Have you walked past this window display at Rivington Place in East London?

It was designed by Malian artist Abdoulaye Konaté. The 7 metre-wide (23 ft) textile was created especially for the window at Rivington Place. It was inspired by the striking plumage of the guinea fowl, and communicates the artist’s political concerns about the relationship between power and religion in Africa.

Abdoulaye Konaté was born in Mali in 1953 and still lives and works in the country.

The temporary window display has just been taken down (it was on display in December and early January) – so tell us, where else can you find Malian culture in London?

Where can you find something in London which represents the small West African Nation of Togo? The answer is in Forest Hill. More specifically, in the African Worlds Gallery of the Horniman Museum and Gardens, a  treasure trove of objects collected from across Africa.

We’ve been to the Horniman before on our World in London journey, in fact, we’ve previously featured the very Vooduon altar where the objects from Togo can be found.

Nestled among the pieces in the Mami Wata altar from Benin, are a few seemingly random objects from neighbouring Togo. Not much is known about these objects, which were acquired during a field trip in 1998. They include a glass perfume bottle, a green lipstick (!), a rattle, a drum and wooden figures.

All these objects are on display at the museum and can be seen on the Mami Wata altar, apart from the perfume bottle which is positioned out of view.

Do you know anywhere else where you can find Togoan culture in London?

Senegalese director and choreographer Diene Sagna moved to the UK four years ago to run his own dance company, Yaye Dib Sabar. He also holds sabar dance classes in London:

“Sabar is the drum, and also the dance – they go together. Of all the dances in the world that I know, it’s only sabar where you have to be in the air all of the time! You have to be light but also energetic and powerful. In the past it used to be just women who danced but now men are dancing sabar too.

“I’ve been dancing for a long time. When I was six years old I won a competition and after that, even though I was also going to school, dancing was my focus. When I was 17 I started to work professionally, going to Europe and working with big artists. I’ve worked with Youssou N’Dour, dancing on his video for 4444. I’ve also toured and performed with [bestselling Senegalese singer] Coumba Gawlo Seck.

“There are a lot of different African dance classes in London. They used to be mainly from Ghana or Nigeria, but now I can see the interest in Senegalese dance is increasing. It’s hard to make African dance respected in Europe – people think it’s just for fun. You can find contemporary and hip hop dance in the big theatres, but not this West African dance. I want to bring it onto the stage, that’s my fight.

“In London this June we held the first Yaye Dib Sabar International event, a weekend of Afro-dance workshops called Jump for Joy! We will be holding this every year in memory of my mum (who died in 2009) as a way of celebrating not only her life but also West African culture and in particular Sabar dance and drumming.

“I invite all students, from London and the UK as well as Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Belgium where I do workshops every year. I also organise an annual two-week dance training holiday in Dakar, Senegal, called Kaye Fecc, meaning Come Dance. The next one will be from 23 January to 4 February 2012.

“When my students see sabar they say it’s powerful, fast, fun and energetic also. But some people also say sabar is harder because they cannot understand the timing, the breaks. People also say sabar is the most difficult West African dance because it’s changing every week in Senegal. If I stay in UK for two years without going to Senegal I’m going to be lost! That’s why I go every year and spend two or three months there, finding out what’s new.”

The next Yaye Dib Sabar dance and drumming class in London is on Sunday 23 October 2011 at Studio 68 dance studio. More information

This colourful altar from West African country Benin is on permanent display in the Horniman Museum’s African Worlds gallery.

Vodoun (voodoo) is widely practised in Benin and this altar is dedicated to the vodoun water spirit Mami Wata.

Where else in London can you find examples of Benin culture?

Fela Kuti lived a controversial life as an artist and political activist.

Before going to see Fela, I had heard mixed reviews about the show from Nigerian friends who had said it was a watered-down version of the real life of Fela Kuti.

They were concerned because the lead actor did not resemble the real life Kuti; there was no mention of the talking drums that he used to send messages to the people; and because The Shrine (a famous night club in Lagos) did not look like the real thing.

I sat down at the beginning of the performance greeted by the sounds of the drums and beautiful women moving to the rhythm, in tune and at one with the music.

I found the whole production and performance electrifying and it made me want to know more about the life and story that made this man.

I felt the need to grab every piece of merchandise being sold, from books to CDs and t-shirts, just to get a deeper insight into this man’s life. Simply brilliant!

