SL's first African Festival starts today!

6:Let the celebration of the Bright Continent begin! From Oct. 1 (Nigerian National Day) through 4th, Saminaka (Virtual Nigeria) is hosting SL's first African Festival. Besides the sim's usual displays on Nigerian culture and Timbuktu, its African Library, restaurant, and traditional marketplace, there will be exhibits, events, talks, and contests galore!

Masqueraders, stiltwalkers and African music help create the festive atmosphere. New exhibits on Nigerian plants, the Nupe people and the horse in Africa complement the fun of a traditional decorated canoe regatta and a durbar--a procession of decorated horses and their riders, as well as nightly dance parties to the latest African tunes.

Want to know more about African music? RL musician Oliha Yiwama talks about drumming, RL art historian Tamsin Barzane about African art, and Oliha again on African spirituality.

Virtual Harlem's Bryan Mnemonic will speak at the kick-off of Ananse, a new SL/RL group of scholars involved with Africa and the diaspora, and a tour of African-related sims will follow.

Contests? There's a writing one (1000 words or less, any format), a canoe-decorating one, three photo competitions (African plants, durbar, and African animal avatars), and a best-dressed African "look-off".

And then there's the special Festival Marketplace, as well as the sim's permanent African stores....

Plus the African botanical hunt, where each flora-related prize (dresses with plant patterns, furniture with plant motifs, etc) is hidden near an African plant.

It's a mix of culture, music, creativity, shopping, spectacle, education--the next best thing to being there!


http://slurl.com/secondlife/Saminaka/48/163/22

Schedule below (some additions might follow).
Contact Tamsin Barzane for more information

Scheduled Events (SLT=Pacific Time)

Thurs, Oct. 1 (Nigerian National Day).
5 pm slt Fireworks on the beach, masquerades, stilt walkers
5:15-7:15 slt Kickoff dance with first DJ

Fri, Oct. 2
2-5 pm DJ Blade Unsustainable plays African House!!! This is not your typical; don't miss it!
5 pm slt African music--talk & performance--“Are drums a family Event?” by Oliha Yiwama
6 pm slt Durbar—Nigerian procession of decorated horses and riders
African Music Video Party or Dj’d dance to follow

Sat., Oct. 3
11 am slt African art—talk and slideshow by Tamsin Barzane—“The ‘Rules’ of African Art”
Noon slt Canoe regatta, Nigerian-style, with decorated boats (prize)
5 pm slt Masqueraders, stiltwalkers, acrobats African Music Video Party or live performance to follow

Sun., Oct. 4
11-2 pm slt Bryan Mnemonic’s lecture and launch of Ananse group of Africa and Diaspora Academics in Second Life (off Saminaka, on Univ. of Delaware sim), followed by guided tours to several sims
5 slt African spiritual traditions—talk by Oliha Yiwama (traditional priest, musician, anthropologist)
6 Following talk, masqueraders, stiltwalkers and acrobats—join in!
6:30 slt Closing dance party with second DJ—African male and female dress competition; announcements of writing & photo contest winners
Fireworks on the beach