Little background to the name of the podcast.
The name of the podcast is drawn from the way a real-life character, Cudjo Lewis or Kossula mentions the name Africa in Zora Neale Hurston’s posthumous publication, Barracoon, the tale of the last African cargo to the United States.
The name, while endearing, screamed an urgent need to hold onto the pride of being African at a time where the world clings onto the thought that Africa is a country or that there’s such a country as Nambia in Africa.
Kossula’s mention of the Afficky soil reminds fiercely to stand proud and unwaveringly African.
Motivations of the Podcast.
The Afficky Podcast will bring you warm and candid stories and conversations that reveal the African mind and heart beyond the stereotypes we hear every day. Nope, there’s no such place as Nambia in Africa. There’s a country called Namibia though.
We are curious, love to engage, and love to connect with like-minded individuals. Connect on efuarmstrong.com and on Instagram, @theaffickypodcast.
What the Afficky Podcast offers
A chance to listen to and relate to the stories of young Africans, what better way to hear stories than from natives?
Book recommendations and reviews for readers interested in African literature
A platform offering a chance to discover dynamic African talent and industriousness
Commentary on happenings in society
Warm, uncut stories and banter
* * *
The Afficky Podcast presents conversations that reveal the heart and mind of Africa.
Quarter 1, Theme – The Notion of ‘Here and There’ and Some…
Ep 1. La Nostalgie de Pays and the Hybrid Identity, Growing up in Ghana and Kenya.
Rosa, ‘Efua”talks to Amanda ‘Mandy’ and Adoma from Kenya and Ghana about the hybrid identity and the third or transnational space. Two working words that will govern the conversation are hybrid and the transnational space.
The hybrid is that identity that is essentially a fusion of more than one cultural element. The third or transnational space is that place that has a multinational representation. Being both continental Africans, Mandy and Adoma have had a larger part of their formative years in Kenya and Ghana. In addition, most of their adult experience has been in the United States though they remain in close contact with Kenya and Ghana through their very lifestyles, daily choices, and interests.
On the podcast, we’re asking Mandy and Adoma to talk about their experiences as people who have had a fusion of diverse socio-cultural influences, and how being hybrids affect their daily lives while they are ‘Here or There’.
More recommendations on this subject –
The Satanic verses, a novel by Salman Rushdie
Ghana Must Go, a novel by Taiye Selasie
Taiye Selassie’s Ted Talk Don’t ask Where I am from, ask where I am a Local
Homi Bhabar on Hybridity and Post Colonial Studies
Ep. 2 The Young Professional, work and lessons from ‘Here and There’
Rosa ‘Efua’ speaks with Vanessa Morgan who works as a coordinator of multicultural advising and African American student success at Ohio University. She recently graduated with a double MA in International development and French language and literature from the same institution. Vanessa identifies as introverted and speaks of her professional academic life being Ghanaian and US-educated. On episode two, we explore working as a young professional, lessons from different cultural experiences best practices and good to knows.
Recommended Ted on the conversation –
Ep. 3 The Different Faces of Grad School
On episode three, we speak with Lumka and James about why anyone must consider going to grad school, the journey, what to do to keep sane, professional goals and more…
The recommended material on the conversation
I will wait for you – Poem by Janette Ikz
Ep. 4 The Natural Hair Conversation
On part 1 of episode 4, we explore the conversation surrounding hairstyle choices for the African and if your hair choice comes out of the simple and sometimes superficial need to be stylish or an underlying belief that your hair is not beautiful enough.
Recommended material on the conversation
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dear Ijeawele, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, read the book review here.
Liberian finance ministry bans colored hair, read here.
Ep.5 You can have it all! Career, Family and the Paper!
This holiday episode is a segue of the why anyone should go to grad school conversation from Ep. 3. Nana Amoakoa is a radio frequency engineer from Ghana who has been in the industry for nearly five years working with companies such as Vodafone and Verizon. Nana and I talk motherhood, life choices, grad school and having it all as modern women. Enjoy 🙂
Recommended material on the conversation
https://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/tech/5-reasons-tech-needs-geek-girls/index.html
Read the book review on Bell Hooks’ feminism here
Ep. 6, Holiday Episode, A Wakanda Inspired Christmas
Episode six brings you a first-hand account of what the West African does over the holidays. Travel, food, a mini-review of the Black Panther movie that blew our minds this year and a brief comparison of it and the recent Aquaman movie that made our 25th!
Episode six features Ibrahim, ‘Gaucho’ who works as an Engineer and loves cooking to unwind. We briefly broach the topic of the erroneous reduction of feminism recently to the question of should I cook or not or the silent yet expected mastery of domestic activities which often unfairly fall on the shoulders of women.
More material on the Conversation
Gender’s role in the Bourdain v. Deen fight over culinary elitism
Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Nigeria
Read the Aquaman and Black Panther review here
Quarter Two Y’all!
Ep. 1 January is for Philosophizing
Call your philosopher friends; tell us what your 2019 philosophies are and your mantras and blueprints for being awesome this year! On the @the_affickypodcast we’re talking with @brooksdon7 a seasoned and introspective person whose views we can’t get enough of! We’re talking about topics #onlife #work #Love#Growth #relationships but mainly how to stay grounded in this whirlwind of a life! January is for Philosophizing! @the_affickypodcast #JanuaryIsforPhilosophising #yoursocioliterarypodonafrica
More Material on the Conversation
Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development
Ep 2. Mental Health, – Why you should probably choose a Therapist over a Friend.
On this episode, Karmi and I unpack Mental health, what it means exactly and buzz words we don’t really understand yet use excessively such as depression, OCD ( Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) , and anxiety. So what is mental health? What words or ideas come into mind when you hear Mental Health and what attitudes and thoughts do we entertain as Africans that prevent us from confronting and trying to outwardly seek ‘help’ for issues we may have? All these ideas and more on episode 2. Jump in 🙂
Recommended Material on the Conversation
The BBC Women’s Conversation Podcast
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0290t8h/episodes/downloads
James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk whose underlying theme is racial injustice. This piece facilitates the understanding of how certain populations are more prone to being mentally unstable due to societal injustices that plague them.
Read on James Baldwin here
Ep. 3 Should the Language of Consent be Culturally Packaged?
Should the language of Consent be Culturally packaged? What does #Consent mean to the African and what are some of the grey areas that mostly leave us wishing we had total mastery of this phenomenon?….Jump into episode three and don’t forget to go on efuarmstrong.com for more on the topic.
Ep. 4, Monsters and Representation
On this episode, we talk Monsters and Representation, how certain groups ( minorities ) are perceived in society and what effects this perception has on them on many levels. Supporting texts around the conversation are two articles that appeared on the Atlantic blog on the Western Erasure of African Tragedy and Which deaths matter
Let us know what you think..
EP. 5 , Jordan Peele’s US Movie Review
We think the US movie has inequality written all over it; read Efua’s article here
Episode 6, China in Africa ( Ghana ) What Positives are There?
On episode 6, Efua speaks to Kwaku Dankwah, who is a PhD candidate in the university of Adelaide in Australia, Kwaku’s research focusses on China Africa relations. He was recently featured on the China in Africa podcast and speaks informally on the Afficky podcast about what Chinese occupation in Ghana and Africa means. Follow this conversation on Instagram , @theaffickypodcast and on soundcloud, search the afficky podcast.
Suggested readings on the topic –
Have you seen The Burial of Kojo movie? It touches the China in Ghana issue briefly. Read Efua’s review here
Read this article from the Business Insider
