In Western cultures, we tend to choose names that are perhaps historical, or have been passed down in our families, or represent characters we loved in pieces of literature. But in many African cultures, parents choose names for their children with very strong, complex meanings. Here are 10 totally amazing African names you’ll want to name your children.
Azubuike
This is a name you’ll find a lot in the Igbo language of Western Africa. It means “the past is your strength” or “unity, the past is your strength” implying the generations that came in this family before this baby have built up strength for the baby.
Tendaj
Your baby could grow up to be a great entrepreneur if you give him or her this name. Tendaji means “makes things happen” in Swahili.
Ebele
If you like the name “Bell” or “Bella” but want something more unique, you can get the same sound from this name, but with a very cool meaning: Ebele means “mercy” and “kindness” and is from the Igbo language. –
Katlego
This name is from the Twsana language, spoken in southern Africa. It means “success,” which is probably something you thought when you finally finished hours of labour — but also you can pass on good luck and success to your baby.
Monifa
If you want to steer away from Monica but like some of the sounds, Monifa has a wonderful meaning: it means “I am lucky.” The name comes from the Yoruba culture of southwestern Nigeria and Benin.
Nkiruka
It can be shortened to just “Nki” (pronounced Nikki) as a nickname. It means “the best is still to come” or “the future is bright” in the Igbo language.
Nneka
If you want to remind your child to pay his or her mother respect, name him or her Nneka which means “my mother is supreme” in Igbo.
Omolara
If you’ve been estranged from your family, or perhaps were put up for adoption as a child and have been looking to build your own family, you’ll love the name Omolara. It means “a child is family” in the Yoruba culture.
Sekai
Sekai comes from the Shona people living in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The name means “be humorous.”
Tamrat
You could call your child “Tammy” for short. The name Tamrat comes from Amharic, a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia. It means “Miracle.”
Introducing the Ethnik by Tunde Owolabi UTU Bag Collection😍. UTU is a Swahili concept of humanity, goodness, sharing, caring and togetherness.
As human beings, we cannot live in isolation (“I am who I am because of who we are”- Ubuntu).
As Africans, we are all connected, by continent, race, skin, even our diversity.. UTU includes the entire humanity, if we are all good to each other, the world will be a better place. No one’s an island, we need each other to survive.
Over the years, Ethnik by Tunde Owolabi has been known to create its pieces from inspiration with different cultures. After 2 years of research and intrigue by the MAASAI Culture, they have created one of a kind pieces which has brought together an intricate part of the MAASAI culture and the YORUBA culture.
The women worked with their designs and made them extra special with their expertise. Together, they created beautiful timeless pieces, THE UTU COLLECTION.
With a name like Bellafricana verified, you probably wondered if the Bellafricana creative community is any fun.
Well, yes, the community is fun and many other things included. While the aim is to get indigenous brands selling locally and globally, there are also opportunities for members of the Bellafricana Verified community to meet up and have fun.
One of such opportunities was the ‘Bellafricana Creative Breakfast August Meet up’ which occurred on the 3rd of August, 2019, with the theme ‘Life & Business’. The event which took place at the Lagos Tea House, Lekki was an opportunity for members to talk about balancing life and business in the everyday world.
This event which had over 30 members and 15 non members in attendance was filled with laugh, talks on balancing business and of course, good food!
If you were there, you would definitely agree that it was a good time.
If you missed it on the other hand, well, you missed!
The good thing is, there are pictures for you to see while you get ready for the next event.
Here are some pictures;
Sincerely, I am tempted to continue posting pictures from the event, but then everything with a beginning, has an end.
On that note, if you would love to be part of this beautiful community, click here!
We are in the 21st century and the world is already being recognized as a “global village”. The world is now almost connected by telecommunications as well as the internet/media; as everyone now has access to any information they want, they can learn anything, contact anyone, carry out business transactions, even build their very own business brand; and all from the comfort of their couch. Looking back at the olden age, all these privileges we enjoy were not available in the 1800s or early 1900s by our ancestors, so to say, as they lived in a time where everything was backwards and underdeveloped, Africa especially.
