The Afreakan

04/10/2023

The breast ironing is a popular practice in Africa, where mothers and elderly women in the community flatten young girls' breasts, in a bid to prevent and protect them from being attractive to men, which they believe can result to early pregnancy. This practice is popular in some parts Africa, including Cameroon, Kenya, Guinea-bissau, Togo, Nigeria and so many others.

At an early age of 8, most young girls are subjected to the ritual of the flattening process. This is usually done with heated objects such as stones, hammers, metals, pestles, and other improvised objects. The heated tools are used to press down the breasts.

For the younger girls, women often truss a belt, or thick garment round their chest to delay the breasts from growing.

Due to the grave physical and psychological effect this practice has on girls, breast ironing is considered an abuse. As a matter of fact, according to international law, it is a form of violence against women.

Image from Wrytin.com

18/10/2022

Here are 15 of the greatest African warriors that have ever lived

18/08/2021

21/10/2020

🇳🇬🙏🏿🇳🇬

24/09/2020

Stairs to heaven

If you find yourself constantly trying to prove your worth to someone, you have already forgotten your value.

10/08/2020

Queen!!!

10/08/2020

His brown eyes tell his soul

10/08/2020

14/07/2020

06/07/2020

One of the cultural values held dearly by the Samburu people of Kenya is a practice known as "beading". Beading is basically when a man (moran) gives a young girl (from about 6 years old) from his clan beads- red beaded necklace and a black and white beaded necklace- to signify an intimate relationship with her through the consent of her parents. The man will have s*x with her whenever he wants to until she gets a suitor and is ready for marriage . The mother of the young girl builds a shelter known as singira for her daughter and the man so that when ever the man comes, they can have a private room for themselves.
It is an abomination for the girl to get pregnant from a beaded affair so when she does, she is forced to abort the pregnancy. In the case of refusing to abort, the child is taken away from the girl when she gives birth.
Although there have recently been campaigns against the beading culture, some Samburu people still believe it is their culture and a measure to not give room for waywardness of young girls and it is also believed to be a way of getting the young girls ready for marriage.
photo from: tripadvisor.com

05/07/2020

22/06/2020

Look what you made!!!

10/06/2020

The white lion is a rare type of lion, mostly found in South Africa
Afrika the beautiful

05/06/2020

In the dense forests of South Asia, a native African tribe has been living in quiet obscurity for more than 500 years. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubsc...

01/06/2020

Great Africans

30/05/2020

Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.

29/05/2020

Mansa Musa was an emperor of Mali, West Africa. He is known as the richest man of all time with an "indescribable" wealth

27/05/2020

The Hamar people of Ethiopia have a very unique ritual of transition to adulthood for young men known as the Bull jumping ceremony where young boys run on the back of bulls naked (about five or more bulls) four times. Jumping the bulls is a test of bravery and strength of young men. When a young man jumps successfully, he is fit to be a Maza (man) and is ready for marriage. However, if he fails, it is disgraceful to him and his family; therefore he has to repeat the test another season of the ritual.
Females of the boy's family beg to be flogged until they bleed to show their support and loyalty to the boy. The scar signifies that the boy is indebted to them with his loyalty and support also.

📷 .g_travel
thisisafrica.com

27/05/2020

Nana Yaa Asantewaa was a warrior queen mother that led the war against the British from taking over the the golden stool from the Asante people of Ghana. The golden stool is a sacred object (it is believed to have descended from the sky) that possesses spiritual powers.
When the British demanded control over the golden stool, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, enraged as men of the Kingdom were unruffled about protecting the golden stool, led the golden stool war (also known as the Yaa Asentawaa war) as the Commander in Chief of the Asante Army.
Though Nana Yaa Asantewaa was later exiled to Seychelles (where she died), the golden stool was guarded by the people. The golden stool is now guarded at the Asante Royal Palace in Kumasi.

25/05/2020

None better. African men, thou art godssss

💥

25/05/2020

Afreaka the beautiful🌍💞

25/05/2020

Today is Africa day🌍

The 25th of May is an annual celebration of Africa day, set in honour of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (now African Union) in 1963 with the aim of promoting peace and unity among African States, as well as promoting economic, social and educational development in Africa.

