A prefix modifies a word/statement. The prefix ‘Afro-’ as used in art criticism modifies existing manifestos. But it has the capacity to arrest African imagination, so that the African imagination follows other manifestos, only to attach itself to them and never coming up with an original of its own. Filmmaker and Philosophy student Phetogo Tshepo Mahasha speaks
Politics and Society Border blues: Why must Africans jump through hoops for a visa?
As life’s delights go, visa-related red tape is right up there with root canals and Rick Ross. But it’s an integral part of life for holders of African passports. We are all-too-familiar with the tediousness of ticking one’s way through a relentless list of visa requirements ranging from your great-grandmother’s fingerprints to a sample of unicorn blood
Arts, Culture and Sport The quiet rise of heavy metal in South Africa
Away from the eyes of the world, the sub-culture of heavy metal has been healthily bubbling under in South Africa, the result of a generation of musicians and fans growing comfortably with the country’s post-apartheid identity. South Africans have been enjoying rock and metal music for years, yet with a tincture of coverage outside the continent
Arts, Culture and Sport Mental freedom and the omission of African achievement from history
We hang our hopes on economic development playing a large role in allowing us to reclaim our history from the West, but which comes first, understanding of our own history or economic development? Is real economic development even feasible without a grasp of history?
African identities Homosexuality and African history: the roots of the criminalisation of homosexuality
Media reports on how brutal it is to be a gay person in an African country, while much needed, ought to be more balanced. We should not ignore the fact that the legal status of gay people in most African countries is horrendous, we should also keep in mind that different spectrums of the LGBTQ community continue to thrive in even the most staunchly anti-gay countries in Africa
Lifestyle Decolonising the mind: The language of North Africa
Given the colonial nature of Arabic in Tamazgha, and its imposition on the indigenous people, there are significant reasons that Africans ought to reject the use of Arabic in favour of their indigenous language. When we do this, we participate in decolonization by supporting the survival of African languages in opposition to the policies of former or current colonial powers
Politics and Society How France loots its former colonies
We try to keep a positive vibe going here at This Is Africa, but every so often you come across something that just paints your mood black. Some of you may already be aware of this, but if like us you’re hearing about this for the first time your jaw will drop. And it’ll probably raise the same BIG questions in your mind that it did in ours.
African identities How African elders stopped talking to the youth about sex
Today, many young people of African descent – both at home and abroad – lament their parents’ prudish attitudes towards sex. Most of us grew up around parents who never displayed their affection for each other in front of us, parents who never talked to us about sex except to warn us to abstain before marriage
African identities Black Pete: race, power and identity
White people in blackface celebrated as part of a “tradition”? The Dutch are one of the most progressive people in Europe, but the controversial character known as Zwarte Piet reveals a blind spot on the subject of race. Are the Dutch not fully aware of their history?