African culture celebrated

The Association of African Students will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its African Culture Night this year, an event that is dedicated to raising awareness of Africa’s history and heritage. 

Once a year, the AAS hosts an evening in which the public can discover the ancient traditions and history of Africa. This year’s event will take place at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 17 in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom.

According to Princesse Likayi, who is in charge of public relations for the AAS, this year’s theme is titled “In the Beginning,” and will exhibit the roots of Africa’s history, as well as the continent’s cultural vastness.

The event is held in hopes of bringing people together through authentic cuisine, dancing and drumming.

Since its formation in 1975, the AAS has worked to unite Africans living throughout the African diaspora with the larger Portland community. According to Likayi, African Culture Night’s 30th anniversary represents thirty years of success for the AAS.

 “This event motivates the people of Portland to understand the real history from the students’ perspectives in the eyes of Africans,” Likayi said.

Likayi has been working with the association for nearly a year, and hopes to make the public more aware of the roots of African culture.

For this year’s event, the AAS will turn the entire second floor of the SMSU Ballroom into a museum exhibit, showcasing art and providing information about the ancient peoples of Africa. In addition, the AAS will provide displays about ancient kings, queens and philosophers. There will also be artwork and stories that show the various African kingdoms and ancient warriors.

“There are so many myths that can be redefined, and we want people to see the evolution that Africa went through,” Likayi said.

Aside from the food and dance, the AAS will host a fashion show to display the various garments and dress that date back to ancient times. 

In addition, Gloria Ngezaho, a student at PSU, was chosen to recite some words by a previous AAS member at the event.

“This event represents the entire viewpoint of our community,” said Useni Makano, the AAS president.

“The food and performing artists are chosen by the theme that AAS decides—we try to find performers that reflect that,” Likayi said.

“The flyer chosen by AAS was designed to represent royalty,” she said. “It was chosen in colors of purple and gold and can be seen in the glass case next to the student store and Starbucks in Smith.”

The AAS also hosts other events that are well-attended by the Portland community, such as World Aids Day, AriCafe, Red Spot Series and special historical events. The AAS has always sought to be active in Africa, and is working on that goal for the upcoming years.

 “We have sent out flyers to all of the Portland Community College campuses, David Douglas High School, and everywhere that we can to spread the word [about] these communities,” Likayi said. “We want people from various backgrounds to know how it feels to be part of this.”

Tickets can be purchased at the PSU Ticketmaster, near the entrance of SMSU, or online at PSU’s Web site. The AAS recommends that tickets be bought in advance to support the African community in a night of culture, food and entertainment.