LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

Oct

24

2023

Community radio: young South Africans are helping shape the news through social media

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE number of South African internet users has nearly doubled in the past decade. One 2023 study of 45 developed countries suggests that South Africans even lead the world when it comes to the amount of time spent in front of screens, at 58.2% of the day. SISANDA NKOALA, Senior Lecturer, University of South Africa BLESSING MAKWAMBENI, Senior Lecturer in Communication Science, Cape Peninsula University of Technology TRUST MATSILELE, Lecturer in Journalism, Cape Peninsula University of Technology This digital transformation has significant implications for the country’s media. Particularly for newsrooms that want to engage online audiences in a time when…

Oct

18

2023

By The African Mirror

Caine Prize 2023: Senegalese writers win for fantasy-horror story about dangers facing girls

LITERATURE

THE influential Caine Prize for African Writing for 2023 was won by a power couple from Senegal. Their short story A Soul of Small Places (which can be read over here) echoes deeper trends in the country’s literature while picking up on the growth of horror and speculative fiction across the continent. African literature specialist Caroline D. Laurent explains. CAROLINE D. LAURENT, Assistant Professor, American University of Paris (AUP) What’s the Caine Prize and what does winning it mean? The Caine Prize, awarded annually since 2000, acknowledges a short story written in English by an African author. Its objective is…

Oct

15

2023

By BRIGHT EMWANTA IGBINOMWANHIA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Why traditional carving will never die in Benin

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ON the bustling 25\ 27 Igbesanmwan Street in Benin City, Southern Nigeria, a small white shop with rusty corrugated metal roofing stands between similar rundown buildings. Despite its dilapidated appearance, the Emma O Carving Depot, owned by Emanuel Osifo, holds a remarkable collection of historical artefacts. The store showcases various bronze and wood pieces, such as masks, medals, tools, plaques and sculptures of varying sizes and colours. While some are new, other older pieces are evidence of an ancient tradition. A common belief in Benin City is that certain families have a genetic inclination for sculptural art. The case of…

Oct

12

2023

By The African Mirror

The Black Book is a gritty new thriller that raises the bar for Nollywood

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

NIGERIAN thriller The Black Book has been in the headlines for reportedly topping global figures at streaming service Netflix, with 5.6 million viewers in its first two days. Does it live up to the hype? In my view, as a critic, scholar and teacher of Nigerian film and storytelling, the short answer is yes. Directed and co-written by newcomer Editi Effiong, The Black Book emerges as a significant film that establishes a new milestone for Nollywood, the ever-evolving Nigerian film industry. EZINNE EZEPUE, Lecturer, University of Nigeria It achieves this by combining several key factors: high production values, a desire…

Oct

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigerian music legend and Angolan fashion icon bring class & glamour to global celebration of African and Afro-inspired music and talent

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, WHAT'S HAPPENING

NIGERIAN music legend, entrepreneur and philanthropist D’Banj, and Angolan supermodel and fashion icon Maria Borges have been revealed as the hosts of the first Trace Awards in Rwanda. Presented by Visit Rwanda and Martell, the Trace Awards will take place at the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda on 21 October 2023. D'Banj and Maria Borges will preside over a star-studded lineup of 60+ performers and nominees at the Trace Awards including Davido (Nigeria), Nomcebo (South Africa), Yemi Alade (Nigeria), Mr Eazi (Nigeria), Blxckie (South Africa), Bruce Melodie (Rwanda), Bwiza (Rwanda), Chriss Eazy (Rwanda), Didi B (Ivory Coast), Dystinct (Morocco), Janet Otieno…

Oct

10

2023

By The African Mirror

Sho Madjozi: the pop star using traditional culture to shape a fresh identity for young South Africans

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

SOUTH African rapper Sho Madjozi is a bold and colourful presence in pop culture, as famous for her catchy lyrics as for using traditional clothing and dance in a fresh way. The musician, actress and poet is also one of very few young South African artists working in a minority language, Xitsonga. With 12 official languages in South Africa, Xitsonga is the first language of only about 4.5% of the population, mostly in the rural northern province of the country called Limpopo. The Tsonga people also live in neighbouring Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Eswatini. OWEN SEDA, Associate Professor in Performing Arts,…

Oct

06

2023

By AMY WEST, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Writing In The Sand: This young woman’s early memories of her grandmother kept her dreams of an education alive

LITERATURE

WHEN Tholoana was four, her grandmother taught her to write her name using a stick to carve out the letters in the sand outside her home, a one-bedroom brick house in a small, peri-urban area outside of Maseru, Lesotho. “She didn’t have much of an education, but she taught me letters by the shapes they formed: downward wash basins, chairs, standing tree, and eggs. This is how my name took form,” said Tholoana, recalling those early years, and speaking now at the Cape University of Technology (CPUT) in Cape Town. “I come from the dusty ground, like a true warrior,”…

Oct

06

2023

By The African Mirror

Pioneering African fashion brand GALXBOY expanding their nationwide footprint

BEAUTY AND FASHION

GALXBOY, the trailblazing South African fashion brand known for its innovative designs and unique cultural fusion, is proud to announce its recent expansion into new cities, solidifying its commitment to captivating fashion enthusiasts across the nation. Founded in 2008, the youth fashion brand has experienced remarkable growth, opening its doors to the vibrant community of Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront last month and most recently launching in Emalahleni this past weekend. With a dynamic vision for the future, the popular streetwear brand is now setting its sights on Polokwane and Durban as the next destinations on its nationwide expansion…

Oct

05

2023

By PHENDU KUTA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

2023 African Folklore Festival engages next-gen

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE second Pan-African Folklore Festival wowed audiences and brought Johannesburg alive for almost a week during South Africa Heritage Month as multi-faceted storyteller Pilani Bubu brought the rich tapestry of African culture and heritage alive through music, dance, literature, food, and crafts across venues throughout the inner city. The festival featured a diverse line-up of artists from South Africa, Kenya, and Zimbabwe Bubu's 2022 album, "Folklore Chapter One," which planted the seed for the first festival, delved into the concept of folklore – the oral traditions, beliefs, and stories - passed down through generations. The 2023 edition of the event…

Oct

05

2023

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

“The Black Book”: Nigeria’s tech elite fund Nollywood’s first Netflix chart-topper

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

A bet by members of Nigeria's fintech elite on a feature film, "The Black Book" is paying blockbuster dividends, as the film strikes a chord with viewers around the world. The film has trended at number one on Netflix in countries as diverse as Greece, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Luxembourg, South Korea, Sweden and Nigeria, since its debut on September 26. This is the first time that leaders in the country's meteoric fintech startup space have "crowded in" to fund a film in Nollywood, Nigeria's famous film sector. The move would appear to be a blowout success. "It’s Nigeria Day across…