Latest news with #Kivuli&Nuru:TheAfrodisiacsCollection
TimesLIVE
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
African queer erotica unleashed
June is international LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a time to celebrate and recognise the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals in the world. To honour these celebrations, we asked Tiffany Kagure Mugo who, along with Siphumeze Khundayi, masterminded Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection. These albums, available on digital platforms, feature African erotic stories that delve into the world of desire. They're celebration of LGBTQ+ intimacies in the readers' own words and voices brought to you by HOLAAfrica, a pan-Africanist digital platform that focuses on sex and sexuality on the continent. Mugo and Khundayi are sex-positive practitioners who've taken their work around the world and onto global Ted Talk stages. Says Mugo, 'The albums are explorations into the different ways we love and lust in both covert and open ways. The Afrodisiacs Collection takes you on an audio journey through tales of immortality, coming home, gyrating in night clubs, or tempting daytime trysts in the middle of an afternoon.' They feature the words of artists like Mercy Thokozane Minah, writers such as Mia Arderne, prize-winning author Jarred Thompson, international authors like Nigerian Kobby Ben Ben, and a cameo from Mpho Tutu van Furth, daughter of the late Desmond Tutu. In Shadow, we find stories of longing, hidden desires and sometimes sensual despair. As the shadow half of the project, Kivuli deals with the 'dark' side of desire. Nuru is the light. This album is on the 'bright' side, exploring the sweet side of life — a crush , a fantasy fulfilled, a dream or something deliciously nasty. We asked Mugo about the albums. You've described Kivuli & Nuru as an exploration of the shadow and light of African desire. What do these metaphors mean to you? How have they shaped the curation of the stories? To paraphrase philosophers, we all have a little 'nasty' in us. Most people expose parts of their desire, keeping other parts hidden. There are reasons we hide things; shame, fear of societal judgment or the fact that they aren't anyone's business. Though desire seeps into everything humans do, it's shunned, vilified and relegated to the shadows. It takes a scandal or a special type of person to bring desire into the light. African desire has, historically, been policed and in the shadows, something suppressed and shameful. Despite this, the theme of 'shadow' and 'light' came about organically. For Kivuli & Nuru, the exploration of the tension in the work shaped itself. The themes, stories and experiences people shared fell into the two categories. When requesting stories, I simply said 'give me stories and make them sexy'. The contributors did the rest. The theme came about after the stories were chosen and we realised we had enough for two albums. How did the process of sourcing the stories from cities like Lagos, Nairobi and Cairo help reflect the diversity of queer African intimacy? What were the common threads or surprising differences that emerged? I'm a sucker for pan-Africanism and the diversity of the continent. The networks for finding the stories were already in place as HOLAAfrica! We've spent years asking people to think about their intimacies, fantasies, triumphs and misadventures, so sourcing stories was relatively simple. We wanted people to speak their realities in (literally) their own voices. The stories, though focused on the voices of queer people, are narratives experienced everywhere — between lovers and friends, a tryst in a club or when trying to decide whether to make a move on a neighbour. The human exploration of desire cuts across sexualities, contexts and countries. But you also realise how unique each person's experience is: each has their own flavour. The Afrodisiacs Collection invites listeners into a space that's both sensual and political. How does storytelling — especially audio erotica — become a form of resistance or reclamation for queer Africans? Stories about African bodies have been twisted into seeming animalistic and devious. From ideas of black women as baby-making machines during slavery to the modern-day 'Mandingo' (a word is used as a pejorative to describe a hypersexual black man), the idea of black love and intimacy is shrouded in myth, misconceptions and malice. With queer bodies that goes double. The constant questioning of what queer people do in the bedroom is funny at best, deeply disturbing at worst. A lot of the work that HOLAAfrica! does is to educate people about how to have healthy, holistic experiences and to create spaces in which queer people can actively speak about their experiences. After your work on Touch: Sex, Sexuality & Sensuality, how does T he Afrodisiacs Collection expand the conversation around African sensuality? I used the audiobook format to reach people who aren't keen to pick up a book, but who'd delve into voiced stories. This offering was a lot more about getting people out of their heads and into their bodies. Touch was a collection of essays: when you say the word 'essay' things get serious, fast. The idea of read stories adds a magical sprinkle to the pot of ideas and understanding. You've worked in sex positivity across many African countries. What has this journey taught you about the nuances of LGBTQ+ expression in private vs public spaces on the continent? Doing this work across contexts and countries (and sexualities) showed that queer and straight people are in the same streets, looking for the same things. Some are looking for long-term love, some are looking for a hook-up on Saturday night; we're all trying to figure it out. The work has shown me that desire is a tricky thing, no matter what country you're in or who you choose to sleep with. The human experience of desire is universal. The public spaces, where there's the politicisation of intimacies, are more acute. Different entities weaponise ideas around queer love and intimacy for various agendas.
