Diversity
astounding at Africas pavilion.
By Manfred Jager
Staff reporter (Winnipeg Free Press)
In only
its third year of operation, Folkloramas Africa Pavilion may well be Winnipegs best-kept secret this week.
The first
thing the audiences at St. Josephs parish Hall, College Avenue and Andrew street, realize as they watch what can only be described
as an extraordinary of cultural traditions coming from the African continent.
The variety
is astonishing. So is the magnitude of talent the tiny African-Canadian community here has been able to assemble and showcase
of their fellow Winnipeggers. Its a whirlwind of music drums and dancing that leaves that viewer breathless and reaching for
superlatives.
The Ethiopian Dancers of African communities of Manitoba
alone are more than worth the price of admission and wont soon be forgotten by those who cheered them last night. So is solo
dancer Casimiro Nhussi, Who starts his routine as arthritic senior regaining
Youth and agility after taking a pinch of snuff.
Other parts of call represent Ghana,
Nigeria, Uganda,
Congo, Mozambique
and Sudan.
Pavilion spokesman Dr.Charles Olweny, a Uganda
native cancer specialist at the St.Boniface hospital, says when Folklorama begun in 1970 there was particularly no African
Community here.
Two years ago we celebrated our 10th Anniversary as an association,
he said Most of our people are quiet happy here, but after the first winter were all convinced this part of North America
should have been settled by anyone, let alone Africans.
You get over that, however.
