Languages & People
Ge'ez: Africa's Own Ancient Script, Still Written Every Day
Ethiopia and Eritrea write with a script that has developed on African soil for around two thousand years. Here is how Ge'ez works and why it is unique.
Stories — page 20
Food & Ceremony
Jollof Rice: The Real Story Behind West Africa's Favourite Rivalry
Nigeria and Ghana argue over who makes the best jollof, but the dish's name points to Senegal. Here is where jollof really comes from, and why everyone loves it.
Heritage & History
The Librarians of Timbuktu: How a City Saved Its Manuscripts
When armed groups seized Timbuktu in 2012, local families quietly smuggled hundreds of thousands of manuscripts to safety. This is the story of what they saved.
Languages & People
Kofi, Ama, Kwame: What Akan Day Names Reveal About You
In Ghana, many people carry a name that tells everyone the day of the week they were born. Here is how the Akan day-name system works — and what each day means.
Music & Dance
Congolese Rumba: The Music That Made a Continent Dance
Born on both banks of the Congo River and recognised by UNESCO in 2021, Congolese rumba shaped popular music across Africa. Here is its story.
Heritage & History
Great Zimbabwe: The Stone City That Gave a Nation Its Name
Built without mortar between the 11th and 15th centuries, Great Zimbabwe was the capital of a powerful Shona state. For decades, colonial rulers denied Africans had built it.
Food & Ceremony
The Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony: Three Cups, One Community
In Ethiopia, coffee is roasted, ground and brewed in front of you, then served in three rounds. Here is how the buna ceremony works and why it matters.
Ideas & Philosophy
Ubuntu: The Southern African Idea That "I Am Because We Are"
Ubuntu teaches that a person becomes a person through other people. Here is where the idea comes from, what it means in daily life, and why it shaped a nation.
Arts & Craft
Kente Cloth: How Ghana's Royal Weave Speaks in Colour and Pattern
Kente is more than a bright fabric. Every strip, colour and pattern carries a name and a message, woven by Asante and Ewe hands for centuries.