Many students don”t have the means to travel across the world and experience different ways of life, which is why the African Student Association Idaho is bringing the cultures of a continent to Moscow for a night.
Adonay Berhe, University of Idaho junior and computer engineering major, said the purpose of Africa night is to share the many cultures that the continent of Africa embodies with students and community members alike.
“Africa Night is the real deal, it”s not the made-up Americanized version of anything,” Berhe said. “It”s pretty much a plane ticket to Africa for $10.”
Berhe, who has served as the event coordinator of Africa Night for the past three years, said one of the primary goals of the event is to break down misconceptions that people may have about Africa.
“Many people don”t realize that Africa is a continent, not a country,” Berhe said. “We have about 55 countries and there are a lot of cultures within those countries, so people should expect to be overwhelmed by different types of cultures.”
Tickets for the event, which will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, in the International Ballroom of the Bruce M. Pitman Center, can be purchased for $10 in advance and for $12 at the door.
Berhe said food is included in the cost of the event and discounts are provided for large groups.
Berhe said this year”s Africa Night centers around the Nigerian word “Nmembe,” which means “celebrate Africa.”
“Every year we pick an authentic African word and we create a theme out of it,” he said. “Last year”s word was “jabulani”, which means joy, but it was also the name of the soccer ball used in the South African World Cup so last year we did a soccer theme.”
Berhe said this year”s event will include performances from East and West Africa, authentic African dishes and a spicy egg challenge.
“The food is as close to Africa as you can get,” he said. “The event is fully catered by Africans and there are many different intricate types of dishes “¦ for more daring types, we also have a spicy egg challenge from Ghana that people can try.”
Berhe said while he enjoys the vibrant display of culture, his favorite part of Africa Night is being able to talk to individuals who are experiencing the event for the first time.
“We”ve started this tradition and now people are starting to recognize Africa Night as an important event,” Berhe said. “I always look forward to talking to people who experience the event for the first time, to see what their thoughts are and hear about the things they”ve learned.”
Gaelle Sawadogo, president of the African Student Association Idaho, said she looks forward to a diverse group of individuals coming together to share their different cultures.
“People are coming from WSU and UI to come and share their African culture,” Sawadogo said. “They are doing it with passion and I am excited for people to come and learn about Africa.”
Corrin Bond can be reached at [email protected]