Afri-love

Inspired: Swahili Architecture and Interior Design at Lamu House

 

 

More architecture and interiors to fuel my obsession with Swahili-inspired design. This time from Lamu House in … Lamu, Kenya! There's just something about the thin line between inside and outside space; the mix of textures and; the earthy tones with pops of vibrant colour. Another contender for where to stay when I finally visit Lamu Island.

Images courtesy of TripAdvisor

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Related posts:

• Dream Homes: Swahili Architecture and Interior Design in Lamu, Kenya 
• Dream Homes: Another Lamu Beauty
• Inspired: Swahili Architecture and Interior Design at Palm House, Lamu

 

Don't miss an installment – different ways to get your Afri-love delivered. You can also stay up to date by liking the Afri-love Facebook page or following Afri-love (@afrilove) on Twitter or on Google+. 

Check out my many Africa-related Pinterest boards covering the arts, design, music and more.

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TGIF! with Amadou & Mariam

Today it's time for the ever fresh Malian duo, Amadou & Mariam.

First up is the beautiful video for 'Africa mon Afrique' – animation + collage = what's not to love?! Then, a rockin' collabo with Santigold, 'Dougou Badia' (RSS readers click here to view videos)

Buy African: Wild, Exotic and Opulent Accessories by Pichulik

The Pichulik brand consists of exciting, "wild neckpieces" and other exotic jewellery and accessories. They are made by self-described cook, creator and jewel maker, Katherine-Mary Pichulik, in Cape Town.

Interview with Musician Fatoumata Diawara

It's a great honour to present this interview with musician, actress and activist, Fatoumata Diawara. Born in Côte d'Ivoire to Malian parents, Fatoumata moved to France to pursue acting – she appeared in the films La Genèse and Sia, le Rêve du Python and played a leading role in the musical Kirikou et Karaba. She later began composing her own music, blending Southern Mali traditions and international influences. 

Under Fatoumata's belt is her debut album, Fatou, and her EP, Kanou. She has performed around the world and recorded with acclaimed artists including Oumou Sangaré and Dee Dee Bridgewater and recently participated in the "30 Songs / 30 Days" campaign to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women. 

Inspired: A Visit with Artists at Nairobi's GoDown Arts Centre

The GoDown Arts Centre in Nairobi houses a performance space, several creative businesses and artist studios. It's a multidisciplinary arts incubator of sorts, with a mission

"to develop independent artists across multiple art forms and to participate in the advancement of the cultural sector, thereby contributing to the establishment of a robust arts and culture sector with expanding receptive audiences" (emphasis mine and an intention after my own heart!)

While reintroducing Lus to Nairobi a few months ago, we decided to nose around the artist studios and we were so pleased to be so warmly welcomed by Dickens, Mary, Caroline and Michael.

TGIF! with Juliyaa's Rhythmic Soul

For your Friday pleasure: sounds from "purveyor of rhythmic soul", London-based Ghanaian/Welsh singer/songwriter, Juliyaa.

Massimadi Festival, Brussels: LGBT Films from Africa and its Diaspora

Today marks the start of the very first Massimadi festival – showcasing LGBT films from Africa and its diaspora. Taking place in Brussels from the 9th - 11th of May, in the run up to Belgian Pride, the event programme includes meetings and music to complement the films.

The word 'Massimadi' is derived from Creole words 'massissi' and 'madivinez' – derogatory words for 'gay' and 'lesbian' that have been appropriated by the black LGBT community in a defiant affirmation of their identity. The festival will address issues of identity, gender, racism and sexual orientation.

Find out more on the Massimadi website (offering English, French and Dutch translation) and the Massimadi Facebook page

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Related posts:

• The 2012 Film Africa Festival: Let's Talk about Sex!
• Theatre: I Stand Corrected – A supernatural story of two black lesbian lovers from two different continents
• Interview with Feminist Activist, Amina Doherty (aka Sheroxlox)

 

Don't miss an installment – different ways to get your Afri-love delivered. You can also stay up to date by liking the Afri-love Facebook page or following Afri-love (@afrilove) on Twitter or on Google+. 

Check out my many Africa-related Pinterest boards covering the arts, design, music and more.

Subscribe for monthly updates with Afri-love highlights and developments, as well as info on interesting events, must-reads and more for you to check out elsewhere.

 

New Pinterest Board: Paleo Recipes

In an effort to continue experiencing the amazing results I did during my paleo Whole30 + Autoimmune Protocol experiement – and to show people just how exciting food can be, even especially when you've cut out grains, sugar, legumes, dairy and processed foods – I've created a specific 'Paleo Recipes' Pinterest board to go alongside my 'Going Paleo/Primal' board.

 

 

Today marks the start of a Whole7 which I'm doing with a friend who finds the 30-day committment too daunting. The hope is that after 7 days, 7 more will seem a little more doable … and then 7 more and then …

This board is inspiration for you Alli. Some of the recipes I've tried and I look forward to testing out the rest. Everybody – please share any others you recommend. Bon appetit! 

 

PS I finally started reading It Starts with Food last week and it presents the science and biology behind paleo eating in a very accessible way that will compel you to reevaluate your food choices pronto. I'm still in the 'science-y' bit – will report back when I'm through.

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Related posts:

• Amazing Results from my Whole30 + Autoimmune Protocol Experiment
• Going Paleo/Primal: Blogs to Support your Diet and Lifestyle Transformation
• How to Resist Temptation at Events When Going Primal (or Following Any Other Unconventional Diet) – Fantastic tips from my formerly vegan and vegetarian friend, Crystal

 

Don't miss an installment – different ways to get your Afri-love delivered. You can also stay up to date by liking the Afri-love Facebook page or following Afri-love (@afrilove) on Twitter or on Google+. 

Check out my many Africa-related Pinterest boards covering the arts, design, music and more.

Subscribe for monthly updates with Afri-love highlights and developments, as well as info on interesting events, must-reads and more for you to check out elsewhere.

Is it African? Questions of Aesthetics, Authenticity and Classification

In the past few weeks, the question of what constitutes as 'African' has come up in different contexts.

As I prepared my African fiction and non-fiction reading lists, I had to reflect on how I was selecting the books. In the end, I defined African fiction as such because of the heritage of the author and thus their perspective and experience, whether or not the subject of the book had anything to do with Africa. On the other hand, African non-fiction picks had everything to do with the subject matter.

I attended a couple of conferences in April: the African Creative Industries Investment Summit (ACIIS) and London Business School's Africa Day. Both were great opportunities to meet some truly inspiring people and listen to some exciting insights and ideas (and as much as I've been a skeptic of networking – I must say that that was actually the highlight of these 2 events. In fact, these experiences changed my whole perspective on the matter but, more about that in an upcoming post …).

What did of course come up was this question of the African aesthetic. What makes something African?

TGIF! with Alex Boyé

British-born singer and actor of Nigerian descent, Alex Boyé, is perhaps best known for 'Africanizing' today's pop music.

Today, enjoy this majestic track, "Peponi" – a rendition of Coldplay's "Paradise" by Alex Boye and The Piano Guys (RSS readers click here to view the video).