Traditional and cultural South and Central African Homes

The countries of Southern Africa are closely related to each other and some of their houses though in different countries may resemble. Countries like the Republic of South Africa were colonised the longest yet have retained some of their Historic past through their houses.

The countries in South and Central Africa include the Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Angola, Malawi and Mozambique. The material used to construct most African traditional homes included, brick, mud, dung, grass and stone depnding on the area on the person status in society. Most African societies were ran by kings and chiefs and those who held  such positions were ranked highly in society and consequently would have homes signifying this status.

Bee-hive like Zulu hut, South Africa: The Zulus are ethnic South African group who have a rich History. The famous Shaka Zulu was from thsi group. This traditional Zulu hut of South Africa is made using stone at the base and the upper part has the design of a  beehive-style dome look. This house is more modern as the traditional ones as shown below used differnt materials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/367584_traditional-and-cultural-south-and-central-africas-homes#ixzz11uY5MWB9

Traditional and Cultural East and North East African Homes

In this second part of the article, the traditional houses of the countries in East and North East Africa are examined. The countries of East and North East Africa include Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia and Sudan.

The houses in East Africa are made with materials that make them cool in the hot weathers and warm in the cold rainy seasons. The materials used range from mud, brick, dung, grass and stone depending on the area. The homes would be huddled together in a homestead in a viallage based on the African communal nature. The close promixty identifies the relatedness of the people and also traditional acted as a form of protection against outsiders.

Cone Like Houses, Ethiopia: These houses were built with stone, mud and daub, and thatched with straw. They are higher up but narrower than some other African homes. The ones that have a square look are the more modern homes and the roof is made from corregated Iron. 

 













Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/365530_traditional-and-cultural-african-homes-part-2#ixzz11uWTMvk3

Traditional and Cultural West African homes

Africa has some interesting traditional houses. Most of the houses are round with a triangular thatched roof while others are of square design. Most of the houses were built based on the ethnic group needs.

 

Some groups were more concerned about their security and so fortified the buidings while others had houses which were more temporaly and looked like tents because they were pastoralists. What is interesting about these structures is that they are weather proof although looking at them one may not think so.

The houses are made in a way and with materials that make them cool in the hot weathers and warm in the cold rainy seasons. The materials used range from mud, brick, dung, grass and stone depending on the area. Africans are a communal people and most of the homes would be huddled together in a homestead as an extension of each other and for protection against outsiders.

In this first part I explores traditional homes in West Africa.  West Africa has a rather humid climate and that may explain most of their traditional houses compared to those in the East and South Africa. The countries that make West Africa include Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Cameroon, Bukina Faso and Niger.

Dogon Villages, Mali: Historically Dogon Villages established in the Bandiagara area due to their resistance to Islam1000 years ago. The insecurity of Islam encroachment to their culture forced them to locate their villages in defensive positions along the walls of an escarpment. The huts are built of banco a mixture of earth and straw. The Kitchen is round and is covered by a thatched roof. They also had houses built for menstrating women as women were considered unclean during menstration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/364302_traditional-and-cultural-african-homes#ixzz11uVELDCf

The Way forward for the Media in Africa

“The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook” Proverbs 18:4.

The media is the greatest tool that the world has today in influencing ideas and opinions. It is accessible to most people in one form or another. How the news is portrayed and what becomes news is determined by the media. It also influences how people think about a particular item or event by how the news is reported. This is why the media must be careful at what it reports and how it reports. One way or another it will covey a message which may have great ramification on those reading or receiving the message.

The western media has for the most part portrayed the African continent as backwards and inferior in every aspect while glorifying the animals found in Africa. All that one reads about Africa is the perceived ignorance, poverty, and corruption of the Africans. This seems to have become the symbol of Africa and has been done so with a motive which the ignorant reader may not even recognize.

