LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

May

26

2024

Africa to converge in Kisumu for FESTAC 2024, a festival of arts and culture

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFTER a hiatus of more than 45 years, the Festival of African Arts and Culture (FESTAC), hailed by organizers as 'Africa’s biggest cultural celebration,' is gearing up for its 5th edition. Following successful comebacks in 2022 in Zanzibar and 2023 in Arusha, the 2024 edition will be hosted in Kisumu, Kenya from August 25 to September 1. This pan-African festival promises to illuminate the enduring spirit of the African continent, showcasing its rich tapestry of culture and artistry to a global audience. In a virtual interview with bird, Yinka Abioye, the chairperson of FESTAC Africa, explained that the choice of…

May

23

2024

By LLIANE LOOTS

The mother of African dance at 80. Why Senegal’s Germaine Acogny is so influential

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICA’S most celebrated dancer and choreographer, Germaine Acogny, turns 80 on 28 May. I have had the privilege of meeting the Senegalese artist, learning from her, and interviewing her as part of my ongoing research into African contemporary dance. This is a hymn to an African woman who has inspired not only African dancers but a global community of artists to think differently about who they are, their bodies, their skin, and indeed the way they move. In a continent plagued by legacies of colonisation, racism and patriarchy, Acogny has risen up as a female artist who has defied stereotypes…

May

18

2024

By CAIO SIMÕES DE ARAÚJO

Angola’s untold history: archive project explores LGBTIQ+ lives and struggles

LIFESTYLE, LGBTQIA+

AS I write these lines, I mourn the passing of Carlos Fernandes, a leading queer activist and organiser in Angola. Carlos was found dead in his home earlier this year under circumstances that are still being investigated. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people everywhere, there has commonly been a profound connection between remembrance and mourning. It’s not a coincidence, for example, that queer archives flourished in the 1980s and 1990s at a time when the HIV epidemic brought with it the lived experience of loss. Since then, there have been a growing number of institutions committed…

May

17

2024

By DERICK MATSENGARWODZI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Tuku’s legacy: A Zimbabwean artist aims to do right by her famous father

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AT the age of ten, Selmor Mtukudzi accompanied her father to her first studio recording. By then, Oliver Mtukudzi was a household name all over Africa and known fondly worldwide by his fans as 'Tuku'. Today, Oliver Mtukudzi is considered an icon among the continent’s club of artistic heroes; he addressed social issues as a musician and actor and acted as a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s children's fund. He also mentored young musicians, including his own children. His career spanned over four decades until his death in January 2019. Now, Selmor and others in the Mtukudzi family are working…

May

15

2024

By LERATO MOGOATLHE, BIRD STORY AGENCY

African street food

FOOD

TAKE a stroll around any city in the continent and you’ll soon discover that the continent loves to eat good food - more so if it fits in your hands, is served on the go and is packed with flavour, from subtle and spicy to bold and fiery. Here is a list of some popular African street food dishes and where to eat them: 1. Zanzibar barbeque, fried seafood and pizza: Sunset at Forodhani Gardens, Stone Town. This is why eating in Zanzibar is exciting. For the group of boys who curl their bodies into balls as they dive into…

May

11

2024

By NEDINE MOONSAMY

African sci-fi: body hopping, artificial wombs and angry ghosts in a future Botswana

LITERATURE

TLOTLO Tsamaase has already proved her talent for African science fiction. Her masterly short stories, one previously shortlisted for the Caine Prize, are helping put Botswana on the literary map. Her debut novel, Womb City, interweaves the mythological and digital expanses of Batswana culture in a dystopian fashion. We encounter a distant future world in which women remain charged with ensuring their own survival in the face of attempts to erase and control them. As a scholar of African science fiction and speculative fiction, I explore how authors like Tsamaase are employing these global genres to ask questions about race,…

May

11

2024

By The African Mirror

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa says new series feels like ‘a fresh era

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NCUTI Gatwa, the first Black actor to play the lead role in "Doctor Who", says its new series feels like "a fresh era" as the British sci-fi television show goes global. The much-loved BBC cult show will now also be streamed to audiences outside the United Kingdom in a new collaboration between the British broadcaster and Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) streaming service Disney+. The Rwandan-born Scottish actor, who shot to fame in the Netflix show "Sex Education", plays the latest incarnation of the Time Lord in the new series, which also sees screenwriter and producer Russell T Davies return as showrunner. “It…

May

07

2024

By The African Mirror

VIDEO: Charity Adupong is redefining Ghanaian cuisine

FOOD, MULTIMEDIA

FOR years, Charity Adupong's shopping experiences were marked with disappointment as she searched for nutritious local foods in major shopping malls and retail stores. The few that were on the shelves lacked attractive packaging. Increasingly she realised that a huge opportunity existed in providing shoppers with well-packaged indigenous foods. She decided to tap into the growing demand. “I didn’t like the way our markets are structured. We openly display food with flies flying all over. And then there is the one on the floor, the ones that are stored later aftermarket and just stored anyhow. So I wanted to do…

May

02

2024

By The African Mirror

Rubicon unveils timeless elegance

BEAUTY AND FASHION

AFTER unveiling their newest collection designed to infuse relaxation, sophistication, and elegance into the fashion landscape at South African Fashion Week Spring Summer 2024, Rubicon has sparked considerable excitement within the fashion world. Celebrating South African glamour, Rubicon's classic capsule collection delivered sophistication and flair at this season's showcase. Rubicon’s founder and lead designer, Hangwani Nengovhela brought to life a collection that was both ethereal and practical. Inspired by the African safari landscape, Nengovhela drew inspiration from the brand's past silhouettes, colours, and artform, adding elements of glamour from the brand two decades rich history. Nengovhela is frequently asked to…

May

02

2024

By The African Mirror

Beyond Viral: The New Era of Influence

LIFESTYLE

LATE one evening, in the dim glow of a single desk lamp, a marketing manager at a burgeoning brand discovers a mention on Instagram. It's from an influencer, someone not yet on the mainstream radar but with a fiercely loyal following, sharing a candid moment that unexpectedly includes the brand's product. This tag doesn't just go viral—it sparks a conversation, a community, and ultimately, a transformative campaign that catapults the brand into the hearts and feeds of countless new customers. This isn't a tale of serendipity; it's the power of influencer marketing, meticulously leveraged and astutely executed. In the fast-evolving…