Happy Africa Day!

Did you know today was Africa day? Yup, me neither, until I heard a chance snippet on TV about it. But anyhoo.

I'm not quite sure how Africa day is celebrated, or how it should be celebrated. Do we don traditional attire? Do we eat sudza & nyama (maize-meal porridge and relish)? Do we wave flags?

Apparently this day commemorates the formation of the Organization of African Unity - not that Africa is anything like unified. Sure, some of the leaders stick together (noteably for/against folk like Mugabe). But there's still much ethnic clashing, and warring, and persecution of groups within a single country. That kind of thing makes for non-celebration...

So what shall we celebrate about Africa today? The "cradle of humankind", which supposedly birthed the human race? The influence of Africa on fashion and design and decor?

How about the continent itself - the diversity of man and beast, the open spaces and densly-forested heart, the heat and dust, the rain and wet. Let's celebrate optimism in the face of despair, celebrate survival against all odds, celebrate the joining of hands across races and cultures, and the many tongues we speak. For one day let's leave off the bad news and find the good in our lands, our communities, ourselves. Let's be proudly African and stand tall on the land that gave us life.

Happy Africa day!