Afri-love

The Love Letter continues

As much as this blog has been a love letter to the continent I call home, it's also been an outlet for me to explore how to better (and better love) myself. 

Blogger Brigitte Lyons puts it so well when she says, "if you want to change the world, better yourself first." That was the thinking behind this whole Afri-love idea. In order for us to inspire, encourage, demand and create the changes we want to see in our continent, we have to first know, be proud of and love who we are and then, act from that position.

Overcoming the madness
Last year was the busiest year I've experienced. Getting a business off the ground is no joke and all the learning, administration, establishing of relationships, bidding for projects, servicing clients and actually doing the core work was a lot to handle. On top of all that, I attempted to blog every weekday and pursue other personal projects. At the end of the year I was exhausted and overwhelmed yet hopeful that the Christmas break would give me an opportunity to work on the things that usually get attention last.

I had a wonderful holiday with my family, who I don't get to see very often. Wonderful but, not productive in the way that I had planned. January rolled around and it wasn't exactly the fresh start I'd expected. I found this post from Miss Modish and I could relate, almost down to the word, with how she'd felt before she decided she needed to change things up, for her sanity and health.

What January has been for me: a time to reassess my routine; a time to really think about what I want this year and beyond; a time to enjoy taking care of myself again; a time to discover how to rest and relax without guilt; a time to put things in perspective in order to ease the pressure I put on myself; a time to remember and review what I want to achieve with Afri-love. That last point has taken silence (time and space) and that's why posts have been strikingly few and far between.

What happens now?
When I started this blog, it was intended to be the first step of a bigger vision. Towards the end of last year, those next steps were showing up in my mind again, though evolved from my original thinking as a result of experiences and ideas that had come to me in the year and a half since my first Afri-love post. It was encouraging but also daunting. And I haven't exactly figured it all out yet but, this I will share with you: I've always wanted this blog to be preparation for something more tangible. Inspiration for concrete action. It's all well and good talking about possibilities and opportunities but the real magic happens when you actually act on them. When you take advantage of the possibilities and make opportunities for yourself.

Along with continuing to share the amazing Africa-inspired or Africa-made things that I come across, I will be creating more resources and content that has practical use in the pursuit of what you want to materialise in your life. As with most of the posts, there will be a creative bias. After all, the arts are a central part of my original hypothesis.

I don't want to turn this blog into a magazine-style showcase– there are so many great Africa-centric blogs and websites filling that role. I want to continue to be open in sharing what inspires me but also my thoughts, my story and what has worked for me in the journey to living the life I want, and loving the person that I am. The blog will continue to draw from that personal place. However, I am one person in a much wider conversation and I want to integrate other voices and different experiences and perspectives. Thus, I will also be developing a virtual learning/discovery space in the interest of building a larger community of people who are pursuing their passions and changing the world by doing just that.

Sit back, talk back, subscribe and enjoy
I hope that you'll stay tuned and enjoy. As always, I'm really eager to hear from you with feedback and ideas of what you want to see here. Remember that you can read posts via RSS or via email and that you can also subscribe to the Afri-love mailing list for updates regarding the blog and the wider world of Afri-love (e.g. the plans I've hinted at). You'll only get occasional emails (2-4 each month) and of course, your details will never be passed on to anyone else.

One last (exciting) thing
I've started writing for Technorati! Check out my first post on making room for a more creative life.

Mar Y Sol fashion accessories

Mar Y Sol is a cross-cultural, cross-continental collaboration between artisans in Madagascar and artists in the US. Materials sustainably sourced from Madagascar's forests are used to create vibrant, playful fashion accessories. "Trade not aid", economic independence for the artisans and environmental conservation are the intended byproducts of Mar Y Sol's designs.

TGIF! with Michael Kiwanuka

I'm enjoying the folky-soulful sound of Michael Kiwanuka on this rainy Manchester afternoon. Wishing I too could be home again …

 

If you're in the UK, catch Michael on tour over the next few weeks.
His album and EPs are available to purchase at various outlets. 

Image via MichaelKiwanuka.com

Heads up: A filmmakers workshop – London, UK, March

Hey folks, I know I've been mighty quiet and this is not the comeback … not just yet. I just wanted to share some news that came my way via film aficionado, Nadia Denton, author of the Black British Filmmaker's Guide:

I am delighted to inform you of the first Legacy Media Institute Filmmaker's (LMI) Workshop, London! 

Tim Reid (sitcom Sister Sister) the award winning and acclaimed African-American Actor, Writer and Director will launch his inaugural LMI Workshop in London in March. 

