Mind of Malaka | Page 3 of 115 | Motherhood. Marriage. Madness

Facebook Disabled My Account, and I Couldn’t be More Relieved

Posted on September 29, 2018
by Malaka
with 2 Comments

At the insistence of friends and at Facebook's direction, I have sent an appeal to the tech giant including copies of my passport, cards bearing my name and images of a cheque for good measure. My sister-in-law is one of the most unique people…

Musings

The Thrill and Difficulty of Decolonizing my Family’s Diet

Posted on September 25, 2018
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

I have spent years abusing my body with the types of food I’ve put on my plate (or eaten straight from a box). The typical Western diet is sugary, fried, doused in salt and sprinkled with a powdery sugar finish. Did I mention that we…

Madness

‘Like Cotton Twines’ Is A Stitch in Time

Posted on September 17, 2018
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Imagine someone in your family committed a horrible crime. Perhaps your uncle committed adultery or your father murdered a man and buried his body in a shallow grave. Such crimes cannot go disregarded or unpunished. Society would descend into anarchy and chaos would govern. The…

The South African Series

Through a Prism of Race and Class: A Look at the Plett Riots

Posted on September 16, 2018
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Plettenberg Bay is a coastal town in the Western Cape of South Africa. Though there is no commercial activity driving its economy – beyond tourism and retail – it is home to some of the most fabulously wealthy people in the country. Plett is renown…

Motherhood

Raising A Teen Is The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done

Posted on September 6, 2018
by Malaka
with 8 Comments

Raising a teenager is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and that’s saying a lot – because I’ve had a pretty difficult life. From homelessness (my family had to live with relatives for a stint before ‘upgrading’ to a hotel – the same hotel where…

The South African Series

Plot Twist: In SA, ‘Native’ is the New Resume Ready

Posted on September 4, 2018
by Malaka
with 3 Comments

A few weeks ago, a little-known company called Mantality Health found itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Mantality is a healthcare provider that treats men with low testosterone. As all companies that experience growth (or excessive turnover) are wont to do, Mantality…

Musings

Inan and the One Drop Rule: A Theory About ‘Children of Blood and Bone’

Posted on August 30, 2018
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Spoiler Alert: This post contains discussions about characters in the fantasy novel Children of Blood and Bone. Feel free to return to add your contribution in the comments if you’re one of those people who is angered by spoilers. Any time I am asked…

Motherhood

Exploited: The Day My Child Became the Face of African Poverty Porn

Posted on June 8, 2018
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

Sixteen years ago I used to run a satirical blog called Maizebreak.com. It is now defunct. I would write parodies of the real news, conjure crazy and unlikely stories and photoshop images for humorous effect. It was my African answer to The Onion, which I…

Motherhood

We’re Finally Getting Closer to Having Those Elusive ‘Happy Periods’

Posted on May 28, 2018
by Malaka
with 0 Comments

The 28th of May is Menstrual Hygiene Day! And you thought it was just another Monday. Surprise! Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) is a global platform that brings together non-profits, government agencies, the private sector, the media and individuals to promote Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM).…

Marriage

Should Your Spouse’s Enemies Also Be Your Enemies?

Posted on May 24, 2018
by Malaka
with 6 Comments

This might be shaking the table a bit, but we’re in the era of Black American bishops quoting MLK at royal English weddings; so what the hey. Marriage is a tricky thing. No matter what your views are about its sanctity and/or who should have…

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