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The Mind of Africa
The Mind of Africa, written while the author was A Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, was a fruit of that enlarged perspective. After several years, he visited Ghana in 1962. There Kwame Nkrumah, then President of Ghana, successfully persuaded him to return to teach at the University of Ghana, Legon and he subsequently resigned from All Souls. In 1968, he went to the United States as a visiting professor. This was followed by invitations to teach at various academic institutions there, including Berkeley and Stanford. He subsequently settled in California, where he continued to teach and research philosophy in the University of California at Santa Cruz until his retirement.
The Mind of Africa appeared at a time when a number of African countries were obtaining, or fighting for, their political freedom from their colonial rulers; and becoming independent nations expecting to build new societies in accordance with their own visions and conceptions, though not necessarily jettisoning all the features of their colonial heritage. Building new societies requires appropriate ideologies and philosophies fashioned within the crucible of their cultural and historical experiences. Thus, the relation between ideology and society is taken up at the very outset of the book… The Mind of Africa is important for Africa’s future and identity.
₵70.00The Mind of Africa
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Where’s Jamela?
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
Mama has wonderful news – she has found a new job, and a new house nearby. But Jamela is not impressed. She likes her old house so much that is where she wants to stay. On the day of the move after everything and everyone were ready, Jamela was no where to be found. Where is Jamela?
₵35.00Where’s Jamela?
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The Herd Boy
Malusi is a herd boy who tends to his grandfather’s sheep and goats among the mountains of the Transkei. High above, eagles fly while on the ground below, beetles crawl, termites scurry and dust flies as Malusi plays games of stick-fighting with his friend. But there’s danger too…
Can Malusi save his lambs from the hungry baboon who’s stalking the flock?
And who is the old man in the shiny car who stops to chat, and encourages the herd boy in his dream of being President?
This beautiful picture book is about a boy who dares to dream of a big future. It is a story of empowerment, self-belief and leadership, and is inspired by the life of former president Nelson Mandela.
₵48.00The Herd Boy
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Africa Writes Back: The African Writers Series & the Launch of African Literature
June 17, 2008, is the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart by Heinemann. This publication provided the impetus for the foundation of the African Writers Series in 1962 with Chinua Achebe as the editorial adviser. This narrative, drawing liberally on the correspondence with the authors, concentrates on the adventurous first twenty-five years.
Africa Writes Back: The African Writer’s Series & the Launch of African Literature captures the energy of literary publishing in a new and undefined field. Portraits of the leading characters and the many consultants and readers providing reports and advice to new and established writers make Africa Writes Back a stand-out book. James Currey’s voice and insights are an added bonus.
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Yebo, Jamela!
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
The second book by Niki Daly about this spunky little heroine.
Christmas is drawing near and Jamela’s mother decides to go and buy a chicken from Mrs Zibi. If they feed it well, it will be nice and fat by Christmas time. Jamela accompanies her mother on the chicken-buying expedition and suggests calling the chicken Christmas. But by the time Christmas-day comes, Jamela has made a pet of Christmas. And as the ladies at the hairdressers where Jamela and her mother and Mrs Zibi fetch up after the “wild-chicken chase” all agree: one does not eat one’s friends!
₵40.00Yebo, Jamela!
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Unexpected Joy at Dawn
Unexpected Joy at Dawn received a commendation in the Best First Book Prize, Africa Region, of the Commonweath Writers Prize.
‘Fifteen years ago’, Mama said, starting her story, ‘I came to Lagos from Ghana. I came to Nigeria because I was considered an alien in that country. The government of Ghana passed a law asking all aliens without resident permits to regularise their stay in the country. You see, my great, great grandparents had migrated to Ghana several years before, and regarded Ghana as their home…as for the reason possibly, it was because the opposition party then had hyped to monstrous heights that aliens were ruining the country; or the government of the time…blamed their failure to do things right on us ‘alien’ scapegoats… It was difficult to start life all over again, and even more difficult to learn that we were unwanted in a country we had come to regard as our own.’
This story of migration, identities and lives undermined by cynical and xenophobic politics pushed to its logical and terrible conclusion pertains to the Ghanaian orders of ‘alien compliance’ issued in 1970-1971, which was designed to force all non-ethnic Ghanaians, so called illegal immigrants, to return to their – so stipulated – ‘home’. the novel thus touches on concerns of deeper relevance to the politics of race and migration in the twenty first century.