For your keen knowledge, the word “Global Village” was a phrase coined by Marshall McLuhan in 1964, which he used to describe how the world is connected as a result of modern communication; thus linking everyone in the world. The idea of the global village is that everyone, just like one extended central nervous system is connected by telecommunications, the media and the internet as a whole. Looking at how things are today, we can all testify that we can’t do without the internet or our gadgets (not even if we tried) because they’ve become an important part of our everyday lives; whether we’re working, reading/learning something new, disseminating or gathering information, or just for the fun of it.
Why then is the world a global village? Why didn’t we just remain in the olden era and live as our ancestors did? Well, the world became a global village because a lot of things needed to change, there was a need for development and a need to bridge the gap between people of the world. Here’s why the world decided to become globalized and what gaps needed to be bridged:
Cultural Barrier:
Before globalization, the internet and telecommunications, the biggest problem the world had were cultural differences and misinformation. Looking at how Joseph Conrad portrayed Africans in his novel “Heart of Darkness”, there was a misconception on his part due to lack of information as he saw Africans as barbaric, uncultured animals but, now, thanks to the internet, Africa is being seen as a vast cultural nation with talents, creativity, culture, beauty and so on.
Ethiopian cultural clothes
Living in the world as a global village, everyone can now learn a lot about different countries as well as their culture without having to travel there. For example, through the use of the media which connects everyone in the world, people have learnt about and even travelled to witness Calabar festival, Dubai shopping festival, Paris fashion week, Lagos Fashion and Design Week, as well as other events around the world thus, breaking the barrier of cultural misconception.
Information:
Information wasn’t widely spread as it is now. Back then, it would take days or even weeks for information to be spread among states but now, thanks to globalization which first brought newspapers, radios, televisions and then the world wide web known as the Internet and social media, information can be spread across the world in a couple of minutes. We no longer miss anything (no need for newspapers either) and we’re constantly updated 24/7 about what’s happening on the other side of the world without being there and, we can easily share our views and opinions, all thanks to the media. Although television is still in use, our phones especially have become an easy means of having “information with you on the go” as you can check for anything online anytime and anywhere (explains why I’m always on my phone).
Communication:
Just like it was with information, it was also very difficult to communicate with one another in the olden era, especially with someone in a different country. Before the invention of the post office, you’d have to pay a visit to whoever you wanted to communicate with; so long as they were in the same town with you (thankfully that’s over) but now, the internet has practically changed the world and has impacted communication thus, enabling everyone to communicate easily regardless of the distance (you just have to pick up your phone and call or send a message to anyone anywhere in the world).
Globalization first brought to us phones and then the internet/social media which has made it easier to communicate with anyone anywhere in the world even without calling thus breaking the communication barrier (video calls have also made it easier for you to feel like you’re there with your loved one, it’s super exciting). Almost everyone in the world now has access to a gadget or the internet, which has become the main mode of communication.
Trade:
Trade by barter was what existed back then but now, I certainly wouldn’t want to trade my shoe for a bag when I can buy the bag anywhere (I can have my cake and eat it). I also wouldn’t want to go to the market to buy something when I can easily order it online, from the comfort of my home, and have it brought to my doorstep. Globalization has changed the conventional ways of trading (buying and selling) and has transformed the physical market into an online market/ platform like Bellafricana, as more shoppers use the internet to buy goods daily and also, most offline markets are now taking their business to the internet as it is easier to reach a vast audience in a short while (the internet is everything!). Thus, increasing capital, and making trade between countries easier.
Transportation and Travel:
A view in the Chad desert.
Back then, the mode of transportation was either through walking, canoe, or the use of animals (before bicycles were invented of course), despite the distance. Thankfully, now, we no longer have to walk a long distance like the people of Israel did because transportation now connects us easily through fast and effective means of transportation. Globalization helped us conquer time and distance through the use of cars, trains and planes which runs on fuel/diesel rather than manpower. Now, you can easily travel anywhere around the world (you no longer have to walk thankfully) for any reason whatsoever without any hassle.
Creative Awareness:
Ndop fabric used in an art and culture exhibition
Back then, though people were creative geniuses, they had no means of showcasing their talent. Thanks to globalization now, you can create an artwork or a piece of art, post it on the internet and have it seen by people around the world (even sell it) and, just about anyone can use and access the internet from any device. Africa for example, being a vast country full of people who are highly creative can now showcase their talents, indigenous arts and culture to people around the world.