Happy Africa Day

14/05/2020

Nothing beats afro love 💞

14/05/2020

Some things you should know about the Himba women of Namibia and Angola

They apply red ochre mixed with butterfat on their body and hair. This makes their skin and hair red (to the Himbas, red signifies life). It is said to protect their skin from the harsh weather and some diseases. This is why they are called "the red people of Namibia"

They don't take water bath (this is because of the lack of water in their land). They steam themselves in fragrant herbs burnt in charcoal.

They wear short skirts made from animal skin and leave their bare chests.

They sleep with guests as a sign of respect and gratitude ( this is based on their husband's order).

A 📷 from zimeye.com

13/05/2020

The Akodessawa Fe**sh Market in Lome, Togo is the world’s largest voodoo market. 36% of Togo's population is made up of Traditional Religion worshippers who worship animals (animists) (c)

12/05/2020

Adinkra are symbols used by the Akan people of Ghana and Côte d'lvoire. Like most African religions, the Akan people believe in a supreme God who is the maker of the universe. They also believe in the existence of witchcraft, deities and sprites.
The Adinkra symbols represent their beliefs, proverbs, culture and who they are.
Some of the symbols are
"Nyame nnwu na mawu" which means " "God never dies, so I cannot die". It means that when people die, their kra (soul) goes to God; the kra is immortal.
"Owuo Atwedee" meaning "ladder of death" which signifies the stages of life from birth to death.
"Nyame ye ohene" means "God is king". Akan people believe that nothing is greater than Nyame (God). He is the almighty.
"Nya Gyidie" meaning "have faith". They believe that what ever you are going through, never lose hope, always believe.
The Akan religion is still practiced by some of the people. A lot of the modern Akan people are however Christians and Muslims.

11/05/2020

The Maasai tribe of Kenya and Tanzania are very unique people who, regardless of modern beliefs have kept most of their traditions at high esteem. They have significant colours of dresses and have strong beliefs and traditions that they practice till date (though some have gone in extinction)

Here are few things you should know about them

- They all believe in one god called ngai (nkai, enkai, engai) who is the maker of their cattles and all things. The god is in different colours depending on his mood; black when he is good or happy and red when he is angry. Though a good number of the modern Maasai people are Christians, some still worship ngai

- killing of the male lion is a sign of bravery and strength.

- They believe spitting is a sign of good luck and respect. They spit on children and sometimes spit on their palms before shaking people as a sign of respect

- The old maasai people believed that burying people could destroy their soil so when people die, they spilled blood on the body and leave it out for predecessors (they only buried very important people)

- They believe that cattle and children are a measure for wealth. The more there are, they wealthier you are believed to be

📷 thestar.com fotolibra.com

11/05/2020

T'ej or Tejj, also called Honey wine is an Ethiopian mead made from fermented honey, water and gesho (Ethiopian hops).
🌍

Last picture from

👑💞

11/05/2020

Dinka Tribe of South Sudan have the tallest set of people in the world. One of them, Manute Bol is the joint tallest NBA player of all time at 7 feet, 7 inches tall

10/05/2020

The Untold Marriage rites of the Berom people of Nigeria

When a man is interested in a woman, he approaches her and states clearly his intentions to her. If the woman is interested, they start to court.
While courting, the man is expected to work on the farmland belonging to the woman's parents. The man is also expected to take care of the lady's needs. In some cases, he builds a house for his intending in-laws. These are signs of hard work and commitment to the Berom people.
The man with his family then visit the woman's parents with gifts to declare their intentions. The woman's parents either accept or reject ( most of the time, the woman's parents reject while the man is wooing the woman)
When the bride price is fully paid, the parents bless their children and a wedding ceremony is done.
The bride is escorted to her new home by women in her family.
The bride is not allowed to immediately lay with her husband. She stays with her mother in-law for some days or weeks before being allowed to move to her husband's room.
It is an important custom to the Berom people that when the groom and his bride are meeting for the first time, people gather outside their door to listen.
The husband is expected to throw out animal hide carrying blood as sign of the brides virginity.

Though this is an old practice, the Berom people still take some of their customs on marriage very seriously

Story and pictures from Berom Breed page