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A Literary Perspective on Beauty.

Perspective can make or break our mind-set and esteem. Wearing the same clothes, body and face we can feel like $1 million and ooze confidence, or, on the flip-side feel completely worthless and low. What’s the difference? Perspective. Our team came across a genius of a poem on beauty and perspective.  It is literally brilliant. Read it normally, from top to bottom and it  sums up self-hate and…

Coming of Age, Identity & Fashion in Namibia

You’ll watch this video clip in awe and admiration as the women of Herero, Namibia proudly and fashionably wear floor-length, Victorian styled gowns originating from their German missionaries / colonisers in the late 19th century.  Herero dresses or ohorokova are no longer “the dress of the oppressor” but rather one of strong cultural pride and a fiercely enviable identity.

Have a look https://ww…

Opal Lee, Juneteenth and Thoughts of freedom

When Opal Lee was 91 years she was on a quest to make June 19 (today) a federal holiday. Juneteenth, historically, marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and brought news that slavery had been abolished some two and a half years earlier.

Opal is another amazing, honorary MOCCA Mum whose early years growing up in Texas belie her achievements later in life.

Three…

Three Gifts To My Daughter

Every mum or carer knows that birthday and other presents are for that short-lived joy: the joy of knowing that you’ve chosen the ‘perfect’ gift and the joy of seeing your child enjoy and use her gift for a few weeks, at times 1 day or even 5 minutes (sigh). But there are other gifts we can’t put a figure or a finger on. They are values, lessons, skills… We work hard to instil these gifts in our…

Happy Father’s Day Mom! Mom?

Word has it that entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the growing trend of single motherhood on Father’s Day.  Cards that read Happy Father’s Day Mom! are on sale and are selling out. Happy Father’s Day Mom! Mom?

Commercially ingenious. Brilliant business strategy. Sky high profits guaranteed. But is  it fair? Should mothers who bear the burden of a missing father be celebrated on Father’s Day?…

Why Mother In Several Languages Sound Similar.

Whether you’re a linguist or not, mother in several languages sounds eerily similar. Ever wondered how or why?

The answerlies with babies and how they start to talk. The pioneering linguist Roman Jakobson figured it out. If you’re a baby making a random sound, the easiest vowel is ah because you can make it without doing anything with your tongue or lips.  Then, if you are going to vary things at…

A Course in African Studies? Absolutely Not.

There is a thin line between diligent neighborhood surveillance and one that’s racially biased. How do we know the difference? When there is a pattern or trend the answer becomes less complex.

Last year, a guest house owner cancelled a guest’s reservation because she was Asian. Airbnb subsequently banned the guest house owner, fined her $5,000, and forced her to take a class on Asian studies. Don…

The Beauty of Walking

Depression, low and changing moods go hand-in-hand with the teenage years. As a mother or carer of a teenage daughter this can be a challenging phase. It could be due to more serious factors that need medical attention, but more often than not it is a temporary state of mind due to lack of exercise and fresh air. There is nothing more attractive than a girl who oozes confidence, has a positive…