Job Opportunities:
I think we can all agree that it’s now easier to find a job online than it was years ago when you had to go around with your CV looking for job vacancies (it was really frustrating). Now, there are online sites you can search for job opportunities and easily send your CV without moving an inch. Not to mention that you can even start your own business online, promote it and make your own income. All these weren’t possible then but now, globalization has made life a bit easier as it opens our business market to a whole new world.
Improve Standard of Living
Like I said earlier, globalization has made life a lot easier and has improved our standards of living as consumers now have more opportunities to pick quality items at the right place for the right price with no restrictions on the goods. Also, everything can be done from the comfort of our homes now without much stress, improving the standard of living for people across the world.
Togetherness:
Globalization has brought people of the world together even during trying times. The good side of globalization is that it has connected people such that we’re aware of the sufferings, attacks, war and bad things happening around the world such that we come together to fight for a good cause, lend a helping hand as well as spread peace and love to everyone affected. For example, during governmental oppression of the masses, protests are done on social media against the government to raise awareness and put an end to it.
Modernity and Diversity:
Globalization has brought about modernization in countries like India, Nigeria, etc that were economically backwards and has also increased diversity in all fields, which has brought about different opinions as well as solutions to problems that weren’t seen.
A lot of barriers that hindered growth and development needed to be broken, which was what brought about globalization, turning the world into a global village connecting everyone around the world. Globalization broke the barrier of distance, communication, buying and selling, travelling, and so on, turning the world into a small, developed, modern village. As such, the world as a global village has successfully brought everyone around the world together irrespective of their race, gender or tribe.
With Ramadan generally meaning a wind-down all over the Muslim world, you might expect that the red city of Marrakesh shuts up shop for the month, but that isn’t exactly the case. While the holy month means that many in Muslim-majority Morocco will be fasting during daylight hours, that doesn’t mean that Marrakesh is in any way off limits (though it might make finding an end-of-the-day beer a bit harder).
For travellers, the main difference will be the shortened opening hours, as many business and sights close either earlier in the day or for a chunk of the evening as Muslims gather together to break fast in a meal known as iftar. Here are some tips on visiting Marrakesh during Ramadan.
Enjoy the quiet streets
Much of Marrakesh’s old city will be quieter during the days in Ramadan as locals choose to spend the fasting days relaxed at home and then venture out at night. For those put off by medina crowds, it could be an excellent time to traverse winding streets that would otherwise be swamped. Food markets get busy again during the afternoon as people prepare for the large evening meal.
Find an iftar dinner
Stories abound of travellers being called in off the street by friendly Moroccans for the nightly iftar celebrations when Muslims break the day’s fast with a communal meal. Whilst serendipity might strike for you, if you want a definite dinner, it’s best to look at local restaurants. Noted culture-hub-turned-restaurant Cafe Clock offers a nightly iftarbuffet for Dh70 a head.
Dry month?
While not impossible, alcohol will be harder to find all over the country during Ramadan with some Muslims refusing to even touch the bottles during the holy month. Larger hotels aimed at tourists are likely to still serve booze though many smaller bars will close for the period or stay open while not serving alcohol. The popular 68 Bar A Vin, as one example, will close for the whole month. Supermarket alcohol shops will sometimes be open but might ask to see your passport as proof you’re not a local. The extra hassle means it might not be a bad idea to spend the trip sober; swap your end-of-the-day beer for a stop at the juice carts on the Marrakesh’s central Djemaa El Fna square.
Move your action to the night time
Though the quiet days and rising temperatures might give the city a listless feel during Ramadan, Marrakesh will very much come alive again at night. Many Muslims, having broken fast at sundown, will then head out to meet with friends and family late into the evening. Consider indulging in the greatest of past times: the afternoon nap, and then staying up later into the night as Djemaa El Fna and the nouvelle ville fill up with full stomached Moroccans looking for a friends and fun.
Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. At its heart is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC. In Gezira Island’s leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views. Apart from these really cool ”serious” stuff, there are so many fun hings to do in the beautiful capital of Egypt, and I have highlighted 3 things you should definitely do when you get to Cairo.