The Citizen
03-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Unwanted gifts from your ex? Toss it in the ex-press disposable truck
In South Africa, the dating-app landscape is far bleaker as people's safety has been threatened. The Tinder disposable truck being used by disgruntled lover in India. Picture: @e4mtweets/X Breakups are messy and leave many people in a pit of regret. However, dating app Tinder has given people an opportunity to get rid of unwanted gifts from former lovers in the form of a disposable truck. Aptly titled the 'ex-press disposal truck', the cute pink garbage truck was launched in April by Tinder India as a way of helping disgruntled lovers get rid of gifts that they received from their exes. Tinder is a mobile dating and social discovery app that connects users with potential matches through a swipe-based system, using profile information and location to suggest compatible people. If two people both 'like' each other's profiles, they can start chatting after swiping right on each other's profiles. ALSO READ: Public urged to beware of strangers from dating apps Giving people closure The truck is part of Tinder's 'Move On' campaign, which aims to normalise the emotional aftermath of breakups and help people find closure. The truck has been seen in Mumbai as part of Tinder's local campaign. The truck comes with a 'drop-off zone' where individuals can dispose of items like love letters, hoodies, sentimental gifts, and even playlists associated with past love interests. The fickle nature of dating apps is evident in how people quickly move on from one relationship to the next by simply swiping to the right. The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank based in the US that provides the public with information about pressing issues impacting the world, did a study in 2023 that found that approximately 10% of heterosexual people and 24% of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) people have met their long-term partner online. ALSO READ: 'Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection' —African erotic stories delving deep into the queer world of desire Safety of dating apps These findings suggest that dating apps are generally used for hook-ups or casual sexual encounters between people. In South Africa, the dating-app landscape is far bleaker as people's safety has been threatened. The Gauteng Provincial Legislature's portfolio committee on community safety has raised concerns about a disturbing rise in kidnappings and robberies in Johannesburg's Maboneng precinct, linked to dating apps. The committee made an unannounced visit to Jeppe Police Station last Friday, where it was briefed by station management on the pattern of crimes linked to online dating apps. 'During the visit, station management briefed the committee on a disturbing trend where victims from across Gauteng are lured to Maboneng through hookup apps, only to be kidnapped, robbed, or assaulted,' read the committee's statement on the day. It added that the criminal tactics resemble those used in the Olorato Mongale murder case, where strangers trick victims they met online or in public places, then violently attack them. The committee spoke with concern about the recent arrest of a gang operating in Maboneng that allegedly targeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community. 'The committee condemns these crimes in the strongest terms and calls for heightened vigilance from all citizens,' the statement read. NOW READ: Love hurts: Seven common sex injuries
The Star
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Platform introduces a new dimension to African sexuality through storytelling
HOLAAfrica, a digital platform fiercely dedicated to exploring contemporary narratives of African sexuality , has launched a new collection of albums titled Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection . This digital platform, renowned for its commitment to engaging with African narratives surrounding sex and pleasure, aims to foster community and create safe spaces through the power of storytelling. It is explained that the albums, available on various digital platforms, feature a rich tapestry of erotic stories that explore the intricate world of desire, intimacy, and identity. Founders Tiffany Kagure Mugo and Siphumeze Khundayi have taken their voices far beyond South Africa, sharing their vision on global TED Talk stages and garnering international attention. Mugo and Khundayi describe the essence of the albums as a celebration of LGBTQ+ intimacies, presented in the storytellers' own words, allowing for authentic connections and engagement with listeners. The pair highlight that each narrative uniquely reflects the diverse contexts and living conditions across the continent, making the collection a holistic representation of African eroticism. ' The stories were sourced from around the continent to make sure we caught a bunch of different contexts and ways of living and loving. The stories are as diverse as the countries they are from. From Cape to Cairo and Lagos to Nairobi, the stories show a spectrum of sexual experiences. People should listen to the stories because they are sensual, hot, intimate and gorgeous. Another reason people should listen is because we adore knowing about the fantasies, desires and sex lives of others. We are fascinated by it, ' Khundayi explained. Khundayi explains the titles of the albums, Kivuli and Nuru , translate to ' shadow ' and ' light ' in Kiswahili, aptly illustrating the duality of human sexuality. Many stories explore both the hidden aspects, the ' shadows ' of sexuality where many feel unable to express themselves, and the ' light ' that signifies empowerment and the acceptance of desire. Mugo elaborated on the inspiration driving this collection, citing a ' need for more sexiness, more sensuality, more deliciousness when it comes to African sexuality ' . ' The idea for this collection of stories came from a need for more sexiness, more sensuality, more deliciousness when it comes to African sexuality. There is something so sexy about having erotica read to you, and we wanted to harness that – the feeling of a lover whispering in your ear. The collection also wanted to collate and bring together African sexual stories, literally in their own words (most people voiced their work), and add African voices to the erotic landscape. We wanted to expand the way people saw and understood African sexuality in a way that was tempting and engaging. ' Emphasising the importance of audio storytelling, she likened the experience to that of a lover whispering intimate secrets in one's ear. ' We aimed to expand the understanding of African sexuality in a way that is tempting and engaging, ' she added. The pair further explains how these stories educate, stating, ' Stories have always been the biggest way to teach people about things, and in terms of sex and sexuality, these will do that. The stories will bring you into a world of sexuality that informs you through storytelling. ' [email protected] Saturday Star
