Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah – författare

A bold foray into African traditions around sexual pleasure and joy, with the personal goal of self-discovery and liberation, by one of Africa's preeminent feminists who 'is changing the way African women talk about sex' (Harper's Bazaar).While working on her first 'groundbreaking' (Ms. Magazine) book, The Sex Lives of African Women, acclaimed African feminist and activist Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah had access to the wildest dreams and spiciest realities of women from around the world. But so often, she noticed that something was holding these women back from achieving full liberation and unfettered joy. So, she set out to apply sankofa-which means learning from the past to inform the future-to sex and pleasure, reclaiming African traditions in a quest to achieve sexual freedom.Organised in three parts, Sekyiamah first takes readers across the African continent, from Senegal to Tanzania and beyond, where she meets and trains with gurus, 'witches', and aunties whose job it is to guide girls through puberty rites and later through 'marital training.' She discusses practices like beading and pulling, while highlighting the spiritual and gender-fluid nature of African traditional religions. The second part of the book asks us how we've lost our way, looking at the incursion of colonialism and western patriarchal norms into sexuality which has led to our warped ideals of beauty and shame, internalized racism, as well as state and interpersonal violence that stand in the way of sexual liberation. Finally, Sekyiamah shows that we can overcome these hurdles by returning to a more joyful and free sexual practice, using practical advice and prompts to chart our own journey.

A DOROTHY KOOMSON BOOK OF THE YEARAN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR'Such a beautiful read, like chatting to a friend over a cuppa. This is the intimate, insightful read that I didn't know I needed. Just brilliant.' Dorothy KoomsonNana Darkoa Sekyiamah spent decades talking openly and intimately to African women around the world about sex. In this book, she brings together their extraordinary stories, whilst also chronicling her own journey towards sexual freedom.From finding queer community in Egypt to living a polyamorous life in Senegal to understanding the intersectionality of religion and pleasure in Cameroon, their necessary narratives are individual and illuminating. This stunning collection provides crucial insight into our quest for sexual power and offers all women inspirational examples to live a truly liberated life.'Touching, joyful, defiant – and honest.' Economist, Books of the Year 2021'Fascinating.' Bernadine Evaristo'Honest and moving. A vital treasure.' Bolu Babalola, author of Love in Colour'Stunning. Essential read! I couldn't put it down.' Nicole Dennis-Benn, bestselling author of Patsy and Here Comes the Sun'Leaves you feeling deliciously empowered.' Lola Shoneyin, author of The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives'Boundary-breaking, fascinating and deeply affirming.' Otegha Uwagba, author of Little Black Book

'A stunning exploration of how pleasure, ritual and inherited wisdom can transform the way we understand ourselves' Oloni'Eye-opening' Eloghosa Osunde'This book will help us reimagine what is possible' Charlene A. CurruthersA bold foray into self-discovery, sexual pleasure and African traditions from the acclaimed author of The Sex Lives of African Women.On her quest for sexual liberation, preeminent feminist Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah has heard the wildest dreams and spiciest realities of women around the world. But so often, something holds these women back from achieving full, unfettered freedom. Through sankofa, learning from the past to inform the future, Sekyiamah seeks to reclaim a more joyful and free sexual practice.Travelling from Senegal to Tanzania and beyond, Sekyiamah trains with gurus, witches and aunties-guides through puberty rites and marital training-and explores the spiritual, fluid nature of traditional African religions. Embracing these age-old practices and questioning how we've come to lose them, Sekyiamah challenges our warped ideals of beauty, shame, internalised racism and violence to lead us on our own personal journeys to rediscover sexual freedom through practical advice and prompts.Part-manifesto, part-travelogue, part-workbook, Seeking Sexual Freedom is the powerful and bold call to joy and liberation that women of all backgrounds need today.'Sekyiamah is officially our pleasure fairy godmother!' Ayesha Harruna Attah'Intimate and radical' Francesca Ekwuyasi'An important work of cultural anthropology' Chinelo Okparanta

'A stunning exploration of how pleasure, ritual and inherited wisdom can transform the way we understand ourselves' Oloni'Eye-opening' Eloghosa Osunde'This book will help us reimagine what is possible' Charlene A. CurruthersA bold foray into self-discovery, sexual pleasure and African traditions from the acclaimed author of The Sex Lives of African Women.On her quest for sexual liberation, preeminent feminist Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah has heard the wildest dreams and spiciest realities of women around the world. But so often, something holds these women back from achieving full, unfettered freedom. Through sankofa, learning from the past to inform the future, Sekyiamah seeks to reclaim a more joyful and free sexual practice.Travelling from Senegal to Tanzania and beyond, Sekyiamah trains with gurus, witches and aunties-guides through puberty rites and marital training-and explores the spiritual, fluid nature of traditional African religions. Embracing these age-old practices and questioning how we've come to lose them, Sekyiamah challenges our warped ideals of beauty, shame, internalised racism and violence to lead us on our own personal journeys to rediscover sexual freedom through practical advice and prompts.Part-manifesto, part-travelogue, part-workbook, Seeking Sexual Freedom is the powerful and bold call to joy and liberation that women of all backgrounds need today.'Sekyiamah is officially our pleasure fairy godmother!' Ayesha Harruna Attah'Intimate and radical' Francesca Ekwuyasi'An important work of cultural anthropology' Chinelo Okparanta

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah is on a quest to encourage African women across the globe to live their best sex lives. As co-founder of the sex-positive feminist blog, Adventures from the Bedrooms of African Women, she has promoted sexual pleasure for African women for over a decade. In this book she shares lessons she's learnt along the way, and insights gained from research and conversations with sex-positive African feminists, as well as knowledge gained from a series of sexual freedom workshops she has run with diverse groups of women.We Need to Talk about Sex also excavates and reclaims traditional African sexual knowledge and practices in ways that can serve the contemporary African woman. Nana recounts conversations with women who hold responsibilities for organising traditional practices such as the dipo puberty rites in Ghana and the Ssengas (traditional marriage counsellors) in Uganda. And each chapter of the book ends with a bulleted list of journal prompts, and exercises that you can do on their own to find your own way towards sexual liberation.

A delightful romp exploring African traditions around sexual pleasure, with the personal goal of self-discovery and liberation, by one of Africas preeminent feminists.While working on her first book, The Sex Lives of African Women, acclaimed feminist and activist Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah had access to the wildest dreams and spiciest realities of Black women from around the world. But so often, she noticed that something was holding them back from achieving full liberation and unfettered joy. So, she set out to apply sankofawhich means learning from the past to inform the futureto sexuality and pleasure, reclaiming African traditions in a quest to achieve true freedom. In Seeking Sexual Freedom, Sekyiamah takes readers across the African continent, from Senegal to Tanzania and beyond, where she meets and trains with gurus, witches, and aunties whose job it is to guide girls through puberty rites and later through marital training. She discusses practices like beading and pulling, while highlighting the spiritual and gender-fluid nature of African traditional religions. With the interruption of colonialism, Sekyiamah explores why we have lost our way, how western patriarchal norms led to our warped ideals of beauty and shame, internalized racism, as well as to state and interpersonal violence. Sankofa, she explains, can help rid us of these obstacles that stand in the way of our sexual liberation. Using practical advice and prompts, Sekyiamah concludes this adventure by giving us the tools we need to establish a more joyful and free sexual practice of our own. Part travelogue, part manifesto, Seeking Sexual Freedom is the powerful and bold call to pleasure women of all backgrounds need today.