Real Stories...Real History...Real Facts
From history that was never taught in schools to wellness wisdom rooted in African traditions, this is where we document the full, layered world of African womanhood.
AFRICAN STORIES
Some stories are too important to wait for a magazine edition. Our Stories section is a living, growing library of articles on African history, women's achievements, health and wellness, culture, business, and everyday life, all written for African women, by writers who understand what that means.
Whether you are here for a deep dive into a historical figure who deserved far more recognition, practical health information grounded in African realities, or cultural commentary that reflects your lived experience, you will find it here. And new stories are added regularly, so there is always something worth reading.
Recent Posts
- AFRICAN BRIDAL BEADS: A STORY OF ADORNMENT, STATUS AND IDENTITY.
Watch a Yoruba bride settle a strand of coral beads over her shoulders before she enters the hall, and you notice something: she is decorating herself by arranging the weight, literal weight, sometimes, given how heavy a full set of coral can be, and something less tangible that the beads are meant to carry into… Read more: AFRICAN BRIDAL BEADS: A STORY OF ADORNMENT, STATUS AND IDENTITY. - Nigerian Headwear: The Stories, Status and Beauty Behind the Headwrap
Walk into any Nigerian wedding, naming ceremony, or Sunday service, and you'll see it before you see anything else: the headwrap. Tall and structured on one woman, soft and gathered on another, wrapped tight and modest on a third, the Nigerian gele has become a symbol of culture and proud tradition. In Nigeria, what a… Read more: Nigerian Headwear: The Stories, Status and Beauty Behind the Headwrap - The Yam Barn Was His Pride. But Who Kept the Family Fed?
In many parts of Igboland, few crops have carried as much cultural and economic weight as yam. In Nsukka, yam was historically treated as the “king” of crops, with the best land often reserved for its cultivation. A well-stocked yam barn was not simply a place to keep food. It could represent agricultural achievement, wealth,… Read more: The Yam Barn Was His Pride. But Who Kept the Family Fed? - INSIDE THE FATTENING ROOM
The Efik Tradition That Shaped a Standard of Beauty In the coastal city of Calabar, long before Instagram told women what beauty should look like, the Efik people had already built an entire institution around it, the mbọ́pọ̀, or fattening room. For generations, a young Efik woman approaching marriage would be secluded in a private… Read more: INSIDE THE FATTENING ROOM