Jersey’s African community raises awareness of culture


5 hours ago

Chris Craddock,BBC Jersey communities reporter

BBC Seun smiles at the camera next to a stall with a traditional African cover over it with baskets on top of itBBC

A campaign has raised awareness of African culture through food, fashion, music and education.

Friends of Africa Jersey has been running Africa Week to help people understand its community better.

It has gone into schools to speak to students and food and fashion stalls have been set up in Royal Square.

Zimbabwean musician Vusa Mkhaya, a member of the vocal trio Insingizi, also came to the island to perform for the crowds.

Vusa sings into a microphone while wearing a traditional Zimbabwean headband with a feather in it

He said it was his first time visiting the island and “the reception was amazing” as he visited schools.

It is important to share music and culture to show people “how other people live and experience life”, he added.

A close up of someone wearing plastic gloves scope a curried meat into a plastic Tupperware container

Seun Adekunle had a clothes stall with items from her fashion brand at the Royal Square.

She said fashion and clothes were important to African culture as it was part of “our identity and our uniqueness”.

“It brings brightness and beauty,” she said.

“You can wear one outfit and know it is Nigerian or a different fabric and people will know it is from southern Africa.”

Washington smiles at the camera as people queue for food behind him

Washington Gwatidzo, from Friends of Africa Jersey, said the work in schools had been “absolutely amazing” and he wanted to make next year’s event bigger.

He said the students had experienced “something slightly different than they normally would experience”.

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