Anessa's African Learning Journey

  Everyone loves food, especially me. So for this post, I took the time to look into some African cuisine. I wouldn't say I am an extremely picky eater but there are things I will not eat such as seafood, rabbit, etc. This dish I found was something I would actually eat and it looked really good.  The dish I found is Jollof Rice. Jollof Rice is a West African dish. It can be made with rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, vegetables, and meat. This dish reminds me of jambalaya which is popular in cities like New Orleans.  Resource for Photo

  The African Continent is full of culture and traditions. African people use these rites of passage to develop individual growth and community-oriented individuals. There are five major rites of passages. Rite of birth, rite of adulthood, rite of marriage, rite of eldership, and rite of ancestorship. Rite of birth usually involves rituals and a naming ceremony. Rite of adulthood involves shaping productive community members. Rite of marriage involves joining two families and two individuals. Rite of eldership involves older (someone who is old but does not "deserve" respect and praise, while elder is respected and praised. Lastly, rite of ancestorship involves moving on to the next life of the spiritual world.  More Information on Rites of Passage Resource for Photo

Bushmen, also known as the indigenous people of southern Africa. It is thought that there are 100,000 indigenous individuals living in southern Africa. - and it has been that way for many years. This group of Africans is known as hunters and gatherers. If you do not know what hunters and gathers are they are individuals who hunt for their food whether that be meat or plants.  Though I believe these indigenous people living off the land are amazing that is not the case for Africa. Many of the Bushmen have been forced out of their lands, similar to the Native Americans in the Americas. The reason they have been forced out is natural resources such as diamonds. Though they have since been able to return the government has made it very difficult. Difficult as in blocking off their water sources. More info on Bushmen  

Piercings, one of my favorite things! I believe I have 16 piercings so I did not want to pass up the opportunity to do some research into body piercings and their history (In Africa).  For years and years, body piercings and body modification has been a popular part of African culture for both men and women. In Western culture, piercings are more based on expression and aesthetics... While in African culture they are based on cultural traditions, etc. Though these piercings can be simple there are also piercings that involve stretching the ears or the body part pierced. Different piercings can also mean different things in African culture. For example, after women can married it is sometimes custom to get their nose pierced - which symbolizes wealth. When the ear is stretched that often shows the stages of life. Lastly, a lot of individuals use piercings and jewelry to show appreciation to their god(s).  More Information on Body Piercings and Their Meanings   Resource of ...

Today I am taking the time to talk about an important topic! I will be discussing Albinism, specifically in Africa. Albinism can be defined as a lack of pigment in the hair and skin. In the African continent, this is a sensitive topic. Individuals with albinism are not treated the same as those without. Those with albinism are often treated badly and with violence.  A country that has a bad history of treating those with albinism badly is Tanzania. People with albinism are often faced with prejudice. There are many violent crimes committed against them. One article from 2012 I read stated that 100 individuals with albinism were violently attacked ( resource link ). And out of those 100, 71 died. Now initially I figured these crimes were due to being different. But there is a different reason behind it. People with albinism are often killed and parted out because it is thought that they are magic, and people such as witch doctors make potions with their body parts. In reality, ...

  Good Afternoon, I will be discussing the act of "jumping the broom". Jumping the broom or in other words a celebration of marriage. Jumping the broom involves jumping over a broom after a couple has married. Couples could do this act separately and/or together.  Now you may be asking... What is the history of this act, and why is it a part of African/African American culture. Slaves used this in place of a wedding ceremony because a lot of the time they were not able to get legally married.  Some people believe it came from Ghana while others say it was also present in Europe. Some historians believe that women in Africa jumped over the broom to symbolize the commitment a wife made and the housework she then promised to do.  Jumping the Broom - African American Custom   Jumping the Broom - African Custom 

Hello! Today I decided to do some research into the history of hairstyles in Africa! From taking my African Cultures class I have discovered just how important different hairstyles have been to the African People. - Which also followed slaves to the United States and has continued to be a part of African American culture.  The African people used their braids for many different things. They used different styles to communicate with others. Braids could tell someone's marital status, age, clans, religion, etc. These braiding styles tended to be passed through generations.  In regards to slavery... slaves often used braids to hide food such as rice so they would have food on their way over. Slaves were also known to use their hairstyles to communicate with each other and/or make maps.  More Information on Braids   Popular Braiding Styles & Their True Origin