Western journalists often write about Africa in absolute terms, offering reductionist narratives from which their readers form impressions of a continent they’ve never visited. I’m a western journalist and here’s what I learned from reporting in Soweto.
Arts, Culture and Sport
Arts, Culture and Sport Weekend Special: The Sunday Times List of the 100 Greatest South African Songs
In their weekend music special, the folks at South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper came out with their list of the 100 greatest South African songs. We looked at the list and agree with many of them, though some important songs have been left out.
Arts, Culture and Sport The Week’s Best Reader Photographs
This week we asked readers to send in photos to show us where they are, and what the sights are where-ever they are. You rose to the occasion and each photo was like a mini-masterpiece. We chose the best one by Thuto Moloi, which you can see below.
Arts, Culture and Sport UK citizen returns stolen Benin artefacts after 117 years
Oba of Benin Omonoba Erediauwa has received two bronze works of art looted by British soldiers when they ransacked the city in 1897 in what was the most brutal massacre of the colonial era
Arts, Culture and Sport How are my trousers the church’s business?
“In Jesus name, please tell her to go back home and change”, he said, to which I replied, “In Jesus name, please allow me to listen to the sermon”. If I can wear trousers in the Vatican, why not in certain Nigerian churches?
Arts, Culture and Sport Sir Victor Uwaifo steps into the afrobeats era
Nigerian seventies highlife legend Victor Uwaifo just released a new song and video which should reintroduce him to a new generation of afrobeats fans. The transition from his brand of highlife to the sound of Nigeria today isn’t very smooth though, as Uwaifo traded his guitar for a techno-inspired keyboard riff.
Arts, Culture and Sport Congolese Macbeth
A radical interpretation of Verdi’s Macbeth is relocated to the Eastern Congo and sheds light on a war-torn village.
Arts, Culture and Sport How to make a film about America
Judging by the trailer of the new Adam Sandler movie “Blended”, Hollywood is still very much in the business of stereotyping Africa and Africans. Well, two can play at that game. Moonshine is the drink of choice in America, isn’t it?
Arts, Culture and Sport Rejecting the “exoticism” of African art
The 11th Biennale of Contemporary African Art kicked off in Dakar last week, and one of the participating artists is Ezra Wube from Ethiopia. Ezra lives in America, and talks to TIA about the labels that confine African artists abroad.