Rethinking The African Narrative – Repenser le Récit Africain
On a trip to London, my fellow bookworm friend Ruwaydah made plans for us to visit Foyles, a renowned bookstore in the city. ‘You would love it,’ she said, and she was right. We both love libraries, so it was easy to spend hours at Foyles checking out books, flipping the pages to get a... Continue Reading →
In West Africa, masks hold an essential place in tradition. During ceremonies, whether festive or for mourning, masks appear as part of rituals. There are also yearly mask festivals in countries such as Benin and Côte d’Ivoire. Beyond those rituals, masks are also used to pass down knowledge and wisdom from one generation to another.... Continue Reading →
I often hear people saying that they had never heard of Chad, or that I was the first Chadian they had ever met. When I am in Latin America, Europe, or the Middle East, this could be forgiven, but I also hear the same sentence within the African continent, which is peculiar and sad. Chad... Continue Reading →
I first heard of Edna Adan Ismail when I found a Ted talk video she presented on the importance of education to show to my university students at Djabal refugee camp in Goz Beida, Eastern Chad. In the 15-minute, Edna Adan talked about her life story from Somaliland to England, her hardships, triumphs, and achievements... Continue Reading →
One of my short stories on hair was recently published in the Kalahari Review. In the story, two main characters from different parts of the world are connected by hair. The story came from my reflections on African hair’s depiction in mainstream media and why we must alter it to conform to societal norms. At... Continue Reading →
If it looks good, eat it!Trying food from around the continent is one of the best parts of travelling. Food is a window into people’s culture, natural habitat, and beliefs. A plate of food can tell you about the people who eat it. In each of the African countries I visited, there is always a... Continue Reading →
A wise man recently told me that people's history is formed in thousands of years. The statement got me thinking about the ever-evolving path of Africa. As close down the year, I reflect on the African narrative, and the blog's mission to participate in reshaping that narrative. The current movement of reimagining, rewriting, and rethinking... Continue Reading →
May you one day go home to peace. The young ones are the first victims of conflicts. Seeing children in refugee camps, and displacement sites shows the destruction of innocence. They will likely not recover from the trauma and carry the invisible scars throughout their lives. When the Syrian conflict broke out in 2011, I... Continue Reading →
The past few years have been a rewarding solo journey across Africa and other continents. From one country to another, I had experiences that enriched my mind and spirit leading me to enjoy humanity. I had good encounters, faced challenges, built connections, felt welcomed, and unwelcomed, smiled, laughed, cried, and reflected on life. Here are... Continue Reading →
Growing up, I spent the evenings watching the news or a documentary with my family on the living room TV. I watched what was happening without understanding much but had an idea of major occurrences. I knew the names of countries, and their flags and had a flair for learning national anthems. My childhood curiosity... Continue Reading →
We Write Afrika 