Monday 14 July 2014

AfroFest 2014

Sometime last month I volunteered at a Festival called the Mudhati Festival of drums where I met some other volunteers, some from China, another Canada as well as Congo. Over the course of the festival I became really close to two ladies. One was called Solange and the other Vanity. Solange and I began calling ourselves “twinnies” over the course of the festival because we discovered that we both shared the same date of birth which is 24th of March and both of us are also studying Public Relations. Really cool isn’t it? Basically she was the one that told me about the AfroFest. After she spoke so highly of it. I made up my mind there and then that when the time came I was going to go
                                                      


AfroFest is held annually since 1989, AfroFest is a showcase of a rich and diverse African culture. With organized fun and educational activities for youth and children and the whole family. AfroFest is the biggest African music event of the summer.
                                                                                                            
The day eventually came last week Saturday and Sunday and I was present. I must say it was a great event. It was an event filled with Illustrious African Canadians who were excelling in their fields, as well as renowned musicians and producers who came all the way from Africa to grace this great occasion. I had the pleasure of meeting an award winning producer who came all the way from Ghana.
Before I forget there were also food vendors who offered a wide variety of African delicacies such as jollof rice, stew, plantain, boiled corns, suya, buns and lots more and there were lots of drinks and alcohol as well.
They were also some people who came around to sell already made African batik and Ankara alongside some African artifacts and body decorations.

I really enjoyed myself because I met new set of people in Toronto. The event also left me feeling nostalgic as I got to listen to a large number of African tunes and performances, by the way Nigerian music dominated that day. And there were two Nigerian musicians who came for the event and his name was Freddie Osagie and Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble. There were also other performances from some people from Congo, Ethiopia and other East African and West African countries.

I met many young ladies of colour that day who talked about skin care routine for our skin type as well as transitioning to natural hair. I now know some of the advantages of going natural - the fact that you have a healthier and better looking hair. But I don’t know if I can be committed to taking care of my natural hair because it’s a lot of work. But am seriously thinking of it because processed hair does not thrive well in this Canadian weather but am also scared because I might have to do the big chop and start growing my hair all over again.Anyway, I will save that discussion for another day.

Overall I really had a great time am now looking forward to the biggest festival in North America which is the Caribana and that is the festival for the people from the Caribbean Islands…I can’t wait!!!