Videos - The Making of Shea Butter

Shea Butter is one of my staples - I like to use it raw and unrefined, as well as ultra refined from Wholesale Supplies Plus.

Shea butter originates from the Karite Nut tree, also called the Mangifolia tree, found in the semi-arid savannahs of West and Central Africa.

The Karite Nut tree, also called the "tree of life" can live for 300 years and almost all parts of the tree have some practical use. The bark is an ingredient in traditional medicines against certain childhood illnesses and minor scrapes and cuts. The shell of the nuts can repel mosquitoes.

The fruity part of the nut, when crushed, results in a vegetable oil that can be used in soap-making, cooking, and skin and hair care. The oil extracted has a relatively high melting point and is used in rural areas in the making of foods, traditional drugs and cosmetics. Shea is mainly exported as smoked kernels and can be used as an extender in chocolate as its properties are similar to cocoa butter.

Although in the last few years, Shea butter has become popular in the United States, it has been used by the women of West Africa for centuries. Shea butter can also help to protect the skin against the damaging effects of the sun, while repairing cellular degeneration.

It contains vitamins A and E, and has demonstrated both antimicrobial (kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoa), and anti-inflammatory properties.

In most parts of West Africa, destruction of the Shea tree is prohibited because this little nut provides a valuable source of food, medicine, and income for the population. In fact, Shea butter is sometimes referred to as "women’s gold" in Africa, because so many women are employed in the production of Shea butter.

Shea butter may also help treat skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis; however, keep in mind that you should always consult a physician or dermatologist about serious or persistent skin problems. Shea butter is not recommended for people with nut or latex allergies.

Check out these videos on how shea butter is made...

The first is called - From Tree to Nuts


The second one is called - From Nuts to Butter



I thought these were really interesting. There are other videos on YouTube that show shea butter production as well - I didn't want to get too carried away posting them :o). The Greenpeople Company, Ltd has a YouTube channel with videos of making organic shea butter and how fair trade shea butter has helped villages in Ghana which are also interesting.

Sources Used
The Shea Project
Treasured Locks
Pioneer Thinking

Peace and Blessings...

Celebrating Black History Month - Madam C.J. Walker

Madam C.J. Walker

Business woman, and philanthropist, Madam C.J. Walker is truly one of my inspirations, not only did she rise from the cotton fields in the south to start her own hair business, but she gave back to her community as well.

"I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations….I have built my own factory on my own ground." Madam Walker, National Negro Business League Convention.

"On Her Own Ground, The Life and Times of Madam CJ Walker" was written by her great-great granddaughter, A’Lelia Bundles. It reads like an African American history book, packed with historical figures, dates and events. It is a very inspirational biography and one that I think should be a part of everyone's personal library.

The book describes the interactions Madam C.J. Walker had with other historical figures, such as Booker T. Washington, Mary McLeod Bethune, Paul Laurence Dunbar, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Nannie Helen Burroughs.

It also details her numerous contributions to organizations such as the YMCA, YWCA, NAACP, and numerous educational institutions such as the Tuskegee and Daytona Normal and Industrial Institutes.

I had the opportunity to interview A’Lelia Bundles and she had this to say about her great-great grandmother.

"I hope people will remember that Madam Walker’s business success is only part of her legacy. That she became a millionaire is, of course, noteworthy, but that she used her wealth and influence as a philanthropist, political activist and advocate for women’s economic independence really is what makes her worth remembering."

"Even then, her focus was on healthy hair and healing the scalp disease that was so rampant at the time …. I know many people still associate her primarily with hair straightening, but if they really examine the record – looking at her original ads, her letters, the products she and the Walker Company actually sold before her death in 1919 – I believe their interpretation would be different," she added.

This goes along with a quote from Madam C.J. Walker, from the book. "Right here let me correct the erroneous impression held by some that I claim to straighten hair," she told the Indianapolis Recorder. "I deplore such impression because I have always held myself out as a hair culturist. I grow hair."

Check out this video of A’Lelia Bundles, talking about Madam C.J. Walker and the discoveries she made about her great-great grandmother at the National Archives…



More information

Madam C.J. Walker Official Website
Madam C.J. Walker Official Facebook Fan Page
Purchase On Her Own Ground

YouTube Video - The Citizen TAG - The Legacy of Madam Walker Part 1

YouTube Video - The Citizen TAG - The Legacy of Madam Walker Part 2