'L'Afrique' Celebrates Two Decades of HASA

About 300 people were entertained Saturday night with everything from gumboot dancers to poetry at "L'Afrique," the Harvard African Students Association's annual cultural show.

"They got to the root of what Africa means to people," said Ravi K. Dixit '00. "It shows the diversity within Africa.

Moving toward a greater role in teaching people about Africa and toward a stronger presence on campus during its 20th year of existence, HASA organized an event with a larger focus on African politics and society.

"It was really a great start to our 20th anniversary, but it's exactly that--a start," said Irungu "James" Mwangi '00, HASA co-president.

Performances represented a wide spectrum of African cultures.

"I think it's very important that we have a forum where we can express African culture," said Mbago Kaniki '99, HASA social chair.

The Harvard-Radcliffe Kuumba Brothers opened the show with a rendition of the South African national anthem in Zulu, "Nkosi Sikeleli Africa," meaning "God Bless Africa."

Performing groups also included HASA's Gumboot Dancers, the Mount Holyoke African Students Association and the Harvard Society of Arab Students.

"The dances are very reflective of dances in Africa," said Eric Fakunle, a local student who attended the show.

The gumboot dance, which consists of clapping and stomping, is a recreational activity as well as a medium in which migrant workers in Africa voiced protest and kept up morale while away from their homes, Mwangi said.

The event also included a two-part fashion show, in which students modeled cultural garb from regions throughout Africa.

Mwangi, Derrick N. Ashong '97, Selamawi H. Asgedom '99, Thomas Z. Lukoma '98 and Iyesatta Massaquoi '99 performed dances, poetry and drama.

"Africa's not all fun," said Mwangi, a native of Kenya. "It's nice to get people to think as well."

Ashong, who acted in Amistad, a Steven Spielberg film coming out in December, recited an excerpt from his thesis, a musical titled "Songs We Can't Sing."

Lukoma recited a poem entitled "Congo," inspired by Professor of History Leroy Vail's course, Historical Studies A-21: "Modern Africa from 1850."

Mwangi delivered a narrative titled "Anniversaries of Despair" on political injustices in Africa.

"There are no more promises of a greater tomorrow. Besides, we're too hungry to cheer," Mwangi said during the performance.

Those who attended "L'Afrique" said they appreciated the stronger presence of African culture in the show.

"It's not only about fashion and food," said a student from Brandeis who attended the show. "I'm glad it's about the culture."

However, this year's cultural event was not as well-attended as last fall's sold-out show.

"That was a real shame, but at the same time we had a crowd that could really appreciate what was going on," said Mbago M. Kaniki '99. "There's more to African culture than singing and dancing. We need not have a packed house if we have a crowd that really listens and sees what's going on."

Saturday night's show included more performances from other colleges than in past years and drew a large audience from outside Harvard.

"This year was a lot more widespread in terms of talent and groups getting involved," said Leyla Marrouk '99, who organized the show with Nana E. Coleman '98. "As a student group, it was very important to put on a first-rate, top-quality show."

Funds raised from "L'Afrique" will go to support HASA events this year.

"We plan to make the campus more sensitive to [African] issues and concerns," Mwangi said. "The country itself is coming of age. We hope the Harvard audience is willing to take this journey with us."