Welcome to In my Africa!

A very big Welcome to In My Africa, a blog about art and entertainment in Africa, and generally, the love for the continent. I'm excited for this journey and hope to take you to all corners of this continent, unearthing African gems.

This blog is a celebration of Africa; A celebration of its talent, it's art and its beauty. It is a promise to rise to the occasion and an inspiration to all the talented and dedicated individuals taking control of their own narrative in a world that's unwilling to recognize the beauty that lies within the shores of this beautiful continent.

Living in the diaspora, I realize that a lot of people still hold a low impression of Africa. With this blog I wish to illuminate the Africa that the rest of the world needs to know more about. Having been born and bred in Africa I am predisposed to tone down the narrative that a lot of us can relate to and recognize about Africa, but that does not define our stories. My intention is not to ignore the problems but to also bring awareness to the issues still troubling Africa in the hope that this platform can make a difference. However, with this blog I want us Africans to share our talent with the world, to dispel some misconceptions and to highlight the beauty that is Africa.

Let me introduce myself to you; my name is Bandie, but my actual name is Mbandi. My father named me after one of Africa's most powerful queens, Queen Nzinga Mbandi. The same Queen Nzinga who fought against the slave trade and European influence in present-day Angola in the seventeenth century. This is a queen who fought for the freedom and stature of her kingdoms against the Portuguese in a reign that lasted 37 years! This powerful woman is revered for her brilliance, her excellent military tactics and her diplomacy. This is a name I carry proudly and I get inspiration from it.

I was born and raised in Botswana. My parents having been born in South Africa, they lived most of their lives in Botswana. South Africa is my ancestral home but I am a Motswana by birth and by heart and there is no other place I call home. This is who I am.

Once again, Welcome to In My Africa. I hope you embrace this journey with me and become part of the In My Africa family. Subscribe to the blog, enjoy, and feed your curiosity about beautiful Africa.