URBANA — Attendees of the “Celebrating Africa” event on on April 25 were transported to Africa with Zimbabwean music, dances and the aromas of authentic dishes like Senegalese jollof, Egyptian koshari, Ethiopian injera, Moroccan mint tea, and South African specialties. Each plate told a story of migration and shared history.
This first-of-its-kind event aimed to foster unity across the African continent. In honor of Arab American Heritage Month, North Africa and the Arab community were at the heart of the celebration, said Paapa Nkrumah-Ababio, a U of I graduate student from Ghana and co-organizer of the event.
The intention was to give an equal spotlight to other regions and cultures of Africa, instead of focusing solely on West Africa.
As music from Dan Kusaya and the band Chimurenga filled the room Friday night, Nkrumah-Ababio pointed out: “This is Southern African music, but I’m seeing Northern Africans dancing and celebrating. Today, we see a microcosm of what it looks like when you expose everyone, even within Africa, because Africa has 35 countries.”
The event fostered a sense of belonging for North Africans who often feel torn between Middle Eastern and African cultures and feel excluded from both, according to Nassreen Ouzidane, a U of I freshman who is Algerian.
“We feel like the odd ones out, honestly,” Ouzidane said. “So this event is so helpful when it comes to bringing all of Africa together and making us feel comfortable with people who aren’t necessarily similar to us, but are from the same continent, and we’re basically all just family in the same.”
The celebration featured catering from Chicago, with dishes representing various parts of Africa. Performances by Dan Kusaya and the band The Chimurenga introduced the audience to Zimbabwean tunes and dance.
A fashion show during the event spotlighted more than 20 students and faculty members of African heritage, showcasing cultural dresses from countries including Egypt and Algeria.
“It is a great opportunity for North African countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt to… celebrate their Arab identity, but also to celebrate their North African identity, whether it’s in fashion and food and music,” said Moe Alsalman, a U of I student from Saudi Arabia.
According to the organizers, the event turnout was bigger than expected, and they plan to host a similar event next year, but it will depend on what happens with federal funding cuts, according to Nashma Carrera Massari, international student programs coordinator at the U of I and co-organizer of the event.
“We want to do this event next year,” Carrera Massari said. “But with the budget cuts, we don’t know if we can afford it.”
Students like Alsalman hope to see more events that promote Middle Eastern and North African, or MENA, visibility and empower cultural minorities.
“Having fashion shows, then having these events where people can celebrate together, whether it’s in music, whether it’s food to express themselves, their culture and share it together – this is priceless, and we need to have more of this on campus,” Alsalman said.