1. Take a hike
From late March to early June, temperatures in Cairo are springtime perfection, wavering around a median 30°C. The trees are in bloom, students are finishing exams and Cairenes are all smiles and more relaxed. Take in the carefree vibe with a walk through downtown’s cluttered maze, along the breezy Corniche or around Zamalek’s leafy streets. Beware of April’s sporadic sand storms and thunderstorms; if the sky turns a dusty colour, it’s time to duck indoors.
2. Drop in on an arts festival
D-CAF, Cairo’s three-week Downtown Contemporary Art Festival, runs to late April, and it’s spread over multiple sites downtown. The festival fuses performing arts with film, photography and urban vision workshops run by top artists and educators from around the world. Expect cross-genre mashing, such as ‘interactive dance calligraphy performance’. Check out the concert photography workshop, which promises to teach the skill of the ‘killer shot’, or a new media arts workshop, such as the 3D projection mapping audio visual performance training. If you prefer to sit back and take in a film, save a night in mid-May for an art house film at Zawya, which hosts the Cairo Cinema Days festival, showcasing around 40 contemporary award-winning feature and documentary films from across the Arab region. The festival also screens some historic heavy hitter films and has panels and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
3. Scout out contemporary Egypt in Old Cairo
Old Cairo is home to a trove of historic wonders, from the 7th-century Hanging Church of Coptic Cairo to the millennium-old Mosque of Amr Ibn Al As. But within the Fustat area of Old Cairo stands Darb 1718, an outdoor contemporary art and culture centre that in springtime weather, is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. The centre hosts live music concerts, fashion, art exhibitions, open-mic nights and education workshops. This spring you can get your hands dirty with a pottery workshop and or learn about light refraction and shutter speed at a photography class. April’s hieroglyphics workshop is sure to be a hit.
What other things do you love to do, or are you looking to do in Cairo? Feel free to leave a comment.
Lately I have been thinking about travelling the world, and making memories that I will gist my kids about later on when they’re born, and almost everyone around me seemed to be talking about Mauritius, so I decided to do some research, and now I really want to go there!!!! Don’t judge me yet though, here are 5 reasons why I really want to visit Mauritius.
I always aced Geography in high school, and I really did love the subject. But I never got to see many of the things I was taught in my textbooks. E.g Volcanos. Interestingly, Mauritius is a volcanic island that first rose above the waves eight million years ago. Who wouldn’t want to see that? Especially if you claim to love Geography
In 2017, Mauritius was named one of only four countries in the world which had no involvement in ongoing international or domestic conflict and no tensions with neighboring countries. The others were Botswana, Chile and Uruguay.
(Source: p.13, Global Peace Index 2017)
Known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century , Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch, the French and the British in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries respectively. It finally gained independence in 1968.
(Source: CIA World Factbook) Four different colonial masters, and they still managed to stay grounded till date? Please I need to go there and ask some questions.
The is no official language in Mauritius, although English and French are the ‘national languages’. The vast majority of the population (85.6%) speak Creole, a French-based patois.
(Source: CIA World Factbook) I am thinking about teaching a few people the Pidgin English I learnt while I visited Warri for 4 months. I’m positive that they will love to learn it.
The life expectancy in Mauritius – 70 years for men and 75 years for women – is higher than the world average and is well above the average for African countries.
(Source: Britannica) I just want to find out how they live that long. I want to live long too. I need to confirm if the world will actually be run by robots like all those sci-fi movies tell us.
Above all, Mauritius is a really beautiful island, and I love beaches, I am a fine girl, and I have a good camera on my phone. Don’t we just go together like bread and butter?
Have you been to Mauritius? I’d love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment below.
Rice can be considered a staple food in Africa, because majority of people in African countries eat this meal in a variety of ways. I think we have more rice recipes than the Asians who first cultivated this crop. My mum is a caterer, and I remember eating different types of rice meals while growing up, and my favorite used to be coconut rice. Still is actually.
The most common way rice is served in African homes, is usually with stew made from tomato puree and any protein of choice. But all over the continent, there has been an amazing rice evolution and we have seen rice dishes made with the craziest ingredients. The fun part however, is that they always taste sooooo good. Today, I will be taking you away from the ”conventional rice world” and I will be showing you some amazing African rice dishes you should definitely try. Lets get started!
WAAKYE
This is a Ghanaian delicacy made with rice and beans, which can be served on its own, or eaten alongside the famous Ghanaian pepper sauce, fish, or spaghetti. This dish is one thing to look forward to on your next trip to Ghana.
