About Totem Proud
From the Serengeti to the Seine, from Lagos to London—our story began with a simple realisation: the African diaspora craves authentic connection to their roots. Not through complex cultural lessons, but through immediate, powerful symbols and traditions.
How It Started
A Pivot That Changed Everything
We began exploring Zimbabwean totem heritage—deep cultural education, complex symbolism, beautiful but niche. Then we discovered something bigger.
A British-Nigerian university student couldn’t find quality merchandise celebrating her heritage. A second-generation Ghanaian-American wanted to gift his grandmother something representing home. An Ethiopian community in Toronto needed something authentic for their cultural celebration. The pattern was clear: 54 African nations deserved representation, not one.
The African diaspora numbers in the hundreds of millions worldwide. Second-generation Londoners of Senegalese descent. Third-generation New Yorkers with Kenyan grandparents. Diaspora communities maintaining threads to homelands through food, language, and cultural pride. Yet finding authentic, quality merchandise celebrating specific African nations? Surprisingly difficult.
In 2024, Totem Proud was born—not as another generic merchandise brand, but as a bridge between continents, a celebration of all African identities, and a statement of pride worn daily.
Our Purpose
Complete Coverage. Authentic Celebration. Global Community.
Why We Exist: Every African nation matters. From Cape Verde to Seychelles, from Egypt to South Africa, each of the 54 African countries has a unique story, flag symbolism, and diaspora community. Yet most heritage brands focus on just a handful of nations. We saw the gap and filled it.
What We Believe:
- Your heritage matters, whether you were born in Lagos or your great-grandparents left Cairo decades ago
- Premium quality isn’t a luxury—it’s a respect for what you’re representing
- Cultural authenticity builds community, not stereotypes
- Pan-Africanism celebrates individual nations, not erases them
- Every purchase is a declaration: “I see my roots, and I’m proud”
Whats Sets Us Apart
The Totem Proud Difference
🌍 Complete 54-Nation Coverage Every African country represented equally. No hierarchy, no favouritism. Whether your heritage is from the smallest island nation or the largest country, we celebrate you.
🎨 Cultural Authenticity We research flag symbolism, historical significance, and cultural context. Our designs aren’t generic—they’re respectful representations that diaspora communities will immediately recognise as theirs.
✨ Premium Quality Cotton Heritage M2580 fabric, professional DTG printing, reinforced stitching. Your heritage deserves quality that lasts through countless wears and washes.
🌐 Diaspora Focus Designed by people who understand what it means to maintain cultural connections across continents. We speak the language of diaspora: pride, belonging, and bridging worlds.
👥 Community Building Totem Proud isn’t just merchandise—it’s a movement. When you wear your country’s colours, you’re part of a global community maintaining connections to the motherland and passing heritage to the next generation.
Join the Movement
Celebrate Your African Heritage
Whether you trace your roots to West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, or beyond—whether you were born on the continent or your family emigrated generations ago—your heritage story matters.
Explore all 54 nations. Find your country. Wear your pride.