Kelly Webber
Web Manager
The African Student Union (ASU) hosted Karibu Night on Saturday, November 11. Karibu Night fostered African culture in a variety of ways including dances and music, traditional, and a fashion show of clothing from various African countries.
According to ASU Treasurer Gloria Igihozo, “Karibu Night is an opportunity for each person at Messiah to feel like they are part of a community that celebrates and embraces cultural differences. It’s an opportunity for African and diaspora students on campus to share their cultures and talents to an audience that is eager to learn about their culture. It’s important because we all get to share laughter, joy, celebration, and love around a delicious meal, fun dances, music, spoken word, and fashion!”
The evening also included Jamaican music, as many Caribbean cultures can trace their heritage to African roots. The fashion show consisted of clothing from all over Africa, from Mozambique to Rwanda. Much of the clothing was designed by Messiah alumna Rera Bedwei-Majdoub.
In addition to culture, Karibu Night also focused on the danger of the single story of Africa. In reference to Chimamanda Adichie’s TED Talk, ASU members created a short collection of video interviews confronting stereotypes perpetuated by Africa’s story as told by the conquerer. English Professor Dr. David Dzaka contributed to the video by sharing his experience as an African intellectual teaching at Messiah. Another opportunity to learn about Africa was trivia dispersed throughout the night. A few of the trivia questions are included in a quiz below.
If you’re interested in learning more about learning more about Africa and celebrating culture, all are welcome to attend ASU meetings on Wednesday nights in the Multicultural Office. ASU is a part of the Multicultural Council, which includes ASU, Black Student Union (BSU), Asian Student Association (ASA), La Alianza Latina (LAL), and IsaMuKappa. For more information, email africansu@messiah.edu. Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram @messiahcollegeasu!