₵40.00Unexpected Joy at Dawn
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Gizo-Gizo: Tatsuniya daga Tafkin Zongo (Hausa, Hardcover)
Age Range: 5 – 12 years
Hausa language edition
Gizo-Gizo! was awarded Best Book for young people in the 25th Children’s Africana Book Awards.
In Hausa culture, you always begin telling a story in the same way: The storyteller says, “Ga ta nan ga ta nanku!” “I am about to begin!” And the children respond, “Tazo Mujita!” “We are all ears!”
Using story as the primary learning, teaching and engagement tool, the Zongo Story Project strives to elevate proficiencies in oral, written, and visual forms of literacy; promote the knowledge building of local history, local culture and local contemporary concerns; and lay the crucial foundation for the acquisition of vital twenty-first century critical thinking skills. The conceptual framework for this project originated out of a larger, community-based initiative called the Zongo Water Project, whose mission is to use water as a way to improve the quality of life for the Zongo.
Working closely with local teachers, Emily Williamson carried out a series of educational workshops at the Hassaniyya Quranic School in the summers of 2012, 2013, and 2014 to teach students about local water and environmental concerns. Employing the story as the foundational element, Emily engaged students in dialogue, shared readings, performances, writing exercises, and visual art, culminating in community drama performances and original folktales.
The illustrations and text of this book grew directly out of the work produced in these workshops.
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How Stories Spread Around the World
Age Range: 6 – 10 years
In a magical journey, Rogério Andrade Barbosa and Graca Lima transport us to the African continent, with its many faces, colours, smells, sounds, gestures and shapes.
It is a little mouse that guides us throughout this story. It hears everything and sees everything. It observes the many faces of several human groups that inhabit the African continent in their daily activities. Through the watching eye of this mouse we are shown customs, religion, economic activities, histories and the cultural universe of different peoples.
How did the stories spread out around the world? It is a trip to unknown and mysterious places…
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Hi, Zoleka!
Age Range: 6 – 10 years
“Hi, Zoleka’, friends call.
But Zoleka has something on her mind. So she walks quietly with her mother and her little brother to church. Will she remember all the words of the verse she has to recite for the Palm Sunday service?
Children’s picture book about a little Girl in South Africa.
₵40.00Hi, Zoleka!
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Children of the Tree
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
This is the story of the origins of the people of Namibia. It is derived from folklore, historical accounts and archaeological findings.
₵40.00Children of the Tree
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Nana’s Son
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
A myth about the creation of the first human being and how all the various body parts function together.
₵40.00Nana’s Son
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Elmina, ‘The Little Europe’: European Impact and Cultural Resilience (Hardcover)
This is a brief introduction to the history of Elmina, its castle, the people, and their traditions. It outlines the town’s 500-year relations with Europeans, highlighting the transformations that have developed out of these interactions. Written by one of the top historians of Ghana and a leading scholar of the African diaspora, the book is based on original archival information and orally-derived sources. It is also richly informed by the writer’s own personal knowledge as a Nyampa Safohen and citizen of Elmina. Despite the tremendous changes engendered by the European contact, Elmina’s historical development demonstrates an amazing degree of cultural continuity and resilience in its political institutions, social organization, economic systems and worldview.
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Jamela’s Dress
Age Range: 4 – 7 years
Mama is very pleased with the dress material she has bought for Thelma’s wedding. Jamela can’t resist wrapping the material around her and dancing down the road, proud as a peacock, to show Thelma her beautiful dress! When things go wrong, Mama is very sad indeed, but there’s a happy ending just in time for Thelma’s wedding day – and guess who has the biggest smile…Kwela Jamela, African Queen, that’s who!₵40.00Jamela’s Dress
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A Song for Jamela
Age Range: 6 – 12 years
The summer holidays are here and all Jamela can think about is the Afro-Idols TV final. So, when she lands a job at Divine Braids hair salon, she can’t believe her eyes to see Afro-Idols celebrity, Miss Bambi Chaka Chaka, in the salon. But while Jamela’s idol dozes and Aunt Beauty designs her starry hairdo, a buzzy fly threatens to ruin everything. Can creative Jamela save the day?₵40.00A Song for Jamela
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Tawia Goes to Sea
Age Range: 6 – 10 years
Received a UNESCO citation as Best Picture Book from Africa
Tawia lives in a fishing village near Accra. He longs to go to sea with the men, but they tell him he is too young. Undaunted and headstrong Tawia builds his own coconut canoe and sets it out to sea.
₵40.00Tawia Goes to Sea
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