The Legacy Media Institute (LMI) is based in Virginia, USA. Built on the same model as Robert Redford’s Sundance, the LMI is a support system for diverse, independent film artists with a state-of-the-art facility providing training in filmmaking, business and media production. 

For the past three years, I have been working with Tim Reid and made arrangements for 2 UK based and 1 Nigerian filmmaker to attend the LMI under scholarship. This has been so successful that Tim Reid has decided to extend the workshop to the UK. Tim would like to bring about more interaction amongst filmmakers of African descent globally. 

In conjunction with the British Film Institute (BFI Southbank), Tim will host a two week masterclass (5th – 17th March) for 12 black British Filmmakers covering practical and strategic aspects of filmmaking. Attendees will be coached by a number of experienced facilitators, most of whom will travel from the US to participate.

I hope that you will apply and/or forward this on to other persons who may be interested. 

Kind Regards, 
Nadia

TGIF! The best of 2011: great music discoveries

Staff Benda Bilili. I highly recommend the film, Benda Bilili – a documentary about the groups rise from poverty and obscurity to international success. It's proper feel-good.

"Musical painter" Lionel Loueke (left) and songstress Zaki Ibrahim.

Ntjam Rosie (check out the beautiful video on the post).

Debra Debs (left) and percussionist Adriano Adewale.

Lyrical genius, M3NSA. Check out his Afri-love interview too. No.1 Mango Street is officially one of my favourite albums from 2011.

What great music did you discover this year?

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In case you missed them, here are the best of 2011 posts from earlier this week:

• African and Africa-inspired fashion, interior and furniture design
• Interviews
• Commentary

Whether you're staying in or doing it real big this weekend – have a happy new year! Thanks for reading and supporting Afri-love. See you back here in 2012.

Don't miss any creative inspiration in 2012. Get almost-daily Afri-love direct via RSS or straight to your email inbox. Want less? Subscribe for juicy extra content (2-4 emails per month). You can also connect via Facebook and Twitter.

The best of 2011: Afri-love commentary

Commentary highlights from the year spanning identity, culture, design, technology, entrepreneurship, natural hair and more …

Rise of the Afropolitan

The V&A Afropolitans Friday Late event earlier this year was a major event. The "world's greatest museum of art and design" dedicated an evening to contemporary African and African Diaspora design and culture. Over 5,000 people attended proving that there are a lot of people who either identify with the term or are at least intrigued by it. Record label exec – Yemi Alade-Lawal, journalist, poet and writer – Tolu Ogunlesi, author – Hannah Pool, blogger – Minna Salami and I participated in a great panel discussion that went by way too quickly. Some great questions arose and I took the opportunity to expand on some of my thoughts on the blog: "Is there any use for the term 'Afropolitan'".

Photo by Barbara Muriungi. View more photos from the V&A event on African Digital Art.

Design counts
As a professional designer … from and raised in Kenya … I find myself often trying to explain the value of what I do to people back home. And to people here in the UK. Earlier this year, I attended a design conference in Manchester and observed that I was the only black person in a room of hundreds and probably the only African too. It seems safe to infer that there are some cultural factors behind this striking invisibility, in the UK, and disregard for a major profession, in Kenya. This inspired "5 reasons why design matters: an argument for African parents, businesses and other skeptics".

Another perspective

My Asilia business partner and founder of Afriapps, Andrew Mugoya, wrote some insightful, thought-provoking and controversial posts for Afri-love this year. It started with "5 reasons why Ghana will be the next African app powerhouse." Check out Andrew's other posts including observations of what we can learn from the success of Nollywood and an interrogation of our continent's culture of dependency. Andrew also shared his passion and inspiration as part of the Afri-love interview series.

The natural hair saga

I said goodbye to the "creamy crack" in 2001 and in the 10 years since I have learned a lot about how to care for my hair. Keeping locs and and other natural styles may seem high maintenance to some but, from a different point of view, it's actually quite liberating. I've been sharing my natural hair journey on the blog since I chopped off my 5-year old locs last August. Some recent posts include:

• A test of strength and patience: the cycles of managing natural afro hair
• Natural hair journey: 10 months after the big chop
• Afri-love on Etsy: natural hair edition 

See Afri-love's Facebook page for pictures from throughout the 10 year journey.

Older and wiser?

One thing I've truly embraced and am loving this year is … growing older. I turned 29 in August and contemplated giving myself a "30 before 30" challenge but, I found it more compelling (and realistic) to reflect instead:  "29 lessons from 29 years". One of my favourites:

"You already know what you need to do."

