Dr. Kwegyir Aggrey "Only the best is good enough for Africa."
Kwame Nkrumah "The independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa."
KOFI AYIM Akan names, like names in several other African cultures, are not mere labels or tags. Rather, they are, as in ancient Egypt, part of the spiritual whole of a person, and often express qualities that the person is expected to possess. Akan first names are soulful in nature. A soul name, or kradin, […]
PAMELA APPEA Flushing Town Hall hosted a Global Mashup musical and dance event on Friday, November 21st. The evening performance featured the Portland, Oregon-based group Seffarine including Moroccan singer Lamiae Naki and flamenco guitarist Nat Hulskamp and other members. Martín Vejarano of the NYC-based La Cumbiamba e NeYé, a Colombian music group, performed alongside several […]
MARK SAVAGE Jimmy Cliff, one of the most prominent and beloved proponents of reggae music, has died at the age of 81. A star since the 1960s, he helped to bring the sound of Jamaica to a global audience through hits such as Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get It If You Really […]
KOFI AYIM Culture defines a people’s way of life through language, diet, clothing, dwelling, religious beliefs, and name structures, among others. Thus, culture is the sum of the expressions, beliefs, and mannerisms of a people. No group of people living in the earthly world exists without a modicum of culture. Culture plays a significant, if […]
LAUREN LEE From Lagos to the Grammys, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems has conquered the global stage without compromising who she is. “Authenticity is everything to me,” she says. “That’s the one thing I cannot compromise on because that’s all I have — who I really am.” When Tems stepped on stage at New York’s MetLife Stadium […]
From a fish to a peacock to a plane, the unique coffins are more than vessels for the departed MISPER APAWU From a giant pink fish to a vibrant peacock or an aeroplane adorned with the national flag, Ghana’s unique fantasy coffins, known as Abebuo – meaning “proverb” – are far more than simple vessels […]
JESSICA O’LEARY Standing before the Inquisition in Lisbon, Portugal in 1556, Mónica Fernandes, a woman from the coast of modern-day Ghana, was accused of casting malevolent spells and making pacts with demons. Her crime? Seeking a traditional Akan remedy for a simple cat bite. The Portuguese Inquisition was a powerful institution tasked with identifying, investigating […]
CANDIDA MOSS There is no doubting the importance of Moses to Jews and Christians. According to the Hebrew Bible, Moses was the one who delivered the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, guided them through the wilderness, and received the Ten Commandments from God. For historians, however, the existence of Moses has been a fiercely […]
KEERSTEN FITZGERALD When it comes to penises, we seem unable to escape the idea that “bigger is better”. Popular culture and pornography constantly present us with unrealistic standards – that penises should be long, thick and hard. This can skew ideas about what is “normal”. For example, one study found men believe the average penis […]
EDITH MENSAH The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) has unveiled ambitious plans to immortalize the legacy of Ghanaian music legends, including Highlife icon Daddy Lumba, who died recently, with a national Music Museum and Hall of Fame. This development comes as public concern grows over the inadequate recognition and documentation of Ghana’s music pioneers, particularly […]