The last table has just been lifted off the site of Africanival 2019 on 10581 107 Street Edmonton, to conclude yet another successful Africanival, celebrating African rich and diverse cultures, before we could reflect on this 2019 Africanival journey.
This time around on July 12 -14, still in its infancy, in just the third year baby steps, there were absolutely no funding from the City of Edmonton or Edmonton Arts Council, or any level of government or agency mandated with supporting, promoting diversity and inclusion, showcasing our cultural mosaic, or at least pretending to, whatsoever for this African community cultural showcase. A challenge that you the African community associations, small businesses, corporations, photographers, videographers, army of volunteers, social media supporters, flier distributors, artists, and thousands of you came out to say African’s rich and diverse culture has a place in Edmonton’s cultural mosaic and must be celebrated.
This great support as always from Edmontonians reaffirms why we refer to Edmonton as fantastic Edmonton, well, fair to call Edmonton, FANTASTIC EDMONTON in all capital letters or permit us marry the two words into “Fantmonton”. The businesses on 107 St. were happy to sign off to the event coming back with some donating their washrooms to Africanival’s patrons. Businesses in the community chip in financially to support this biggest and only festival in Alberta to celebrate African rich and diverse cultures. An army of volunteers was assembled to setup and tear down. The endless miracles continued with MacEwan University last minute donation of their campus as a refuge point should an emergency arise. The climax of the festival was three days of sun shine contrary to all weather forecasts.
You all should go into this weekend with your heads touching the sky for yet another history making event and be ready to share the spirit, commitment, and most importantly, the template with communities in other cities as they come asking as the summer of 2020 beckons.
A very happy weekend to you all, and before 2020, please join us next Friday, 6 PM, at Diversity Centre, for a brief chat on this year’s festival, the future of the festival, funding the festival, involving new leaders, interests from other cities, perfecting the festival’s module in an increasingly regulated Special Events atmosphere in Edmonton, akin to enriching Uranium in Iran.
Africanival 2019 was brought to you by a DREAM TEAM of hardworking Volunteer organizers, artists, models, community leaders, photographers, and other Edmontonians.
Frankline Agbor – Executive Producer
Gisele Ndoungo – Operations Manager
Ifeoma Chioma Claire Okeke- Volunteer/Media Manager
Don Dee – Stage Manager
DJ Meps – Operational DJ
DJ Vinny – Guest DJ
DJ King Raw Ncube – Guest DJ
Nsimire Muderma – Fashion Show Manager
Miriam Chimanga Tembo
Zoe Nare
Prosper Gashusho
Tope Akindele
Kuckie Markina
Armando Correia
Amandep Kaur Hazra
Berly Scott
Chance Ndiho
Oghenerouona Amy Chris
Nateez Auronjze
Mahmud Muhammad
Jane Naiga
Chanceline Lakwanki
Eziuche Ekwe
Ricardo Milien
Peterly Dieudonne
Mariam Sankoh
Walter Kehl
John Hussien
Siba Khumalo
Gizzie Arku
Lauren Vowels
Carlos Lopez
Wayna Laraque
Alixe Deroka
Calen Manossa
Angelique Mugakuze
Ciella Bigirimana
Siddi Siddiqui
Ashante Morris
Meredith Juste
Chediza Mutize
Orsel Theme
Marc Neal
Michelle Cunningham
Martha Kirigwi
All of you who shared the fliers and invited others
All community performers and artists
And all of you Edmontonians who supported Africanival in one way or another.
