Africa: W.E.B. Du Bois, Black History Month and the Importance of African American Studies
[The Conversation Africa] The opening days of Black History Month 2023 have coincided with controversy about the teaching and broader meaning of African American studies.
Egypt: Archaeologists Have Discovered a Mummy Wrapped in Gold – Here’s What It Tells Us About Ancient Egyptian Beliefs
[The Conversation Africa] In January 2023, a group of archaeologists excavating tombs in the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, near Cairo, discovered the mummified remains of a man named Hekashepes, who lived circa 2300BC. Found inside a limestone sarcoph…
Africa: Beyoncé Is Going On a World Tour. Why She Shouldn’t Ignore Africa
[The Conversation Africa] Beyoncé announced her highly anticipated Renaissance World Tour on the first day of Black History Month – an annual observance in the US that honours the African diaspora. Social media erupted and ticketing websites crashed br…
East Africa: The Incredible Story of How East African Culture Shaped the Music of a State in India
[The Conversation Africa] The term Siddi refers to Afro-Indians – Africans who mixed with Indians through marriage and relationships. Africans crossed the Indian Ocean and arrived in India during the 1200s, 1300s and 1400s. They were transported by Isl…
South Africa: Travelling While Black – 7 South African Travelogues You Should Read
[The Conversation Africa] Travel writing in Africa is often associated with colonial ventures of the past or white adventure pursuits of today. But Africans themselves have long produced captivating travel texts in oral and written forms. We need to lo…
Benin: Angelique Kidjo – the Diva From Benin Could Win a Record Sixth Grammy Award
[The Conversation Africa] Angelique Kidjo, the energetic singer-songwriter and activist from the Republic of Benin, represents a rare African phenomenon.
Namibia: New Film Under the Hanging Tree Examines How Namibia’s Genocide Lives On Today
[The Conversation Africa] Under the Hanging Tree is a new film written, directed and produced by Perivi Katjavivi, a young, up-and-coming Namibian filmmaker.
Senegal: Ousmane Sembène At 100 – a Guide to the Life and Work of the ‘Father of African Cinema’
[The Conversation Africa] The impact of filmmaker Ousmane Sembène’s work should not be understated. His films, made in the neorealist style, were concerned with working-class people and tended to use non-professional actors. This allowed him to represe…
Kenya: A Major New Exhibition in Nairobi Reveals the History of East African Art Traditions
[The Conversation Africa] Mwili, Akili na Roho (Body, Mind and Spirit) – on in Nairobi, Kenya – is a major international exhibition presenting east African painters who are key players in the modernist art of the region. Modernism in the fine arts refe…
Zimbabwe: Stella Chiweshe – Zimbabwe’s Mbira Queen, Rebel Music Star and Pioneer
[The Conversation Africa] Stella Rambisai Chiweshe, affectionately known in Zimbabwe as “the queen of mbira” or “Ambuya (grandmother) Chiweshe”, passed away on 20 January 2023.