To most people in the western world poverty, disease and animals is what Africa is about which opinion is based on how news from Africa is reported. Good things happening in Africa is not news, but a continuous report about calamities, diseases and roused civil conflicts and poverty is acceptable news. The same media reports to the African a glamorized Western world; perhaps an ideal of what is good

The idea here is to portray one as superior and the other as inferior to the other. Some of the comments that I have read on an article on Africa, from those in the Western world are despicable and full of ignorance yet it is the acceptable view. No wonder then that the African has for a long time perceived himself as inferior because of this deception while the person from the West erroneously believe he is superior.

This is why the media from localized African countries have as of necessity a duty to campaign for Africa in order to change perspective on Africa. The media has to go further and plant seeds of pride and acceptance among Africans for themselves and their culture. It should promote what is African and create a spirit of accountability by following up on issues that promote integrity and honor among Africans. The media should influence by suggestions and not just analysis.

The media must intentionally and consciously go out to promote anything and everything good about Africa. It must as of necessity start the process of influencing Africans to be proud of being Africans by exposing positive things about Africa and by continuously hailing good acts by Africans. The media in Africa should not report about its own people in the same way the Western media reports but should instead offer a different perspective that is liberating and honoring to the people of Africa.

Read more: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/333965_the-way-forward-for-the-media-in-africa#ixzz11uU4sWrF

Technology Entrepreneurs doing wonders in Africa

I get amazed at the creativity of human beings given the opportunity and the right atmosphere. One of the greatest amazement of our times is the way the Information Technology (IT) has grown and developed within such a short span of time.

 

IT encompasses a wide variety of areas including things like “Processes, Computer Software, Computer Hardware, programming languages and Data Constructs. In short, anything that renders Data, Information or perceived Knowledge, in any visual format whatsoever, via any multimedia distribution mechanism, is considered to be a part of the domain space known as Information Technology 

(IT)”. (Wikipedia)

More and more we read of great creative innovation by people with little resources coming up with new technologies suitable to their environment and of benefit to their communities. This goes to show that the mind left untethered can do wonders as it the part that actualizes the human being creative powers associated with his maker.

Read more: http://scienceray.com/technology/technology-entrepreneurs-doing-wonders-in-africa/#ixzz11qCgcSuy

Africa's Historic past told by buildings, monuments and artwork part 3

In this last article West Africa’s rich past is examined through the culture, buildings and monuments, artwork and writings.

 

West Africa is known to have heard a rich culture and History with strong kingdoms and wealth. It is also the region in Africa south of the Sahara that Islam seems to have had more effect or adopted as a religion. In this section we shall also include part of Central Africa as well as West Africa. The Countries in this region include Nigeria, Mauritania, Ghana, Togo, Mali, Gambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Congo.

Grand Mosque in Bobo-Dioulassoi, Bukina Faso:This mosque was built out of mud bricks with sticking poles out the walls which help in climbing up the mosque when in need of repair. It is said that the mosque was built by people of all faith. A common proverb in Bukina Faso claims that “50% are  Muslim, 50% are Christian, and 100% are  animist” (Wikipedia) which could explain how the building of this mosque involved people of all faiths.

Read more: http://quazen.com/arts/architecture/africas-historic-past-told-by-buildings-monuments-and-artwork-part-3/#ixzz11qBfm2TH

Africa's Historic past told by buildings, monuments, landmarks, and artwork part 2

In this second part of the article we look at the East and North East African countries. The countries of East and North East Africa include, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. Ethiopia was the only country in the south of Sahara Africa that was never colonised. For this reason much of its History has been left intact.

Gondar -Ethiopia: The city of Gondar is in the north of Lake Tana, in Ethiopia. The city was founded by emperor Fasilidie about 1635 and was the capital city of Ethiopia until 1855. Emperor Fasilidie reigned from 1632-1667. He is said to have restored the power of Ethiopian Orthodox church by suppressing Roman Catholic institutions. He is credited to have mounted major building campaigns which includes a number of churches, his castle and seven stone bridges.

