African festival returns to Richmond, celebrates cultural unity

Lauren Hall, Contributing Writer

Afro Fest has been a yearly celebration of African cultures throughout the diaspora since it began seven years ago, according to a local news article. 

This year’s event was hosted on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater. The event yielded several returning and new musicians, dancers, food vendors and business owners.

Omilade Janine Bell, president and artistic director of the Elegba Folklore Society and art vendor at the festival, said both cultural unity throughout the diaspora and the celebration of indigenous African identities are important. 

 “Because it’s all one, and this festival helps to demonstrate that,” Bell said.

This deep respect and appreciation for ancestral and cultural connection is evident through the cultivation of this festival, according to Bell. 

“I will say that the Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center is just a few blocks away from the VCU campus— we have programs that are happening, we have cultural history tours, we have festivals, we have performances, we have opportunities to learn about how we got to where we are. So we invite the students to come on down,” Bell said. 

Paul Pace, a first-time attendee of the festival, described how he found out about the event through flyers posted on Broad Street. 

Pace came to the event to learn more about African art and health practices, he said. 

Attendees Caleb Mcfarlane and Sydnee Bass came to the festival together in the hopes of learning and observing more about the diverse cultures of each African region, they said. 

“I wanted to learn more about different cultures and I’m having a lot of fun,” Bass said.

Mcfarlane expressed his enjoyment of art and music from different cultures. He said he felt implored to explore the various displays of African art and music that the festival had to offer. 

Eunice Turkson, CEO of Afri-Educational Plus, secretary of African Community Network and third-time vendor coordinator at the festival, said she wants Ghanaian heritage and culture to shine through via her clothing, headwraps, jewelry and accessories for sale.

“This event is for the celebration of cultures. Anyone who buys from here is gonna buy authentic Ghanaian outfits which fit so well — so beautifully,” Turkson said. “The cooks and chefs are cooking so many delicious foods. We have Togo, we have Senegal, we have Liberia and a mix of Jamaican food.” 

Turkson also appreciated the beauty of the diverse cultural community created both during the preparation of this event and the event itself, she said.

Tahsheca Bowen and Raymond Agoutinyarkho of Dadi’s Kitchen and second-time vendors at the festival said the origins of the event stemmed from African creators throughout Virginia. They emphasized the importance of perspective as well.

It is important to broaden the narrative when it comes to experiencing Black and African cultures, according to Bowen. 

“As a Jamaican, and I think as somebody from a different culture, if you don’t experience African culture, I’d say you’re missing out. I traveled to Ghana last year, and it was a culture shock,” Bowen said. 

Bowen described how social media has a tendency to depict places like the United States as superior to Ghana and other African countries, when that is in fact, not the case. She was excited to share her culture and meet new people at the festival. 

When one travels the continent of Africa they will see the beauty and cultural diversity throughout each respective country for themselves, Bowen said. She hopes attendees take the good food and African spirit from Afro Fest with them.