History Of Kente Ghanaian Textile

Kente cloth is deeply intertwined with the history of the Ashanti nation.  The Ashanti Empire or Confederacy, which was located in what is today Ghana, first emerged in West Africa during the seventeenth century.  The Ashanti are members of the Akan people who speak the Akan or Ashanti dialect.  The word “Kente” which means basket comes from the Akan or Ashanti dialect.  Akans also refer to Kente as nwentoma, which means woven cloth.

What Did You Know About Kudzanai Chiurai

At Venice until 14 May, 133 Arts and the FNB Joburg Art Fair present the Johannesburg

What did you know about Calabar

A thrusting modern city, Calabar is a beacon of hope for liveable cities in Nigeria.

Meet The Founder of Bellafricana

Bukky Bello is a young female entrepreneur, founder of Bellafricana, a business focused in

Things you need to know about Baba 70 (Fele Anikulapo Kuti)

It's almost impossible to overstate the impact and importance of Fela Anikulapo (Ransome) Kuti (or just Fela as he's more commonly known) to the global musical village: producer, arranger, musician,

Checkout Tinapa Lakeside Hotel

The Tinapa business and leisure resort is reputed to be Africa’s largest Free Trade Zone. Located in Calabar, capital of Cross River State, the resort comprises of two aspects – leisure and business.

What did you know about Lagos Bar Beach?

Bar Beach is one of the numerous beaches in Lagos and it’s the closest to the city center of Victoria Island.

Maasai Mara National Reserve

The Wildebeest Migration, is one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World” and also known as The World Cup of Wildlife. If there is a safari you should go on, this has it be it. The Maasai Mara and the Serengeti National Park together form what no other reserve in Africa can! It is incredible, it is magic, it is indescribable and it is WOW!

Amazing Fact About Yankari Game Reserve

Situated in Bauchi State in north-eastern Nigeria Yankari Game Reserve is the country's richest wildlife oasis.  Yankari Game Reserve contains the largest surviving elephant population in Nigeria,

Ikogosi A Place You Should Visit

Ikogosi warm spring is located in Ekiti west Local Government area of Ekiti state Nigeria in a valley from the surrounding hills at the warm spring.

Meet The Nation Builder - Fela Durotoye

Wednesday, the 12th of May 1971 was a particularly remarkable day for Sisi Addy and Bros Toks as they welcomed the newest member of their family in Ibadan South West Nigeria.

They named their third child and second son, Oluwafeolami; meaning (God has enlarged my territory).

Together with his brother Pade and sister, Jibike, the family moved to the university town of Ile-Ife, also in South West Nigeria in 1972; where Fela grew into one of the liveliest kids on the campus’ staff quarters. Ile-Ife would come to hold a special place in Fela’s life as he was thoroughly educated there. First at the Staff Children’s School (1974-1981) where he was a member of the Boys Scouts, School Band and played the lead role in the “Tragedy of Meggini” and then on, to Moremi High School (1981-1986) where he became the lead singer and keyboardist of the youth band, “The Midwaves”, who regularly featured on TV.

Importance of Eyo Festival

The Eyo Festival, otherwise known as the Adamu Orisa Play is the TRADITIONAL PLAY OF LAGOS.

The Sekere musical Instrument of the Yoruba people

The Sekere is a percussion instrument that also considered a drum. It is a hallowed out , dried gourd

Zuma Rock

Zuma rock is older than the history of Zuba and the Koros that settled around the Zuma rock. It had been known that by the 15th century the Kwararafa (Kororofa) had started to spread all over  the northern areas of Nigeria. We, the people of Zuba today were part of the Kwararafa  that are called or identified today as Koro.

Olumo Rock

Tourism in Nigeria centers largely on cultural events, due to the country’s ample amount of ethnic groups, but also includes rain forests, savannah, waterfalls and other natural attractions. The industry, unfortunately,

Osun Osogbo

Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove is a sacred forest along the banks of the Osun river just outside the city of Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

The Talking Drum

A talking drum is an African instrument known for its hourglass shape. Originating from West Africa, the talking drum is an instrument that can mimic the tone, rhythm, intonation, and stress of human speech. It is called in different names, including Dondo, Tamanin, Lunna, and Dundun, among others. A lot of musicians use the talking drum even today.

10 Beautiful Traditional (Yoruba) Hair Styles

Among the Yorubas of southwestern Nigeria, the head (called ori) is given a very prominent position and particularly in the females, the hair is considered to be the crown of a woman’s beauty. Over the years, the culture-rich Yorubas have come up with various beautiful and dazzling hairstyles.

I will post the rest later in the day if I am chanced but if you want to see all the 55 different Yoruba hairstyles, you can view them here, complete with pictures:

Palm Wine

Palm Wine is obtained from Palm Tree by the process of 'Palm Wine Tapping'. People who tap Palm Wine are specialised individuals called 'Palm Wine Tappers'. A typical 'Palm Wine Tapper' should have a Climbing Rope, a short Cutlass for cutting Palm Fronds, a Tapping Knife, and a small Gallon.

Palm Wine tapping involves cutting off the Palm Fronds to expose the soft tissues at the top of the Palm Tree. The 'Tapping Knife' is used to pierce a hole into the tissue to allow for the exit of the Palm Wine. Specially carved tiny Bamboo, hollow metallic Pipes, or other instruments;

Calabash

The word calabash is derived the French word ‘Calebasse’. Calabash and gourd are often used interchangeably. The calabash is simply the dried hollow shell of a gourd used for household utensils and its among the very first crops that man cultivated.

We know that the gourd was domesticated in Africa over 4,000 years ago.  Nigeria, in particular the area of old Yoruba Empire, is a center for traditional gourd use and art. Calabash  fruit is a creeping/climbing plant which grows easily in almost every part of Nigeria. The  fruits  are regular in shape. It is in many sizes which determines its uses. Calabashes are mostly round.

Adire Textile

Adire (Yoruba — tie and dye) textile is the indigo dyed cloth made in south western Nigeria by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist dye techniques.

King Sunny Ade

Background

Adé was born to a Nigerian royal family in Ondo, thus making him an Omoba of the Yoruba people.

His father was a church organist, while his mother was a trader. Adé left grammar school in Ondo under the pretense of going to the University of Lagos. There, in Lagos, his mercurial musical career started.

Sunny Adé's musical sound has evolved from the early days. His career began with Moses Olaiya's Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band. He left to form a new band, The Green Spots, in 1967.

Jonathan “Mavua” Lessor

Jonathan “Mavua” Lessor ( born on 26 November, 1960 ) hails from Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. He had his early education in Warri, Delta State. In 1986, he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND), Upper Credit, in painting  at Auchi Polytechnic and did his National Youth Service at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta from 1986-1987.

DELE JEGEDE, PH.D.; M.A.(ART HISTORY); B.A. (FINE ART)

 Dr. dele jegede earned his Ph.D. degree in Art History at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he studied with Roy Sieber (1923-2001). He obtained his first degree in Fine Art from the Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria. Since the seventies, he has taught in diverse environments and served in academic, professional, and leadership capacities locally and internationally.