Cameroon. Tree bark fabric.
Cameroon has a long tradition of making textiles from tree bark, from the most well-known fibre, raffia, which comes from a variety of palm trees and is used in making baskets and bags, to the more complex “Obom” fibre. Obom, in the Cameroonian Fang-Beti language, means “fabric made from the bark of the Aloa tree.” […]
Oral Literature. Akoli and the palm wine amphora
A rich man, close to death, called his only son and said to him, “I leave you all my riches.” I hope you know how to use them well. Before I leave this world to join our ancestors, I want to give you three pieces of advice. First, be careful with alcoholic beverages. Second, never […]
People & Religion. Kenya: Turkana – Akuj, The Supreme Being
The Turkana are a monotheistic people. They believe in one God, known as Akuj, the creator of the universe. “All things belong to Akuj”, they say. They call upon him in times of great need, through prayers and chants and through animal sacrifices. The Turkana believe that Akuj is the source of all power: if […]
DR Congo. Welcoming and Accompanying Street Children
In Kisangani, the Comboni Missionaries Sisters are welcoming boys and girls who were living on the streets and are now finding a home at the Saint Laurent Centre, where they are given shelter and also hope and opportunities for the future. Boys and girls run along the ever-crowded streets. A constant zigzagging between bicycles, cars, […]
South Sudan. Mission among the Nuer people. Hoping against hope.
“We continue to believe in the resurrection of South Sudan. We continue to proclaim that Emmanuel, God-with-us, never abandons his children. Even in the darkest nights, the Gospel remains a burning light. And no war can extinguish the power of God’s love.” South Sudan is a wounded, crucified land. It is the world’s youngest country, […]
DR. Congo. Kuba, The Fabric of Illumination
Kuba, a fabric produced in the Democratic Republic of Congo for hundreds of years, survives today thanks to the talent and skill of local artisans who keep the tradition alive. Its origins can be traced back to the 17th century, when it began to be made in the then-Kuba kingdom. The highly elaborate and complex […]
Oral Literature. The Elephant and the Rabbit
One day, the Rabbit and the Elephant wanted to trade their cloth for a cow. The Rabbit had a little bundle of cloth. And the Elephant had a big bundle of cloth. They started for the village. On the way, they came to a river. The elephant went right into the water. “Wait,” cried the […]
People & Culture. Uganda: Acholi. The Rite of The Birth of a Child
Acholi is a Luo Nilotic ethnic group from Northern Uganda, with a population of approximately 1.2 million in the country. Among the Acholi people, the birth of a child is regarded as a miraculous work of the supreme God, Nyarubanga. The spirits of the dead ancestors known in Acholi as Abila, also play an important […]
Malawi. “What’s it all for?”
For twenty-one years, Sister Rose Guevara has been a missionary in Malawi, a country where she feels “at home.” She tells us about her vocational journey. I am a Carmelite Missionary Sister originally from the Philippines. At home, I was the youngest of three siblings. My training as an engineer led me to work for […]
Adire, the popular indigo-dyed Yoruba fabric
Today, we take you to Nigeria to discover a cotton cloth dyed using a technique common among the Yoruba people: adire. Fabrics made using the original dyeing methods still survive in the country’s markets today, despite the textile industry being undermined by cheaper dyes imported from China. Adire fabric is made by Nigerian women using […]