Mind of Malaka

The Woeful and Hopeful Lament of a Newly Minted University Mom

Posted on August 21, 2023
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

By the time I hit 'publish' on this post, Nadjah will be seated in her first class and most likely will be on her way across campus (or perhaps next door?) for her next lecture. I don't know. There are so many unknowns. All I…

Musings

Let Me Tell Y’all Why I Hate It When You Send Me Reels

Posted on August 16, 2023
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Reels. If you’re on Instagram, you’ve seen them, shared them and even possibly made your fair share of them. Some people (like me) make Reels because they are a handy tool with simple templates for quick updates and storytelling. Other people plan and make Reels…

Motherhood

Scuba With My Son, And Other Ways We Are Finding Our Way Back to Love

Posted on March 30, 2023
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

"Your son should NEVER ask me to do anything for him EVER again! I'm not taking him to karate, I'm not helping him with school work, I'm not even going to buy deodorant for his funky ass! From now on, YOU raise him!" My eyes…

Motherhood

Busy Parents, Rejoice! Here Are Some Cost-Efficient Ways to Stay Organized

Posted on March 13, 2023
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Written by Elena Stewart Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. But it can also be overwhelming and chaotic. There are so many joys to be found in raising a family, but there can also be moments of chaos and…

Motherhood

What I Hope to Teach My Daughters About Desire

Posted on February 14, 2023
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

A journalist sent me a message last week, expressing interest in my work on Adventures From the Bedrooms of African Women. When it comes to this project, I have been the force behind the scenes, rather than the face out front for many myriad reasons.…

Musings

It’s Only Luxury For Me in 2023!

Posted on January 4, 2023
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Happy new year, dearest Readers and Lurkers! I know I haven't been consistent with keeping up with Mind of Malaka in 2022 - and to be honest that's not likely to change in 2023 if the circumstances that kept me away from this beloved space…

Motherhood

18 Years a Mother

Posted on December 16, 2022
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

I thought we were going to die. But before we did, I figured I'd get some orange juice to quench my thirst and hopefully quell the raging headache pulsing through the vein in the left side of my face. Orange juice has no cranial healing…

Musings

What’s In A Name? An Update on My 3rd Great Grandfather, Nelson Dunn

Posted on December 2, 2022
by Malaka
with 1 Comment

It was a balmy night in Nairobi; one where the leaves rustled melodically in the gentle breeze and the stars peeked through the veil of cloud cover to wink at we mere mortals below. Our working group had convened to have a final dinner together…

Musings

Happiness Is Alchemy. These Are the Elements I Have Been Using to Construct It.

Posted on November 14, 2022
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

A friend of mine has created The Happy Company (THC), a lifestyle brand that is "founded on the agenda to spread happyness". They prefer to remain anonymous (if such a thing is possible anymore) so that people will associate with and support the agenda, rather…

Musings

We Did Not Appropriate Your English. It Was Whipped Into Us.

Posted on September 29, 2022
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Mr. Tei loved to whip children. At least, that was the reputation he had earned on the primary school block when I arrived in 1986. Only ‘Brah’ Sammy came in at a close second with a love for attaching cane to tender Class 3 flesh.…