Africa’s defining cultural moments of 2025
The year 2025 showcased the audacious creativity and global impact of Africans across every sphere. From the historic opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum to the first Ghanaian woman being elected Vice President, the year was packed with record-breaking milestones. In the sporting world, Faith Kipyegon dazzled the track in Paris, while Nairobi City Thunder made a […]
How music fuels the African Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations is as much a musical festival as a football tournament, where stadium arrivals have become iconic performances. Equatorial Guinea’s synchronized walk-in to Mac Miguel B’s “Los chicos del Nzalang” quickly became a viral favorite, setting the tone for a competition rich in sonic identity. From Comoros’ star-powered anthem to Angola’s viral dance […]
Inside the fading ateliers of Cairo’s master tailors
Cairo’s once-thriving world of bespoke tailoring is quietly fading, even as it carries the city’s layered history of craft, politics, and style. At its heart is Samir El Sakka, 89, one of the last master tailors trained in Europe, who continues to hand-make suits in Downtown Cairo despite revolutions, economic shocks, and dwindling demand. Around him, fellow ateliers […]
Ranking African nations for livability in 2026
A new report from Numbeo reveals which African nations offer the most comfortable lifestyles in 2026, based on everything from healthcare to purchasing power. Topping the list is South Africa, which shines with high economic opportunity, solid healthcare, and robust infrastructure, despite ongoing safety hurdles. Tunisia follows, offering a safer environment, efficient traffic, and a favorable climate, while Morocco […]
Your cultural cheat sheet to Kenya
Planning a trip to Kenya involves more than just booking a flight; it’s about preparing to engage with its vibrant culture. Start by exploring its rich stories and sounds. Dive into Binyavanga Wainaina’s book “One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir” or read Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s collection of essays “Decolonising the Mind.” Watch the gritty urban drama “Nairobi Half Life” and […]
The secret origins of a Jamaican hero
A rare diary entry from an 18th-century enslaver is challenging how we understand the origins of Africans trafficked during the transatlantic slave trade. It offers an unusually detailed, 134-word biography of Apongo, a prince-turned-rebel leader in Jamaica. Also known as Wager, this fragment reveals he was a subject of the powerful West African kingdom of Dahomey, in […]
The story behind Zimbabwe’s Oscar-qualifying film
A powerful new short film titled “Rise” has made history as the first from Zimbabwe to qualify for Oscar consideration. Its inspiration is even more remarkable: the true-life story of Tobias Mupfuti. As a homeless child in Victoria Falls, Mupfuti turned to boxing for survival, a decision that transformed his path. Now 38, he runs the Victoria Falls Boxing Academy, […]
Lagos revives centuries-old cultural masterpiece
Lagos recently burst back into celebration as the iconic Eyo Festival returned after an eight-year pause, drawing thousands of residents and visitors into the city’s historic heart. Rooted in centuries-old Yoruba tradition, the white-clad Eyo masquerades mark major moments in Lagos life, from honoring prominent figures to royal milestones. State officials say the revival reflects a broader push to boost culture, […]
How Zambia’s 70s Afro-Rock inspires a new generation
A psychedelic rock movement born in 1970s Zambia, known as Zamrock, is enjoying an unlikely global revival, finding new life with today’s artists and audiences. Once fueled by post-independence optimism and a state push for local music, the genre blended fuzzed-out guitars with African rhythms before collapsing amid economic decline, piracy, and the HIV/AIDS crisis. Decades later, […]
Cape Town activist uses history to confront inequality
In Cape Town, activist and historian Lucy Campbell is using the city’s streets, monuments, and silences to challenge how South Africa remembers its past—and how that past still shapes present injustice. Through her walking tours, Campbell rejects sanitized colonial narratives, instead centering the violence of dispossession, slavery, and Indigenous erasure embodied by landmarks like the Castle […]
