Lifestyle, Arts & Culture. “God has created lands with lakes and rivers for man to live. And the desert so that he can find his soul”.

This Tuareg proverb[1] pays homage to the wonder of creation and gives expression to the freedom that comes from exploring oneself, shaped in large part by history and dreams. This month’s edition of our Lifestyle, Arts & Culture piece is an opportunity to zero in on how Black History Month is being marked in the UK, while also celebrating team members’ travels, sporting and culinary triumphs and musings over the summer, while also looking ahead to the next generation, as Africa Code Week beckons. Enjoy!

Black History Month (UK) is here and this year is themed “Proud to Be”, as our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora and on the continent are encouraged to share their stories of triumph on social media, in spite of the difficult year 2020 was. There’s an impressive line-up of events at the British Library and the Royal African Society will be streaming films from Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan among others, for free.  There is also a series of creative writing courses online for children as young as 6 with the likes of poet Ruth Awolola, of Nigerian and Jamaican heritage and UK-born Ghanaian, Victoria Adukwei-Bulley.

Over the past few months, we’ve had the pleasure of working with Jon, Zindzi and Ernest, from the UK, South Africa and Malawi, respectively. Jon’s love of the outdoors and his engagement with the African Diaspora community in the UK has been inspiring to see. Over the summer, he took part in the annual Black Pound Day bike ride in support of black businesses across London. He shares: “Since its inception in 2020, hundreds of riders take part in the 15-mile cycle from North London south to the River Thames and end up in a fare of black business in a bustling central location. It’s a day that reminds me of the power of collective will and bargaining. The black pound, dollar, euro or yuan can go much further. Much like in the cycle, people of African and Caribbean descent support each other in all parts of life and business. As a young black man, it’s important to see this togetherness within my own community. This is my second year doing the ride so there were both new and familiar faces. I hope that next year’s ride attracts even more cyclists of all levels and the scheme’s impact is amplified as more black businesses are showcased”.

 Still showing us what youthful exuberance looks like in real time (!) Jon also took part in the Dragonboat regatta in London recently. “I represented Typhoon Dragonboat Club in what was a mega successful outing as our team collected medals in the 100M, 200M and 1000M races. In short, it means a lot to be part of this team as a young black man because it’s a sport that could seem out of reach to a lot of us. There’s very little representation or diversity in major Dragonboat tournaments. However, at a grassroots level the sport attracts people that hail from all parts of the world. The culture and history of the sport is phenomenal. The Chinese traditions which the sport was born in are still present in this modern version. My teammates are from all backgrounds and having them embrace me as part of our group is awesome. We paddle hard and everything we do together makes the boat go faster”. We wish him well as he heads to work on a water supply project in Ethiopia.

Ernest, who loves all things tech, is back to Ashesi University, after he spent the summer with his grandmother in Malawi’s northern city of Mzuzu, nestled within a nook in the Viphya Mountains, famed for tea- the country’s largest sector employer. For Ernest, it makes a welcome change to Lilongwe, for the pace of life in Mzuzu is a little slower and the cost of living is less expensive than in the capital. But he had to adjust to a cooler climate: “it gets extremely cold at times- sometimes 6 degrees Celsius. People tend to wear jumpers or local print wrap-arounds to keep warm”. For Ernest, keeping warm simply indulge in “grandma’s chigwada, made from baby cassava leaves and groundnut”.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Tanzania, Irene has been eating a lot of local traditional food called makande - a mix of coconut milk, beans, and maize). “[It] normally goes well with a cup of tea but you can also add cooked chicken, beef, fish, or vegetables on the side as well. It is actually a staple food, most people like to have it since it's very affordable and easy to make. For example, you are likely to see it served in burial ceremonies and government boarding schools (cost-friendly). The recipes for this dish are; onions, garlic paste (very small amount)  tomatoes (small amount as well) carrots, green pepper, row corn, and beans (must be boiled before use). Just a side note, this is how I like to cook it, but people from different parts of Tanzania can add more spices and cook it differently. If you want to try it, this is the tutorial from Youtube”. Give it a try (and practice your Swahili!).

Zindzi, who has been working with us from Mpumalanga and Jo’burg, has been “loving the idea of head scarfs/head-wraps and had a wonderful conversation with a friend about how African women always find ways to beautify or add to their already natural beauty”. She shares how she “also started wearing head-wraps with hoop earrings and it has been giving me so much confidence and a boost, it compliments my outfits and the way I feel about my hair as well. They have become a huge addition to my wardrobe collection. If your hair is not done or you don't feel like wearing it out, put on a headscarf and conquer the day”. Her sage advice is reminiscent of a Grace conversation last year about Black women and hair and the need for a broader conversation within corporate culture about the need for space to be created for Black Women to choose how to wear their hair, and still excel.

Back to school is in full swing and this week the continent’s “techpreneurs” are celebrating Africa Code Week, designed to encourage the next generation to embrace the digital age.  “It takes an empowered village to raise a child in the digital age”. These are the words of the organisers of Africa Code Week, an initiative by software solutions company SAP, designed to equip young people and teachers with digital skills to bring them into the digital economy, offering a range of online courses and events. When discussing the 5 pillars of Ghana’s digital economy last week at our Songhai roundtable, the importance of bridging the tech divide between learners and teachers was a key theme which Africa Code Week, since its inception in 2015, has sought to address.

[1] “God has created lands with lakes and rivers for man to live. And the desert so that he can find his soul”.

*Photo credit: Jon Burrow’s family archives, depicting Igbo boating traditions dating back two generations.

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