What lessons are you taking with you into the new year?

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Best of 2011 posts from earlier this week:

• African and Africa-inspired fashion, interior and furniture design
• Interviews

Tune in tomorrow for:

•  Top music finds of 2011

Get almost-daily Afri-love direct via RSS or straight to your email inbox. Want less? Subscribe for juicy extra content (2-4 emails per month). You can also connect via Facebook and Twitter.

The best of 2011: Afri-love interviews

The motivation behind the Afri-love interview series is to demonstrate the possibilities that come with pursuing your passion. The interviews acknowledge that the path is challenging and they show how its travellers have persisted through adversity with wonderful results. As with the blog in general, there is a strong creative thread – poets, painters, musicians, designers, artists, writers and people creating change through activism.

Here's a round-up of some popular interviews from a diverse group of inspiring people:

Interview with author and black film aficionado, Nadia Denton (left), and accessories designer Adele Dejak.

Interview with poet, sports writer and musician, Musa Okwonga.

Interview with feminist activist Amina Doherty aka sheroxlox (left) and multi-dimensional creative, Ann aka afrolicious.

Interview with singer-songwriter, Amira Kheir.

Interview with artist and photographer, Mutua Matheka.

Interview with artist and creative consultant, Kesha Bruce (left) and artist, photographer and writer, Kameelah Rasheed.

Interview with blogger, writer and commentator, Minna Salami, aka MsAfropolitan (left) and developer, author and entrepreneur, Andrew Mugoya.

What was your favourite interview?

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If you missed yesterday's best of 2011 installment, "African and Africa-inspired fashion, interior and furniture design," here it is.

Tune in for the rest of week for:

• Thursday – Popular commentary posts (from technology to natural hair, from life lessons to identity)
• Friday – Top music finds of 2011

Get almost-daily Afri-love direct via RSS or straight to your email inbox. Want it less often? Subscribe for juicy extra content (2-4 emails per month). 

The best of 2011: African and Africa-inspired fashion, interior and furniture design

Hope you've had a great holiday season so far. I thought I'd take these few days before 2012, to put together a recap of some favourite Afri-love posts (yours and mine) from the past year. Today – it's all about design.

From top: Coastal house in Kenya; House in Lamu; Celebrating design for Mozambique Independence Day (furniture from Studio Dandoen); The Polychromatic Afropolitan (beddings from Anthropologie and table mat by Aphrochic); Ebony-inspired Afropolitan Style (wall hanging from Ten Thousand Villages and Oryx horn Mpingo jars from Swahili Imports); Malene B & Interiors inspired by Africa; furniture by Yinka Ilori (see interview with the designer).

From top: Gypset dresses; Mikuti accessories (interview with Erika of Mikuti); Adele Dejak accessories; Wax print Etsy finds; Sika Designs coats & jackets; Naana B dresses (also see interview with Naana B); Lola Faturoti clothing; Stoned Cherrie clothing (celebrating South Africa's Freedom Day).

What was your favourite design post?

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Tune in for the rest of week for:

• Wednesday – Popular interviews (a diverse group of creatives sharing their passions and inspiration)
• Thursday – Popular commentary posts (from technology to natural hair, from life lessons to identity)
• Friday – Top music finds of 2011

Get almost-daily Afri-love direct via RSS or straight to your email inbox. Want it less often? Subscribe for juicy extra content (2-4 emails per month).

TGIF! with Cesária Évora

Last Saturday, The Barefoot Diva, Queen of Morna, Cape Verdean singer, Cesária Évora, passed away.

In her honour, here are some of her beautiful sounds, including an Osunlade remix that's fit for dancing. 

For those of you celebrating Christmas, have a merry Christmas weekend. If you've taken time off next week or if you're sat in the office twiddling your thumbs – check back here as I'll still be bringing the Afri-love (and making up for a rather silent past week!).

 

 

Image via Sweet Lyrics

Malene B: carpets & interior decorating inspired by Africa

Malene Barnett's custom handmade carpets are inspired by her international travels, love of all things cultural and her African-Caribbean heritage. Above are pieces from her signature collection, Wolof – inspired by traditional Wolof fashion and, Timbuktu – inspired by ancient mud architecture of Mali.

I love Malene's use of bold colour and pattern and fell in love with her design sensibility even more when I saw pictures of her apartment on The Selby. A must-see collection of photographs!

 

Find out more about Malene and her work on her website.

Images from top: the Wolof carpet and the Timbuktu carpet and the inspiration behind it (via the Malene B website). Malene at home and some of her African finds (via The Selby)