, defying the age-long patriarchal norms in Kenyan (and generally, African) societies. Women were not known to be headstrong during that time, but Mekatilili could not be silent about the colonial oppression in her community.
Why young Africans need to know their history
For the past two years, I have been engaged in a personal project to collect firsthand accounts of the Nigerian Civil War (AKA Nigerian Biafran War or the Biafran War). I started this project because I wanted to learn more about this crucial moment of history, which affected my family and millions of others. I also wanted to allow the people who lived through it to speak and to have their words documented. The war began in 1967 and the ones with solid memories of it are at least 57 years old or so.
Rwanda is more than a post-genocide nation
Rwanda is shaking off its violent past and young content creators- writers, bloggers, filmmakers, journalists- are trying to tell the world that Rwanda is more than a post-genocide nation. I took a trip to Rwanda a few months ago to meet some of the young people.
Ever Heard Of Benin City?
This is the story of a lost medieval city you’ve probably never heard about. Benin City, originally known as Edo, was once the capital of a pre-colonial African empire located in what is now southern Nigeria. The Benin empire was one of the oldest and most highly developed states in west Africa, dating back to the 11th century.
The Guinness Book of Records (1974 edition) described the walls of Benin City and its surrounding kingdom as the world’s largest earthworks carried out prior to the mechanical era.
To so many Africans, Fidel Castro is a hero
If Africa is a country, then Fidel Castro is one of our national heroes. This may come as a surprise to many oblivious of Africa’s postcolonial history and Castro’s role […]
Recognizing the Genocide in Namibia
More than a century since the German Empire carried out racial extermination in Namibia and in the wake of its recognition of the Armenian genocide, Germany is being urged to do the same for Namibia. But Berlin’s unwillingness to grant reparations has been criticized.
Road trip in Senegal
On a road trip in Senegal, Dakar’s nightlife shines and Saint-Louis sings DAKAR, Senegal — From dizzying Dakar to vibrant Saint-Louis, Senegal pulsates with rich culture, history and […]
The Audacious Blackness of Muhammad Ali
As the world remembers “The Greatest” boxing champion who ever lived, Muhammad Ali, I remember his audacious black pride. With his gloves and his lyrical prowess, he showed the world […]