Read more at: http://trifter.com/africa/africas-historic-past-told-by-buildings-monuments-landmarks-and-artwork-part-two/

Africa's Historic Past told by buildings, Monuments, landmarks, art work Part 1

Africa is one continent that is misundertsood, perhaps because of distorted facts and History of the people and their land. Africa is considered to be the cradle of mankind and in my opinion what we have today is just an improvement of what Africa has had. Africans had writings that is recently being discovered and a rich culture which was passed on by oral tradition and folklore.

In this article I present different cultures, art, landmarks and writings of old that tell a story of Africa. The article is presented in three parts according to regions of Africa being North, South, East and West Africa. This first article shall present North and Southern Africa.

North Africa: The North part of Africa has Africans whose culture closely mirrors that of the Arab world. Majority of the populants of these countries adhere to the Muslim faith.

Read more: http://trifter.com/africa/africas-historic-past-told-by-buildings-monuments-landmarks-and-art-work-part-one/#ixzz11qA744Vf

How to Make Mandazi (Kenyan Doughnuts)

Mandazi or Mahamri are Kenyan doughnut like snacks but without all the added staff like chocolate and glaze. They are a nice accompaniment to hot tea.

Read more for recipe: http://notecook.com/bread/how-to-make-mandazi-kenyan-doughnuts/#ixzz11q9HNvlb

Mutton Biryani, Kenyan Style

Biryani is a rice dish that has been localized in Kenya, more commonly in the coastal region. It may have been introduced by the Arabs or Indians migrants in Kenya but is now a popular Kenyan dish.You can substitute the mutton with chicken or vegetables. It is a tasteful exotic meal that will keep you coming for more.

 

Read more: http://notecook.com/main-course/mutton-biryani-kenyan-style/#ixzz11q8MqtrT

The Sensitivity of Culture and Ethnicity

“What would it be like to have not only color vision but culture vision, the ability to see the multiple worlds of others?” Bateson( 1995, P.53)

 

To understand different cultures, one must get out of their judgmental lens and examine the world through unbiased lens. Culture is drawn from a number of human possibilities. It is dynamic and like a human being has its own personality. An anthropologist by the name of Benedict, disputes the norm of racial purity comparing the notion of Western culture being “superior” to other cultures as similar to that of the native American view of themselves in comparison to others.

 

The best culture according to her is one that unites its people recognizing different values which may develop into a different culture. Culture is fashioned through daily living, mating, worshipping and even warring. According to Benjamin, custom is shaped by behavior as opposed to custom shaping our behavior.

 

A person’s cultural background refers to one’s ethnicity but is also profoundly influenced by social class, religion, migration, geography, gender oppression, racism, sexual orientation and family dynamics.These factors influence people’s social location in various societies.

 

The same factors also affect people’s access to resources, their inclusion in dominant definitions of “belonging” and the extent to which they will be privileged or oppressed within the larger society. The same factors also influence how family members relate to their cultural heritage, to others of their cultural heritage, to others of their cultural group and to preserving cultural traditions.

Read more: http://socyberty.com/ethnicity/the-sensitivity-of-culture-and-ethnicity/#ixzz11q7a3BK6

The African and His fight for survival

Before the 15th century, skin color was considered a natural thing and taken for granted. Around the 15th century sinister attributes were introduced to skin color. Everything white started being symbolized as European and Christian and was perceived as good and superior and everything black symbolized the African and non-Christian and was perceived as bad and inferior. The continent of Africa was also labelled the dark continent.

Due to this stigmatization, prejudice based on skin color became a justification for brutality and hatred and racism towards the African. This is where sentiments like “the black sheep”, black magic, associated with Africa emanated from. In further trying to justify the inferiority of the “black African” the area south of the Sahara is categorized as sub- Saharan Africa which according to Owen Alik Shahadah has racist overtones:

“Sub-Saharan Africa is a racist byword for “primitive”, a place which has escaped advancement. Hence, we see statements like “no written languages exist in Sub-Saharan Africa.” “Ancient Egypt was not a Sub-Saharan African civilization.” Sub-Sahara serves as an exclusion, which moves, jumps and slides around to suit negative generalization of Africa” ( Shahadah, Owen Alik, Liguistic for a New African Reality).

