THE BEAT
STORIES FROM WE ARE AFRICA, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT & AROUND THE GLOBE
3 -min. read Today the 100,000-square-foot Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa opens its doors to the public. As the biggest public art space to launch on the continent for more than a century, it looks set to change the contemporary art market as we know it.
4 -min. read The rolling hills and grasslands of the Agulhas Plain are new territory when it comes to South African winemaking, but there a handful of talented winemakers are quietly crafting award-winning cool-climate wines.
5 -min. read In order to embrace a new positive identity for Africa and its diaspora, it’s important not to sweep difficult conversations under the carpet. Multidisciplinary artist Larry Achiampong shows us all how conversation can promote worthwhile change.
3 -min. read After months of planning, construction and ‘curating’, Radisson RED Cape Town throws open its doors today. We chatted to Irish-born ‘curator’ Dale Simpson about what sets Cape Town’s newest hotel apart.
3 -min. read The continent’s top boutiques, hotel gift shops and department stores can swap their European and American lines for clothes by the plethora of talented local designers: African fashion is finally in the global spotlight.
3 -min. read Adventurous anglers from across the world are coming to Africa in search of tigers… Tiger fishing, that is, which is centred on the mighty Zambezi River.
3 -min. read Lethu Tshabangu has come a long way, from home-brewing in his wife’s pots on the kitchen stove to being the proud owner of Cape Town’s first black-owned craft brewery, Ukhamba Beerworx.
7 -min. read The Founding Director of Uthando (Love) South Africa, We Are Africa’s community development partner, explains the sentiment behind Conversations With the Elders: a unique book that tells the heart-wrenching, yet truly inspiring stories of South Africa’s ageing black population.
7 -min. read In response to the modern traveller’s desire for true immersion in a destination, African safaris are stepping up their game. Melissa Twigg looks at a few of the experiences going beyond mere observation to allow participants intimate access to the most extraordinary wildlife and terrain on the planet.
6 -min. read Community farms in Cape Town’s townships are furnishing the tables of the city’s most mindful foodie destinations. Olivia Squire traces the journey from garden to plate…
4 -min. read ‘Conservation is war’ is a sentiment we often hear these days – and perhaps many readers will agree. But is it a war, or is it wishful thinking on behalf of those who want a decisive end to poaching? And if it is a war, do we really know who the enemy is?
3 -min. read Anton Crone investigates the success of virtual fences in keeping elephants a safe distance from crops and people – saving human and elephant lives in the process.
< 1 -min. read Watch an impressive collection of innovators, inventors and well-meaning philanthropists working together to push things forward at the Conservation Lab 2017.
3 -min. read At the 41st annual World Heritage Committee session in Krakow, Poland, earlier this year, Unesco voted to add three more African sites.
3 -min. read Rum is the latest spirit to get the small-batch handcrafted treatment, and Cape Town is hot on the heels of the trend, opening its first dedicated rum bar.
4 -min. read Samwel ‘Brown’ Lengalai is a proud Samburu and popular guide at Loisaba Tented Camp. We chat about his journey in tourism and role as a community ambassador.
< 1 -min. read Relive the magic of We Are Africa 2017, where we turned up the colour and asked the tribe to bring their vibe for four days of innovative thinking, creative inspiration and meaningful connections.
4 -min. read Few travellers think of Africa when it comes to lacing up a pair of hiking boots and hitting the trail; but look a little deeper and you’ll discover that the continent boasts a remarkable range of memorable hiking and climbing destinations.
4 -min. read Belgian-Beninese photographer Fabrice Monteiro’s The Prophecy is an ongoing body of work giving key environmental issues the repulsive makeover they deserve.
3 -min. read Cape Town’s hospitality industry is doing a sterling job in educating guests on the need to conserve the region’s water.
4 -min. read andBeyond and Great Plains Conservation’s new rhino notching project is an entirely new experience of giving, as well as a wonderful example of putting competition aside to achieve conservation success.
4 -min. read Africa’s beaches offer everything from urban marketplaces and extreme sports to sanctuaries teeming with wildlife and deserted stretches of sand.
3 -min. read The annual arrival of Southern Right Whales to the Western Cape also brings binocular-toting tourists from across the globe seeking whale watching opportunities.
3 -min. read Solar and wind power, coupled with a sense of environmental responsibility, are the best option for an electrified future. Yet still, a river is being dammed.
3 -min. read From vegetable- dyed textiles and charmingly wonky ceramics to sleek lighting and avant-garde sculpture, Emma Love looks to Africa’s homegrown designers for her interior inspiration.
4 -min. read In the depths of a dormant volcano, Anton Crone finds an explosion of wildlife and a lake so idyllic he finds himself wondering why his ancestors ever left.
4 -min. read Looking for a new perspective on Africa? Throw one of these African aerial adventures into the itinerary for your next trip…
< 1 -min. read Hit play on Dr. Richard Leakey’s INSPIRE talk at FUSE, We Are Africa’s inaugural un-conference.
3 -min. read Wilderness Safaris has all hands on deck ahead of the opening of its first Rwandan property, Bisate Lodge, at the end of June.