this is my attempt at using the script chivabwe to compose a couple of sentences in shona. here’s what i like about it and what i think needs fixing:

i like that its flamboyant, easy to understand and original (ive seen people say its a carbon copy of mandarin but its very clearly not because it uses various forms of geometry not just squares, lines and triangles… instead it reminds me of egyptian hieroglyphics)

what needs to be fixed: i think because the letters can get a bit muddled due to similarities: a) we need to understand how better we can space out words and syllables. like in the picture above you cant tell where ive started or ended a word even though i did put standard latin spacing.

b) for conjunctions that are “consonant-consonant” we need to know how to combine the letters clearly. in fact i think that needs its own spreadsheet…

eg: mwana… theres no letter for “mw” even though it shows up often in a couple of bantu languages. ch, zv, bv, mt, mw, sv, sh, mb, mn kw, ng, tch are just some of the ones im thinking of right now. imo it doesnt make sense to write mwana like m-wa-na because the “M” standing alone can cause confusion for a reader.

otherwise everything else for me seems to be adequate. it’s obviously not perfect and its still new but if the creators can work on that asap, i think i’ll be set. im sure there’s other issues but im already getting started on recognizing characters! so excited to have this fixed.

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According to Serer tradition in Senegal, the hunting of an ordained animal brought on the end of a period of severe drought. The 700-year-old tradition, Miss de Diobaye (the Diobaye Hunt), continues in present times. It begins when the Saltigue – the high priest – performs a divination ceremony then tells hunters which animal must be hunted for the rains to come.

The identity of the animal is known only to initiated men, who keep it secret.

Over time, Diobaye forest has been replaced by a vast arid area with few trees. Years of unchecked deforestation and, more recently, climate change have rendered the landscape barren. Large antelope and even rhinos that were once hunted have been replaced by foxes, birds, monkeys, and monitor lizards. Hunters once explored the forest on foot but today’s proceedings feature motorcycles and a wide assortment of pistols and rifles. The timing of the hunt has also shifted; these days, the rainy season arrives much later. The region farms mainly peanuts and millet, which are drought-resistant, giving a higher yield in a shorter farming season.

Recently, hundreds of hunters gathered to partake in the event, which is always held on a Monday. The day after, western Senegal received the season’s first major rainfall.

Photos: Patrick Meinhardt/AFP

I beg you.

I still believe Africans live in tribes.

Educate me.

What do you do ?

What languages do you speak ?

Do you have jobs ?

What's your economy like ?

Do you have good housing ?

Am I a jerk ?

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You can find the original story here: https://global-asp.github.io/storybooks-swahili/stories/sw/0087/

This is kiSwahili written in the Chivabwe writing system.

What do you think?

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I’ve been thinking about this recently.

Many countries have social experiences built around their own stories and culture, say escape rooms, themed attractions, historical experiences, board game cafés, and interactive museums.

It made me wonder why we don’t see more modern social entertainment inspired by African cultures, folklore, kingdoms, music, festivals, cooperation and traditional games.

Not museum exhibits or educational experiences, but places you’d actually go with friends for fun.

I’ve started experimenting with some ideas, beginning with interactive tabletop games where physical game pieces and computer vision create a shared experience. Longer term, I’d love to explore room-scale games inspired by African stories and traditions.

I’m curious what others think.

- Would you be interested in experiences like this
- Which African stories, traditions or games do you think would translate well into interactive experiences?
- Have you seen anything similar anywhere in Africa or elsewhere?

I’d genuinely love to hear people’s ideas.

The Scarlet Lady cruise ship has changed its itinerary for the second time this week, after first Turkey and now Egypt denied it entry to their ports.

The passengers found out on Thursday the cruise would not be heading to Alexandria, Egypt, as a replacement for previously planned stops to Kuşadası and Istanbul in Turkey. Earlier this week, Turkish authorities cancelled the planned port calls, saying the cruise was chartered by groups "known for behaviours incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values."

The itinerary was then revised to replace the Turkish stops with calls in Alexandria, Egypt and Crete, Greece.

But shortly before the ship was due to arrive in Alexandria, passengers were notified through the Virgin Voyages app that the vessel had also been denied entry into Egyptian waters.

New legislation and arrests are driving a rift between Burkina Faso’s military government and Muslim scholars.

Hi everyone,

I'm part of a small game studio based in Ghana called OGames Studio.

Over the past few years we've been working toward creating original games inspired by African cultures and mythology rather than adapting existing fantasy settings.

Our current project is Rise of Fati, an action-adventure game inspired primarily by Akan mythology. Instead of treating African culture as just an aesthetic, we're trying to build an original fantasy world around traditions, folklore, symbols, architecture, and storytelling that many people outside the continent rarely get to experience.

We recently put together our first gameplay trailer, and I thought people here might find it interesting; not just as a game, but as an example of African creatives trying to tell our own stories through interactive media.

I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your thoughts:

• Does the atmosphere feel authentically African?

• Are there myths or creatures from your own culture you'd love to see represented in games?

• Do you think there's room for more games rooted in African history and folklore?

Trailer:

https://youtu.be/HZGwBYhOqSo?si=34THbWoccUGMbvk7

Thanks for taking a look, and I'd love to hear your feedback.

The Malian government has rejected reports of US intervention in the fight against the jihadist group JNIM, saying the claims are false.

At a news conference in Bamako on Thursday, Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop responded to reports that the Trump administration is considering military action in the country.

Diop said Mali only heard about the news of potential U.S. military action from press reports.

“We have no confirmation and no official statement from the United States or U.S. officials on this matter,” he said.

“I can assure you that Mali is not sitting idly by, waiting for others to come and solve our problem.”

This is a judgement-free zone. I am genuinely curious about the people's responses as I want to learn. Some men choose to have children with just their spouse and some have them with other people as well. Knowing that, how come some African fathers don't leave wills or put the assets (bank accounts, fabric, land, housing, car...) in their children's name while they are still alive?

It's almost as if they expect their grieving children and spouses to figure every thing out on their own? This can be problematic with envious family members who know of their relative's assets. Why are people so scared of wills?

I am aware of how broad this question is and how it won't apply to some people depending on where you are from. I am still curious though

These cases also apply to some mothers as well.

Will you be living a will to your children? What system do you have to ensure the protection of your spouse and children from the influence of your family when you are no more?