Nollywood–Nigeria’s Mirror
The Nigerian poet and critic, Odia Ofeimun, on how Nollywood depicts traditional culture and religion.
History
The cliché about ‘struggle photography’
Cedric Nunn's photography reflects the complex emotions of his black South African subjects, their humanity, dignity, in very personal terms.
Michael Jackson in Tamale
A review of a new memoir by Ghana's new President, John Dramani Mahama.
Malawian Twitter is not a gentle place
By far the best place to follow Malawian news and politics is social media app, Twitter. It can be relied upon to be the very first place where Malawi’s breaking news gets to the rest of us.
The world’s media and Angola’s elections
The oppression/resistance model of politics explains some things, but it does not explain everything, and less and less these days on the continent.
The Dutch ‘King of Africa’
In Dutch politics, Africa mostly works as a tactic to embarrass and ridicule your opponent.
The Vershtunkende Toronto Zoo
'Vershtunkende' is a Yiddish adjective loosely translated as ‘darned,’ ‘exasperating’, ‘maliciously idiotic’. It is not a nice word to use for either a person or thing.
Paulo Flores’s Ex-Combatentes
The Angolan singer's new album deals with war in the widest sense: war with the self, war with family, neighbors, friends.
What Happened to the African Renaissance?
Last week’s assaults on the tombs of saints, scholars and prominent ancestors in Timbuktu punctuated a long, leaden moment in Mali's crisis.
The Legacy of Nat Nakasa
Nat Nakasa was an ambitious journalist who had the cold fortune of being born black in 20th century South Africa.
The Reincarnation of Rockland Palace
A part of Harlem's ballroom scene gets a makeover and a much needed funding injection and international exposure.
Independence Day Edition: What’s more ‘American’ than Chevron Corporation?
July 4. U.S. Day of Independence. What’s more ‘American’ than … Chevron Corporation? It’s pretty much
Mozambique versus Spain
African fans retain a surprising affection for old colonizers when it comes to international tournaments. Mozambique is no exception.
Gaddafi Archives at the London Photography Festival
The ‘Gaddafi Archives – Libya Before the Arab Spring’, which opened this week at the London
Binyavanga’s writing out of depression
Writing on depression in Africa is a rarity, so Binyavanga Wainaina's book, "One Day I Will Write About This Place," seems singular.
The New York Times goes to Zimbabwe
American media should focus on the real political struggles in Zimbabwe and not think that the government of national unity has brought Zimbabwe out of a period of violent political conflict.
Steve Bloom photographs 1970s Cape Town
The London Festival of Photography has opened, and one of its most appealing features is an
Struggles over memory in South Africa
Revisionism pervades popular culture in South Africa now, coloring our perception of the past.
The African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean World
This online exhibition provides an overview of the transit of East Africans into Diaspora communities within the Indian Ocean world, and their various settlements among Arabic, Indian, Persian and Asian communities.
Suffering and Smiling
Mali’s rebel armies, their shifting alliances and their fans make for quite a spectacle.