Who or what is the Kush Kollective?

Kush Kollective is a movement that was set up two odd years ago by like-minded young African adults to channel their ideas and to share their views and progressive lifestyles with the youth of Africa. The word Kush stems from the ancient civilization that occupied what is now called Sudan. Their rise to fame was setting up a civilization that utilised trade, a barter system and technology that was rooted in their African traditions and way of life. As Kush Kollective we are trying to forge this idea into our peers and fellow Africans saying that we can do things on our own - make our own music, clothes and so forth and still be globally cool and acceptable. The union came about as a result to bridge the gap that has been created by the infiltration of western values and culture, which have resulted in the loss of consciatized minds amongst the youth of South Africa and Africa as a whole. Our aim is to reverse the myopic turbulence that African youths find themselves in. Our vision is to turn these western influenced cultures into relevant African icons that young African people can identify with and experience their "Africaness" and still enjoy being part of the global wave shift.

What is the driving concept behind the website Kush.co.za

The concept behind kush.co.za is that of Pan-African living, Pan-African connectivity and Pan-African pride. Our site is a first of its kind in South Africa and maybe in Africa. We are concentrating on consciousness and issues related to African culture and relevant to us as young Africans. I say Africans and not South Africans because each and every country on the continent houses people from different African backgrounds and we have reached a point where we should not refer to borders but our origins, which is Africa. The site will also act as a platform to showcase work by African writers and musicians/artists living in Africa and abroad. Our hope is that through kush.co.za and other up and coming Kush Kollective projects we can influence or facilitate a platform for the African renaissance.

In what ways will the website be different from others being offered on the Internet?

We have an interesting mix in that we offer a platform for writers, musicians, artists, young business peoples and elders from across the globe to share ideas and experiences with the rest of Africa. The site is 70% African and 30% Diaspora.

We have sectiona like "Elder's Rondaval" that is dedicated to elders in different departments of the arts to share experiences and thoughts with the youth. We also have "Bull's Eye" and "Round Table" that offer writers an opportunity to tackle issues that affect the youth of Africa and showcase Africans who are not in the arts but have something to say on issues related to young Africans. The site is dynamic and offers information that will facilitate growth and conscious elevation for young adults. We cover music, family issues, and healthy and African ways of living, a platform for African artists to sell their creations and business ideas that are tailored to meet entrepreneurial young minds'needs.

You can say our difference lies in our approach to African culture and youth culture, which tries to promote acceptance of our culture and not look to the west for cultural guidance. Another factor that makes us different is that our contributors share the same vision with us. They all come from all walks of life stretching from New York, Kenya, Holland, Cameroon, United Kingdom, South Africa and many other interesting places.

For more information on the Kush Kollective or kush.co.za or if you wish to contribute to the site or become an affiliate member please contact Charlie on 082 472 5826 or email.