Bio

Aisha portrait

I am Princess Aisha Sibri, from Ghana, West Africa. I am a member of the Andani royal family of the Dagomba tribe. My grandfather was the king of a Dagomba village called Burumani (also spelled Gburmani), near Tamale, whose kingship has been unbroken since the 1500s. My mother was a princess, so according to tradition, I am too. My father was also from a royal family and was the chief of a village in the Tamale Municipality. I was the person in my generation chosen to have the family medicine traditions handed down to me by my uncle from a long line of healers. I put this precious and sacred knowledge, energy, and care into every batch of shea and cocoa butter that I make!

I first came to America in 1991 and brought shea butter and the African arts of drumming and dance with me. I love sharing my knowledge and culture to bring joy to people of all backgrounds, whether it is through restorative natural skin care products or through performing and teaching.

Aisha in african marketI am passionate about giving back to my communities, both in California and in my family’s village in Ghana. A portion of the profits from my skin care products and the African handcrafts that I make, or that are made in my village, go to the nonprofit that I have started. We are working to build a vocational school that will serve the most impoverished children and help the community of Tamale, Ghana. You can check out our projects and more details at www.naapaulaisha.com

I go back to Ghana yearly to attend to my family and community duties and to bring back the best quality materials to my favorite Farmers’ Markets near my home in the Bay Area.

Aisha at market 2I begin processing the Shea butter while in northern Ghana, using nuts from the wild Shea trees near my hometown, and then I finish making it in my San Rafael studio.  I am frequently making my products or enjoying myself participating at local markets on the weekends. However, I can often be found teaching African drumming, storytelling, and dance to children at local hospitals or schools and performing at venues, including senior homes, to share as much knowledge, joy and love as I can.