Eswatini is a constitutional absolute monarchy with a rich cultural heritage centered around the Swazi (Nguni) people, who comprise the overwhelming majority of the population. Key cultural highlights include: Traditional festivals: Umhlanga (Reed Dance) —an annual ceremony celebrating young women’s solidarity and chastity. Incwala (Kingship Ceremony) —a sacred rite tied to Swazi identity and monarchy. […]
Eritrea is home to nine ethnic groups, with the Tigrinya (~50%) and Tigre (~30%) constituting the majority. Others include Afar, Saho, Kunama, Nara, Bilen, and Beja, each with distinct languages, customs, music, and rituals. Cultural expression is deeply rooted in communal ceremonies like the iconic coffee ceremony, symbolic of hospitality and social unity. Music and […]
Equatorial Guinea, a small Central African nation with a population of about 1.6 million, is one of Africa’s most oil-rich countries on a per-capita basis. While its economic history is deeply tied to hydrocarbons, the government is actively encouraging economic diversification and foreign direct investment (FDI) in agriculture, tourism, and mining. For African-American investors seeking […]
Egypt is the cradle of civilization, with over 5,000 years of documented cultural heritage—from the pyramids and hieroglyphs to Alexandria’s intellectual legacy. It has historically influenced Europe, Africa, and Asia through art, religion, science, and literature. Modern Egyptian culture features iconic music genres like Arabic pop, shaabi, and belly dance (raqs sharqi), and a dominant […]
Editorial credit: Hiren Ranpara / Shutterstock.com Djibouti, a small yet strategic country in the Horn of Africa, is home to around 1.1 million people. Its cultural landscape is deeply influenced by Somali (Issa clan) and Afar ethnic groups, both of whom maintain strong oral traditions, clan-based social systems, and pastoralist customs. Djibouti also exhibits historical […]
The DRC is home to over 250 ethnic groups and around 240 living languages, representing a vast cultural tapestry. Four national languages—Lingala, Swahili (Kingwana dialect), Kituba (Kikongo creole), and Tshiluba—operate alongside French, the official administrative language used by around half the population, with a high second-language prevalence. Congolese culture is celebrated globally for music—African rumba […]
Editorial credit: Roman Yanushevsky / Shutterstock.com Côte d’Ivoire boasts over 60 indigenous ethnic groups, organized into four major cultural regions—Akan (Baoulé, Anyin), Voltaic, Mandé, and Kru—each with distinct art, music, tattoos, and rituals. It’s a musical melting pot: global genres like zouglou, Coupé-Décalé, reggae (Alpha Blondy), and traditional polyrhythms from groups like Bété and Dan […]
The Union of the Comoros is an Indian Ocean archipelago of roughly 900,000 people, spanning three islands—Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. With deeply rooted African, Arab, and Malagasy influences, Comorian culture blends Islamic traditions, coastal Swahili‑influenced Swahili music, dhows, mosques, and seasonal dances. Two official languages—French and Sango (Comorian), a Bantu-based lingua franca—reflect both administrative […]
Chad is a vast, landlocked country of approximately 19 million people (2024 estimate), spanning Saharan north to fertile southern savannas with over 200 ethnic groups and 120+ indigenous languages. Two official languages—French and Modern Standard Arabic—are used in government and formal education. Chadian Arabic (Shuwa Arabic), spoken by 40–60% of Chadians, serves as the main lingua […]
Editorial credit: NoyanYalcin / Shutterstock.com Often called “Africa in miniature,” Cameroon spans coastline, mountains, rainforests, savannas and desert, hosting over 250 ethnic groups and nearly as many languages. Cultural traditions vary regionally—from coastal Bassa and Douala groups to Grassfields Bamileke and forest‑dwelling Baka. Traditional music and dance—makossa, bikutsi, assiko and tsamassi—have influenced global artists like […]