MAMA Africa: Journey to the Motherland

By: Lucy Coutinho I was once told how fortunate I am to know my roots, to be able to speak the language of my ancestors. I never perceived understanding where my people and I come from to be a privilege because it is all I have ever known. It was a revelation that stunned me that many are in search for the truth about their ancestry. There is so much to be said about African culture and its people. I invite you as we take this excursion together. My roots are heavily planted in Cape Verde, an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Western Africa. I grew up in a household where we often spoke various languages such as English, Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. Cape Verde’s dry, tropical environment and its Portuguese colonization have shaped our cooking traditions, Africans brought knowledge of growing and cooking tropical crops and the Portuguese brought livestock. Our traditional music is a fusion of European, African, and Latin influences, with famous styles such as Morna and Funana. The late and Grammy Award-winning singer, CesariaEvora (The Barefoot Diva) exemplified and expounded the traditional sounds of Morna. The Batuko, an African-influenced dance dates back to slavery, where woman take turns at dancing progressively faster, while others beat the rhythm on rolled up cloth. Rich in its diversity, there is simply no way of knowing or identifying the look of the Cape Verdean People. The African continent has a full spectrum of skin tones and hair textures. For a moment journey back to the Motherland in all of its beauty and cultural richness. Imagine for a moment you can journey to some of the countries of Africa, no one is the same and each exuding its own unique beauty. Our first destination is the capital city of Angola; Luanda, a vibrant tourist area, rapidly becoming a must-see tourist attraction offering a tropical climate, opportunity to experience wildlife, beautiful landscapes, rivers, jungles, and mountain sceneries. Not to mention the taste of the mouth-watering traditional Angolan cuisine with strong Portuguese influence. Venturing away from the South Atlantic Ocean, to the North Atlantic Ocean is Senegal; the capital Dakar is one of West Africa’s most popular destinations, its attractions vibrant and lively city with colorful markets and a great nocturnal scene. There is so much more to be explored such as pretty beaches, lagoons, and rivers. If this is not enough to convince you, this Senegal native may just be able to do just that, “My Motherland is the reflection of the beauty of the Nile River. Welcome peacefully on the green land, the continent of proud men. The scents, smiles, drums and the beauty are the essence of our lives. Unified, as one, success and glory will be at our feet.”Pride continues to echo throughout the continent, we have yet so much more to uncover together. Situated on the Indian Ocean, Kenya is East Africa’s main tourist destination where many travel to see the world’s best Safari. An interesting fact about Kenya is its multi-ethnic population, with neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia as it reflects its cultural richness. And now let’s journey off to my most recent discovery and a country that I have truly found myself enthralled with, although I have not yet visited Namibia. Drawing visitors from various parts of the world with its alluring beauty, this South African country will be sure to stun you with its cosmopolitan city Windhoek. Adorned with sophisticated hotels and shops, if vibrancy is what you are seeking than you will get just that. With beach and wildlife attraction, the choices are vast; it comes as no surprise why many choose Namibia for their vacation destination. Not wanting to forget the many other countries in Africa such as Ghana, Liberia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, just to name of few that are all worth the exploration. We may not all find our roots someplace planted in Africa however it’s worthy of vastness and uniqueness in which it’s proudly named the Motherland. As you may be on your own quest, I hope that you are a day closer to your own personal understanding.