Hello friends, I am back again, finally, after more than 5 months of a forced absence. Thank you to those who have taken news! don't worry, my prolonged absence is not due to a lack of inspiration, of topics to share with you, or a breakdown of our Sankofa, it was really a much more prosaic reason, simply professional. One must pay the bills, right? 😊… Unfortunately, I’m sure we lost some faithful listeners along the way, but new ones joined us! I want to welcome them all. Many of you have...

This woman, Mary Thomas, a courageous 19th-century slave from St. Croix (now part of the U.S. Virgin Islands), rebelled against indignity, along with two other women leaders, Agnes and Mathilda, "the three queens," to spark the largest labour revolt in Danish colonial history, an uprising known as the "Fireburn," in which fifty plantations and most of the town of Frederiksted on St. Croix were burned. This rebellion was brutally suppressed, and the three queens were arrested, tried and...

Join us in Part 2 to learn how the reign of the Nana Benz ended and the efforts of their daughters, ( the Nanettes) who actually went to business schools in the US and Europe to try and keep the sun shining! Enjoy!

The Nana Benz is first and foremost a collective adventure that refers to the economic mutations of an entire continent, from the early days of the colonial age to the arrival in force of China. To understand their story, we have to go back a long way, to the middle of the 19th century, and take the road to Indonesia, then under the domination of the Netherlands.  During their wanderings in the island, Dutch merchants discovered cotton fabrics printed on both sides and covered with wax, a...

Who are you? What are you the name of? Where are you going? and what are you looking for?

the Greek word DAIMON, translated into demon in French. The Greeks in Socrates' day spoke of Daimon, to talk about the purpose of their life, the cause for which they thought their life should be intended to. In short, they were fighting for the demon to be fulfilled. The change in semantics brought us nowadays to fight our demons, to better to appear in society as others want us to be. In sum, this willingness to fight for one’s daimon, this desire to be authentic.

My African cliché of the day is that of the lack of seriousness and rigor of African athletes. Akii Bua is the perfect response to that cliché, he worked so hard, in preparation for the September 1972 Olympics. Imagine, from December to April that year, he did a cross-country every day, then from May to September, several sessions of 1000M hurdles, with a 10Kg vest on his back!

As you know, we have been working hard on compiling in a nicely illustrated book, the lives and stories of 25 women and 25 men, who were the first to achieve feats hitherto unattainable in the African continent.  Read more about this book at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/821165653/50-pionnieres-africaines-50-african-pioneers

Finally, I want to dedicate this episode to Amina, Sanu, and John Kay the best mechanic ever, who I met in 2012 in Freetown; and also, to all survivors, and to the memory of the more than 50,000 innocent who lost their lives during the war.

This country's recent history is fascinating, with one of the largest natural deep-water harbor in the world; the first country to appoint a woman as a cabinet minister within Sub-Saharan Africa, in 1962, the first country in the world to invent a self-adhesive stamp, and where women have started voting in 1792, 120 years before those in Britain, and almost 200 years before Switzerland.

Can you imagine, how far this Kongo empire music has come through centuries? It’s such a great recognition for all those rumba musicians who used to be arrested and beaten by the police in Cuba! They were true unsung victims of the then open policies and attempts to erase completely any Africanity from the cultures, in Cuba and many other Latin American countries.

“At least they never colonized us” meaning that the Russians never had an African colony. Russia once had a colony or at least a secret attempt to start one on the African continent. And the funny part is that this project, called the new Moscow, was unknowingly funded by another colonialist country at the time! Hmmm, can you guess which one?

50 little-known figures from recent African history in an illustrated book to inspire children and adults that is the promise. And for you, I will be to support an Africa that writes its own beautiful history. Will you be a pioneer? will you be part of that?

This episode is a tribute to the colossal work of the curators of this new Ahmed Baba Centre, and to president Thabo Mbeki, who led and financed this manuscript rehabilitation works. Those silent African heroes make even more realistic this Sudanese proverb which is popular in the whole of West Africa, quote "Salt comes from the North, gold comes from the South, silver comes from the country of the whites, but the word of God, scholar things, and pretty tales, you can only find them in Timbuktu.

Ahmed Baba was born in 1556. Some sources trace his birth to Araouane, in present-day north-western Mali, but it is more likely that he was born in Timbuktu, where his family had previously settled. Great scholar and researcher, he was sent to Marrakech, after the invasion of the city by Morocco in 1590, where he continued his research before returning to Timbuktu.

Some say Africa never had philosophers.  They say and preach it loud but they haven't listened yet to Dr. Luc Ngowet, an expert of the matter who speaks in this series of 3 episodes about Ahmed Baba Soudani, a great philosopher from Timbuktu, Mali in medieval African times. 

If you take a close look at history books, you will certainly find examples of decisive moments where music and power crossed paths. And by now, there must be some of those examples of moments already jostling in your head? Perhaps you are thinking of the encounter between the genius of Mozart conquered by the Freemasons?  Or maybe between the composer Richard Wagner, dreamed but impossible love of King Louis the Second of Bavaria? Listen to the 3 parts of this episode to find out more !

Rose didn't need to declare herself a feminist, no need for a label, her life is so autobiography of combat! she has known all her life, this unfair feeling, of the one that perpetually encroached on male pretends, be they white or black. So, if you are an African born free if you are a woman, or even a lover of freedom, well, well, reading her conversations with Timwa Lipenga, titled, soberly Lomathinda, Rose Chibambo speaks will fill you with joy. Enjoy reading and see you soon

In a world that rarely recognizes the resilience, grace and ingenuity of African descendants, Kwanzaa represents an opportunity to bring our strengths to light. Kwanzaa should be seen by Afro-Americans, Afro-descendants, and Africans as an opportunity to learn and to make those around them learn more about the great diversity of African culture.

Sankofa NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT. I would like to announce the launch of an online store with My African Clichés merchandise. As this podcast is an audio journey through time and space, you will mostly find articles on this travel theme. If I have convinced you, take a tour to the online store through the link on the podcast website, in the Instagram page and also directly on the sales platform, www.afrikrea.com

Dr Quinta) is an African traveller and adventurer. Hailing from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Zambia, she has travelled to all 7 continents and 60 countries, with 21 of them in Africa. She enjoys learning about history, especially African history. She regularly promotes African culture and provides opportunities for other Africans to do the same. Dr Quinta recently published a collection of African fables titled “The Hare and Baboon and Other Stories”.

Dr Quinta is an African traveller and adventurer. Hailing from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Zambia, she has travelled to all 7 continents and 60 countries, with 21 of them in Africa. She regularly promotes African culture and provides opportunities for other Africans to do the same. Dr Quinta recently published a collection of African fables titled “The Hare and Baboon and Other Stories” available on Amazon or on SquintiBooks.com

Those who are dead are not ever gone; They are in the cliché on the savage black who would live naked in the trees And in the cliché of the too strong black body, which requires police to shot 41 bullets to die They're in the bananas thrown at black players on the soccer fields in Europe and elsewhere. They are in the cries and tears of those female black slave who served as guinea pigs for early C- section experiments, on the grounds that they feel no or less pain.

In contemporary African history, most narratives revolve around the year 1960. But what if I say, 1957? what do you say? Independence of the first sub-Saharan African country, Ghana? Yes, that’s right. Anything else? Let’s listen to the answers by Prof. Elisa Prosperetti, History professor, specializing in modern African and world history in Massachusetts, where she teaches a range of courses on African history. Her research focuses on the connected narratives of development, education and...