KENYAN/SWAHILI BIRYANI
A speciality of the Coast of Kenya, this biryani is one of my absolute favourite kind! The masala is cooked separately and the rice separately, then the two are served together. Some ingredients used in this dish are potatoes, fresh tomatoes and yogurt, to name a few.
MUPUNGA UNE DOVI (Peanut Butter Rice)
I’m pretty sure you have never thought about using peanut butter for anything other than toast. But here in Africa, we make it a point of duty to change the game. This rice dish is prepared with Dovi (peanut butter) and can be eaten plain or served with beef sauce and best cooked with Basmati.
PALM OIL RICE
This rice dish is popularly known as concoction rice, mostly because all the ingredients are put in at the same time. It is an alternative of Jollof, and is prepare with palm oil and other local ingredients such as, dry fish, scent leave or pumpkin leaves.
COCONUT RICE
Have I said that this is my favorite? Oh yes! This dish is made using the milk from the coconut and garnishes with dried fishes, crayfishes, prawns etc. Trust me. this dish is divine! I can make some for you if you like.
JOLLOF RICE
The most popular! This rice dish has caused very interesting twitter and Instagram wars. I don’t even want to go into that right now. This dish is a West African favorite that generated from the Wolof people of Senegal. This dish is used in almost every celebratory gathering, ranging from birthdays to weddings and so on.
What are some other African rice dishes you have tried out and would recommend? let me know in the comments. I just may try it out.
What is Cultural Appropriation? According to the Cambridge dictionary, it is ‘the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture’ So my question to you guys is, is it appropriate for western brands such as the Stella McCartney to use Ankara/ African Wax prints in their designs or is it cultural appropriation? Where do we draw the line between appreciation and appropriation? And who decides this? But most importantly, does fashion have a cultural appropriation problem?
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: A model walks the runway at the Gucci Autumn Winter 2018 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week on February 21, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Catwalking/Getty Images)
Since I began blogging in 2015, many top designers have faced accusations of cultural appropriation. In 2015 Isabel Marant was accused of plagiarising the traditional costume of a Mexican community, in 2016 Gucci faced a backlash for showing white models in Sikh-style turbans, in 2017 Vogue was criticized for a shoot in which model Karlie Kloss was dressed as a geisha and in 2018 Zara copied the designs of the famous brand Maxhosa by Laduma. I think it is pretty evident that we have a problem with cultural appropriation but would there be an industry without designers taking inspiration from other cultures? It’s a tough debate.
Dr Delice says “We are still living in a world where white people and institutions are much more powerful than black and brown people and their institutions.”
As much as I hate to say it this statement is 100 ad 10% true. The fact that it’s 2019 and POC are still underrepresented in the fashion world – particularly the luxury fashion world is extremely sad and heartbreaking. My problem with the fashion industry when it comes to the topic of cultural appropriation is the fact that they choose to hire Caucasian models rather than models of the culture that they’re appropriating. To me that is where we draw the line between appreciation and appropriation. I’m sure you would all agree. Why are the people that inspired your collection not representing it? To me it makes no sense. Second of all I believe that some sort of acknowledgement should be present such as donating a percentage of the profits to organisations in that area that inspired the pieces, it’s only fair.
Should Western brands use African Prints?
Personally I don’t see the problem with it AS LONG as they use BLACK AFRICAN MODELS. I feel like the world is so focused on becoming westernized that we’re constantly looking for approval from these countries yet when it comes to fashion they never ask for ours. Its so sad to me that we live in a society where African Designers are not given enough credit or recognition for their work and it is becoming so incredibly frustrating to see designers consistently working hard and pushing boundaries only for their work to be copied and stolen by much bigger global brands. But I can guarantee you that very soon Africa is going to take over the world and I ensure you I will have a front row seat in the changing of history in this thing we call the fashion industry.
This article was originally published by Ivis for CheckOut Africa on the 11th of February 2019
Kente textile is from Ghana, a country located in West Africa. Kente is a cloth worn by royalty. It is hand woven just like the Aso-oke (Nigerian textile) in wooden looms and is of very high worth. It comes in a variety of patterns, colours and designs, each of which have different meanings. Continue reading
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