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
‘Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection' —African erotic stories delving deep into the queer world of desire
'Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection' was launched on Africa Day by Pan-Africanist digital platform HOLAAfrica. The respect of elders and those around you is so deeply entrenched in African culture that it's often hard for Africans to openly speak about sex or anything about sexuality without being chastised for being crass. The situation is far worse if you're an African that identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). 'The situation of queer people around the continent is multifaceted; it is incredibly painful in some spaces and in others incredibly powerful,' said Tiffany Mugo. Together with Siphumeze Khundayi, Mugo is the co-founder of HOLAAfrica, a Pan-Africanist digital platform that focuses on sex and sexuality in Africa. This past Sunday, on Africa Day, HOLAAfrica launched Kivuli & Nuru: The Afrodisiacs Collection. It is a collection of African erotic stories that delve deep into the world of desire. The albums are described as a celebration of LGBTQ+ intimacies in their own words and voices. In a truly African way, the first episode opened with a prayer from Mpho Andrea Tutu van Furth, aptly titled A Prayer for Good Sex. 'Good sex inspires me because good sex is the wish that I have as a mother for my children. It is the hope that I have as a priest for my congregation. It is the desire that I have as a woman for myself, it is the prayer that I have as an African, for every person on our continent,' Tutu van Furth is heard in her prayer. Tutu van Furth is the daughter of revered political activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu. ALSO READ: Sleep divorce may improve your sex life Complexities of LGBTQ+ in Africa Mugo speaks about the complexities faced by the LGBTQ+ community on the continent, saying it's full of 'hard times and full of joy'. 'The thing about the situation of queer people on the continent is it is not any one thing because even in the darkest moments you will find such fun and chaos and delicious goodness. This is part of what the work we do focuses on, a more holistic idea of what it means to be LGBTQ+ on the continent,' Mugo shares. She adds: 'What is happening in those private moments, those mundane moments, those moments where the whole world doesn't seem to be against you. What does it mean to exist in your full glory?' HOLAAfrica has taken its work around the world, including to global TED Talk stages. Mugo admits that it's not all rainbows and sunshine as a queer on the continent and says Africa still has a long way to go before reaching the proverbial promise land. 'In a lot of cases, queer people's intimate lives have been used against them, making them seem dark and degenerate. Because so little is known about queer sex (outside of porn) it can be shaped into whatever those who weaponise it want it to be.' She says queer sex is as intimate, messy, beautiful, confusing and magical as heterosexual sex. 'It's no different.' 'It is not always easy to be queer and African, but it is always magical. Yes, there is a long way to go, but what must be celebrated is how far rights have come,' she said. Kivuli and Nuru mean 'shadow' and 'light' in Kiswahili, and Mugo says they chose these names to represent the light and dark aspects of sex, intimacy, and sexuality on the continent. 'If one wants to see how far we have to go, we can look to Kivuli, what is still lurking in the shadows; the things people can't express or explore,' she said. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and Mugo says that is what Nuru brings. 'These are stories of being able to bring their desires to the light and be who they want to be. No matter how you engage with your sexuality, there is always more to learn and unpack and engage with, but we have also come so far in a number of ways.' ALSO READ: 1 in 5 LGBTQ youth have attempted suicide in the past year – study The episodes There are 30 episodes of Kivuli & Nuru in the collection, which vary in length and titles. 'The albums are explorations into the different ways we love and lust, in both covert and open ways. Featuring stories from Lagos to Nairobi, from Cape Town to Cairo, The Afrodisiacs Collection takes you on an audio journey through tales of immortality, coming home, gyrating in nightclubs, or tempting daytime trysts in the middle of an afternoon,' shared Mugo. In one episode, titled Why is There Never Foreplay in the Public Bathrooms written by Ghanaian author Kobby Ben Ben, the listener gets to be a fly on the wall in a public lavatory in Ghana during an intimate encounter between two lovers. 'During public sex, foreplay isn't a forgotten formality. Rather, it's elusive, measured by infinitesimal fractions of a second,' says the narrator in the episode, Anthony Oluoch. '…or just plainly edited out just to make for a racier porn clip.' The moans and grunts of pleasure give the episodes a strong sense of reality. So real that a minor listening to this collection of stories would be grounded for at least a year. 'Everything is delightful and pleasurable, even the darker stories, because it is erotica,' said Mugo. 'However, if you want to really zero in on the stories about threesomes, always delight, namely Ghosts of Threesomes Past, and It takes 3. But all of the stories will bring a hint of deliciousness.' In the heat of all the pleasure in the stories, Mugo says that at the core of it is education. 'Stories have always been the biggest way to teach people about things, and in terms of sex and sexuality, these will do that. The stories will bring you into a world of sexuality that informs you through storytelling.' NOW READ: Ghana parliament passes anti-LGBTQ bill
