THE BEAT
STORIES FROM WE ARE AFRICA, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT & AROUND THE GLOBE
There’s more to Mozambique than its beautiful beaches: poignant, historic, audacious and awe-inspiring are all words that describe the contemporary art scene in this underrated creative hub that has been somewhat overlooked by the avid sun-bathers visiting these parts.
Presenting you with five African animals worthy of a mention to pay tribute to the undiscovered natural beauties frolicking around the continent.
Body-scarring, lip plates, mating dances and goat-value: Stanley Stewart finds that romance along the Omo River is a world away from overused chat-up lines…
The first plane flying to St Helena, promising to be the next worst-kept-secret in the middle of the Pacific, has officially landed. Richard Holmes reports on the exciting preparation taking place on the island to welcome the tourists waiting in line to take their first steps on the island’s shore.
African music is becoming a force to be reckoned with: with its reach no longer confined to the shores of the Motherland, get better acquainted with three up-and-coming contemporary African music genres that have the power to infiltrate the globe.
We Are Africa’s fellow pioneers at the Conservation Lab have released their Yearbook for 2017, which profiles each and every one of the innovators and visionaries who made the Conservation Lab happen; plus, find video links to the talks, DISCUSS concepts, reflections from participants and more.
Unexpected, unconventional and unfamiliar: Beyond Luxury Media’s Founder & CEO, Serge Dive, on why he’s betting on the ‘un-conference’ being the format of the future.
Our fellow pioneers at the 2017 Conservation Lab gathered a panel of leading thinkers in the African conservation sector to discuss the funding shortfall in conservation, identifying five areas worthy of exploration for conservationists, travel brands and the two working in tandem – read the full report here.
Addis Ababa has undergone a serious makeover overnight: the growth of its buildings, transport system, culture and tourism are off-the-chain. Find out how the Chinese government has contributed to Ethiopian capital’s economic breakthrough.
Art has linked arms with wine on the manicured estates of the Cape Winelands so that two of the greatest pleasures in life can be enjoyed side-by-side. Take a guided tour of the spellbinding collections to be found amongst the grapes.
Do old notions of ‘Africanness’ and ‘African authenticity’ do justice to the contemporary art forms brewing throughout the Motherland today? Discover the African artists who are challenging the status-quo.
Musa Nxumalo’s photography is raw and beautiful and free from geographical boundaries. But how are we to move beyond stereotypes and vilification if forward-thinking voices in his own country continue to resist the potency of youth culture?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
‘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?
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.
Watch an impressive collection of innovators, inventors and well-meaning philanthropists working together to push things forward at the Conservation Lab 2017.
At the 41st annual World Heritage Committee session in Krakow, Poland, earlier this year, Unesco voted to add three more African sites.
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.
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.
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.
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.