Dark Africa

                                   Ancestral worship   is a belief system widely practiced in Africa, where people believe that their deceased ancestors continue to exist in the spiritual realm and can influence the physical world. This practice has been an integral part of African culture for centuries, and it remains an essential component of traditional African religion and spirituality.

                     The Brutalisation of the African Venus Sarah Baartman , also known as the " Hottentot Venus ," was a South African woman who was exhibited as a freak show attraction in 19th century Europe. Born in the late 18th century in the Eastern Cape of South Africa , She belonged to the Khoikhoi ethnic group. Baartman was not a willing participant in her own exploitation. She was taken from South Africa to England and later to France by a British ship's doctor named Alexander Dunlop. He promised her a better life, but instead, she was put on display for the public to gawk at. Baartman's body, particularly her large buttocks and elongated labia, were considered exotic and strange by European audiences. She was forced to perform on stage in a skimpy costume and was even examined by scientists who wanted to study her body. Baartman's treatment at the hands of Europeans was a form of racism and colonialism. She w...

The Cannibal Dictator Sese Seko Mobutu was the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) from 1965 to 1997. During his rule, I knew him for his authoritarian and corrupt leadership style, and for the human rights abuses committed under his regime. There are no facts that support the claim that he was a cannibal.   Read the incredible tale of the  Leopard Men of Africa Mobutu rose to power in 1965, following a coup d'état that deposed the democratically elected Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. He ruled the country as a dictator, suppressing political opposition and amassing immense wealth through corrupt practices.                                                              Courtesy Associated Press  Widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killin...

                                     Taking a Urine Bath The South Sudanese Mundari tribe has a distinctive custom of using urine for both religious and therapeutic purposes. Urine is frequently used as a therapeutic substance in Mundari culture. According to the tribe, urine has antiseptic qualities and can be used to heal a number of conditions, such as skin infections, wounds, and cuts. Additionally, it is utilised as a mouthwash and to cure eye infections. The Mundari have a widespread custom known as urine therapy that is passed down from father to son. Additionally, urine is utilised in Mundari ceremonies and rituals. It is used to purify and cleanse both people and things, and it is thought to have spiritual characteristics. For instance, new mothers frequently Take a Urine Bath, a ceremonial urine bath to wash them following childbirth. Additionally, before bein...

                           Courtesy Face-book   Sango the God of Thunder Sango, also known as Xango or Chango, is a god of thunder and lightning in the traditional religion of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Similar to Thor among the Nordic people,He is one of the most revered deities in the traditional religion of the Yoruba people and hes worshipped according to thier customs, He is considered to be a powerful force of nature.               A Sango worshipper - courtesy Pinterest According to Yoruba belief, Sango is the son of the sky god, Olorun, and the earth goddess, Obatala. He is said to be the ruler of the heavens, and is responsible for all thunder and lightning that occurs on earth. He is often depicted as a powerful and handsome young man, holding a double-headed axe and a drum, which he uses to create thunder and light...

               The Leopard Men of Africa Eastern Congo was home to the Anyoto, also referred to as the leopard men society. They rank among the most popular social groups in recent African history. They were renowned for imitating the appearance of leopard deaths by placing fake tracks close to corpses left in the forest and executing their adversaries with fake leopard claws. In the Congolese Bantu language of Kibali , the word anyoto means "to scratch."                                                             Photo by Uriel Soberanes Additionally, it is thought that they lived in the 1700s in prehistoric Gabon, Nigeria(amongts the Igbos), Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The Anyoto's image is beginning to change as a result of recent efforts made by African researchers presenting a fair de...

Tribal Marks : The Black's Man Identity Tribal marks, also known as scarification, have been an important part of African cultures for centuries. These marks, which are created by cutting or burning designs into the skin, serve a variety of purposes, including identifying individuals as members of a particular tribe or family, marking important life events, and expressing cultural and spiritual beliefs. In many African cultures, tribal marks are used as a form of identification. They can indicate a person's tribe, family, or status within the community. For example, in Nigeria, the Yoruba tribe uses tribal marks to identify different families and lineages. Similarly, in Ethiopia, the Mursi tribe uses tribal marks to identify individuals as members of the tribe. Tribal marks also have spiritual and cultural significance. Many African cultures believe that the markings have protective powers and can ward off evil spirits. They also believe that the m...

                                                  Twins Capital of the World African Twins                "The best thing in life comes in pairs " Globally, the birth rate of twins differs by region and country. Europe boasts about 16 twins for every 1,000 childbirths and the United States about 33 for every 1,000 These statistics pale when compared to Africa where Scientists from Oxford and Radboud University found that Africa is home to the world’s highest rate of twin-births among regions in the developing world and the developed, with 45 sets of twins per 1000 births. By contrast, Latin America and Southeast Asia record fewer than 10 sets of twins per 1000 births. A research by British gynaecologist, Patrick Nylander, between 1972 and 1982, recorded an average of 45 sets of twins per 1000 live births in Igbo-ora a sle...

                  Love can be PAINFULL Love is Pain The pain tore through him like stepping on hot coal. He brazed himself through the pain as shouts of encouragement erupted from the crowd of villagers surrounding them. “My turn will come.” His mind told him to hold on. Another round of pain ran through his back but haven trained his mind to accept the brutality of the moment. Ali is a twenty-year-old young man belonging to the Fulani Tribe, the largest ethnic group in Africa. Nomadic pastoralist, the Fulanis, are spread across West Africa and the Central African Region of the Largest continent of the Black Race. They are major cattle rearers who drift with the seasons and the availability of forage for their animals. The Marriage custom among them is bizarre but a genuine test of manhood. Twice a year a celebration called the “ Sharo ” holds, and it is the passing rite into adulthood for the young men of the tribe. Suitors lined up to ask f...

                    The Mermaid from Africa Statue of a Maame Water in African Folkore Ghana is one of the countries that borders the coast of West Africa, with 18 million people and six dominant tribe ;The Akan, Ewe, Ga-Adangbe, Mole-Dagbani, Guan, Gurma.It is bounded on the bu Cote Voire or Ivory coast and Togo on the East. it is a prosperous nation by African standard. Formerly called ‘Gold Coast’ ;  a moniker signifying the prodigious amount of gold found in the country.  The Belief  In the coastal area of Ghana and among the Ga tribes, the water spirit or Maame Water is worshipped.The Mami Water is an aquatic deity venerated not only in Africa but in the continent of South America as well . Literatures and folklores say that this water deity may be androgynous. The worship of this water goddess by the people is important to their cultural belief, as her worshippers hold the conviction in her ability ...

                                                                The Royal Reed Dance As surprising as it may sound,the concept of dressing to send a message as being a part of the African Culture as a people long before the western world turn it into a fad.  The origin of the mini skirt has long lied in Africa amongst the Zulus whose maiden or unmarried spinsters are mandated to wear the “ isigcebhezana “ which signifies their ‘ singleness ‘. The rest of the body is left bare but the skirt usually made of Reed, animal skin and beads skin barely reaches the mid-thigh but yet covers the privates.  Engaged women wear hairnets to show their marital status to society  Married women cover the whole of their body in clothing and colourful headdresses as it is believe that they n...