Fela! is at Sadler’s Wells until 28 August. Book tickets

For the latest in our World in London series, we put on our dancing shoes and spoke to Deanna Michel-de Sousa, leader of African performing arts ensemble Nzinga Dance, which teaches African drumming and dance at south London’s Horniman Museum

What does Nzinga Dance do?

Our main remit is bringing African history, culture and tradition to life – telling its story with dance and music. The classes are about coming along and learning traditional dance and drumming – and about their importance in African culture – but in a fun and creative way.

We do lots of performances at the museum and elsewhere too – for Refugee Week, Adult Learners’ Week, at summer festivals… We’re not just at the Horniman!

Are all the Nzinga teachers Ghanaian?

There’s a mixture of people, mainly Ghanaian and a couple of us from St Lucia – the one person that isn’t is from Pakistan, so there you go! We’re an African-Caribbean group but a lot of what we teach and perform is from Ghana.

Ghanaian dance is a big part of what we do. In terms of African dance culture, Ghana has prolific dancers and musicians. You have one country but within that country so many different nations – whether it’s Ewe, Ashanti or Ga – and each has their own style. You find literally hundreds of dances and that’s what’s quite unique about Ghanaian dance and drumming – there’s a lot to learn and pick from as well. So within one course, we may say to people we’re teaching Ghanaian dance but that can include completely different styles.

Who comes to your dance classes? Ghanaians living in London or a mixture of people?

We get a mix of people, although we do have Ghanaian students who come along that haven’t learnt so much about their culture in that respect and just feel that they really want to touch base and learn.  It’s nice that people want to come along – both Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian – and learn about African culture in a creative way, and in a really social atmosphere.

What do your students think about the course?

Most of them say they enjoy coming along because it’s a non-competitive atmosphere and they feel that what they’re learning is authentic. We can be specific – we can say you’ve learnt Kpanlogo dance from this place in Ghana – and they like that feeling of knowing what they’ve been taught and the significance of it in history and culture. For example, that when I’m dancing this step, it means this or that.

I think we get lots of students, too, because of the live drumming [the djembe drummers who accompany the dance classes]. Not knocking anyone who uses a CD, but I think it being authentic is a big part of drawing people. I think that’s why we’re still going strong.

See Nzinga Dance (and their students) perform at the Nzinga Dance Ensemble Concert on 27 March 2011 at Horniman Museum. The next term of Nzinga dance and drumming courses for adults and children at Horniman Museum begin on 1 May 2011.

Do you know anywhere else you can experience Ghanaian culture in London? Let us know in the comments below.

Yesterday I popped into Heaven & Earth, a striking new exhibition of African photography at the Menier Gallery.

Snapped by Cape Town photographer Caroline Gibello, the sundrenched, over-exposed photos show the wildlife, landscape and people of Botswana and Namibia in a new light – literally.

Instead of lush greenery and the bright colours we usually associate with Africa, the photos have a stark, dried-out feel. This is intensified by the choice of subject matter – the cracked texture of elephant hide, dry grasses and local people walking through clouds of dust.

The photos reminded me of the increasing water shortages in Africa, and beyond. However, the unusual beauty of the wildlife and landscape, plus joyful photo names such as Courage, Spirit and Reverence, can’t help but lift your spirit.

Judge for yourself by stopping in at the exhibition. Make a night of it by nipping next door to Menier Chocolate Factory for dinner or to catch Samuel and Timothy West in A Number, the downstairs theatre’s thought-provoking new show.

Myerson Fine Art presents Heaven & Earth at Menier Gallery until 30 October.  Entrance is free.

Yes, getting a bouquet is a lovely part of Valentine’s Day. But all too often, there’s a worry that those very flowers have done more harm than good before arriving to adorn your living room.

Today, Cat Deely was in London’s original flower market, Covent Garden, looking like a modern-day Eliza Doolittle, helping launch FLOWE(RED), a new online flower service from (RED). Ethically sourced flowers? You bet. And all the profits from the sale of the bouquets (which cost between £20 and £65) go towards saving lives in Africa.

As Cat says, “FLOWE(RED) is a truly inspiring new service from (RED).  I can now purchase stunning flowers for someone I care about, or as a treat for myself, in the knowledge that the profits reach those who need it the most.  It costs as little as 20p a day to buy the vital medication needed to keep someone who is HIV positive in Africa alive. Thanks to (RED), just one bouquet of flowers can now make a real difference and help save lives.”

Order online at www.flowered.com. Give a good gift this Valentine’s Day.