2 h. ago The Medieval Brits with West African ancestry: Bodies buried in 7th

Two people buried in early medieval England had West African ancestry, experts have revealed, in a discovery that rewrites British history.

Events

8 h. ago Archaeologists perplexed to find West African ancestry in early medieval England

Findings show clear signs of non-European ancestry of buried individuals with affinity to present-day groups living in sub-Saharan West Africa

Events

9 d. ago Hand pies and spiced lamb: Maria Bradford’s Sierra Leonean home cooking

A West African spice-coated rack of lamb, plus pasty-like pies made with plantain pastry and stuffed with feta and onionTomatoes are an integral ingredient in west-African cooking, and are generally used alongside onions and chillies to create a flavourful and versatile base for sauces, soups and stews, and, of course, jollof rice. We often make a mother sauce of tomatoes and onions, then add spices and seasonings such as chilli flakes, garlic, ginger, nutmeg and cumin for a moreish bold and fiery pepper sauce. Continue reading...

Society

1 week ago Côte d'Ivoire is the authentic, uncrowded — and affordable — alternative to Barbados

A pristine coastline to rivals any Caribbean beaches, a rich cultural history and affordable-luxe accommodation. This West African gem won’t stay under the radar for long, says Matt Dennis

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Queer people were living, loving, suffering, surviving – but invisible’: west Africa’s groundbreaking gay novel 20 years on

Jude Dibia’s Walking With Shadows has a gay character at its heart – a radical act that continues to influence the region’s literary sceneWhen Jude Dibia first tried to sell the manuscript of his groundbreaking novel Walking With Shadows 20 years ago, he was aware of the silence around queerness in West African literature. While there had been books with gay themes, his is widely recognised as the first novel in the region to put a gay character at the heart of the story.“The absence wasn’t just literary; it was societal,” Dibia says. “Queer people were living, loving, suffering, surviving – but largely rendered invisible or spoken of in hushed tones, if at all. That silence felt violent. It felt like erasure. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago France signals willingness to discuss reparations for colonial massacres in Niger

Exclusive: French government says it is open to dialogue but does not acknowledge responsibility in letter seen by the Guardian More than a century after its troops burned villages and looted cultural artefacts in the quest to include Niger in its west African colonial portfolio, France has signalled willingness over possible restitution, but is yet to acknowledge responsibility.“France remains open to bilateral dialogue with the Nigerien authorities, as well as to any collaboration concerning provenance research or patrimonial cooperation,” the office of France’s permanent representative to the UN wrote in a document seen by the Guardian. Continue reading...

Events