Read more: http://socyberty.com/society/the-african-and-his-fight-for-survival/#ixzz11q6WHZS3

The Anti Social Disordered Somalia

For most people, their adult personality is attuned to the demands of society they grow in. Just like individuals have personalities, nations too tend to have a personality which seem to identify it and its people. How one nation perceives things and behaves may be considered by the rest of the world as a disorder. This is more so when that nations activity affect others negatively.

 

Personality Disorders stem from the gradual development of inflexible and distorted personality and behavioral patterns that result in persistently maladaptive ways of perceiving, thinking about and relating to the world. People with personality disorders often cause as much difficulty in others lives as in their own lives. Other people tend to find the behavior of those with personality disorders confusing, exasperating, unpredictable and unacceptable.

 

People with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) continually violate and show disregard for the rights of others through deceitful, aggressive, or anti-social behavior. Such people tend to be impulsive, irritable and aggressive and to show a pattern of generally irresponsible behavior. The American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV-TR) gives the criteria for ASPD as pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of rights of others as indicated by three of the following:

 

1) Failure to conform to social norms and repeated law breaking, 2) Deceitfulness, 3) Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead, 4) Irritability and aggressiveness, 5) Reckless disregard for safety of self or others,  6) Consistently irresponsibility, 7) Lack of remorse.

 

Anyone who knows the History of Somalia will understand why one would consider that nation as suffering from a personality Disorder. Somali is a Country in the North East part of Africa. It celebrated 50 years of independence this year, 2010, having obtained its independence from Britain in 1960. Somalia has however experienced a roller coaster of problems since its independence. In fact there is no existing constitution and for the last 20 years there has been no steady or effective government due to friction and civil unrest.

Read more: http://socyberty.com/issues/the-anti-social-personality-disordered-somalia/#ixzz11q5Psdgj

The rebirth of a Nation, Kenya the beloved

It is now official,  Kenya has a new constitution drafted, debated and voted in wholly by Kenyans.

The Gallant celebration to mark the day was done on the 27th of August 2010 at the famous Uhuru Park (freedom Park) in the capital city, Nairobi. The occasion was witnessed by international dignitaries including head of states and ordinary Kenyans. On this day I truly missed being home with my people but felt proud that Kenyans carried out this process in a peaceful and united way even when they disagreed.

Kenyans have clamored for a new constitution since the 1960’s after independence because the first constitution was negotiated with the British and was not really Kenyan. The old constitution created a lot of problems because it was tailored to fit the British system of divide and rule. It never gave Kenyans real independence but seemed to have transferred power to those it favored. It also gave the president too much power which was subject to abuse. The poor folks felt left out and certain tribes felt marginalized because of the politics of the day.

 

Kenyans were divided into two camps before the voting in of the constitution; the “NO” camp and the “ YES” camp. The “No” camp wanted some changes made in the constitution before it was passed into law. The church in particular, which was in the “NO” camp, was opposed to a clause allowing abortion if the mother’s life is at risk. The church was also opposed to the retention of a clause allowing the Kadhi courts.

 

Kadhi courts are lower courts specifically set for Muslims to deal with matters concerning marriage, divorce, property and custody. The church was of the view that no religion should have preference in the new constitution. However this would have been contrary to the spirit of the law since the courts have been in existence since independence and have not caused any conflict. Further most of Kenya’s laws borrow from the Bible concerning matters of morality.

Eventually the day of voting for the referendum came on the 4th of August 2010 and Kenyans came out to vote in numbers. About 72% of registered voters, voted and the “YES” camp won with a landslide. The “Yes” camp had about 66% of the votes while the “NO” camp had about 30%. It must be remembered that the “NO” team were not opposed to the new constitution but they wanted their concern addressed before the voting while the “YES” team felt the draft constitution was good and any changes could be addressed later.

Read more: http://socyberty.com/issues/the-rebirth-of-a-nation-kenya-the-beloved/#ixzz11q3m59ND