Levin Ballroom seems the place to be if you are interested in learning about different cultures or just want some yummy ethnic food. This Saturday, it held Brandeis African Student Organization's "Night of Africa: Rebirth." As Keith Jones '15 eloquently put in his performance of spoken word, the event was themed around the "rebirth of a nation." It was about reimagining Africa not as a stereotyped landscape or population, but as a nation with many different cultures and idiosyncratic traditions, all of which cannot fit into a single, neat image of the continent.
The ballroom was simply decorated in a tasteful but festive manner. Red balloons lined the room and attached to each balloon was a different African country's flag. I was sitting next to a red and green flag with three red stars in the middle, which, I later learned, was the flag of Burundi, a tiny country in southeast Africa. Decorating the back of the stage was a hand-created map of Africa, embellished with a huge, glittering peacock whose tail feathers spread across the entirety of the map, reaching all the way down to South Africa and symbolizing the unity of the continent. Big orange block letters pasted across the map read "Rebirth." Although the ballroom was not packed, there was a sizeable turnout.
The performances consisted of traditional and modern dances, spoken poetry, vocal performances and even a fashion show-all uniquely entertaining.
The "Gumboot Dance" was definitely a favorite of the crowd. Eight Brandeis students, Mohammed Mangaliso '12, Shakara Scott '13, Ibrahima Diaboula '15, Avishek Neupane '14, Brian Kiptoo Kangogo '15, Tawanna Johnson '15, Boaz Kisivuli '16 and Edmund Oribhahor '13 performed a visually and aurally stimulating dance. The students clapped, stomped and moved in unison to make complex and catchy rhythms. According to the program, this type of dance was created by rural laborers working in the gold mines of South Africa. The dance was a language for the workers, a way to communicate with each other in the face of oppression and physical punishment.
Malika Ra Imhotep '15 performed her poem "The Almighty Negress" in a beautiful display of passion and honesty and received a standing ovation from a portion of the audience. The poem talked openly about the "tightrope" African-Americans walk between their African heritage and American culture. Imhotep's voice was filled with frustration and agony throughout her recitation, portraying the inner conflict and struggle of African-Americans in dealing with their identities.
Towards the end of the event, there was a fashion show with professionally made clothing inspired by African fashions. Men and women wearing dozens of different fabrics, textures, color and patterns cat-walked down the center aisle to upbeat African music. Some of the pieces were created by Brandeis' very own alumna and BASO member, Jeminatu Alabi-Isama '10, owner and designer of Afrik Designs.
BASO's "Night of Africa: Rebirth" was definitely a success. It brought together students, African and non-African alike, to learn and enjoy the gifts of African culture and tradition. In a beautiful display of African arts, BASO's event had the crowd cheering, whistling, shouting and clapping along with the beats of the songs and dances throughout the entire event. The audience stayed after the show, enjoying a buffet of delicious East-African food and congratulating the performers on a spectacular job.
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