Nigh On Intercultural Competence at the African Music and Cultural Festival
An incredibly complex, varied place, essentially the entirety of the political spectrum made manifest in a land mass unbroken by sea, all reduced referentially by one World Vision ad to the image a fly-bitten kid with bare feet who sees god in a bowl of rice and a pair of used Nike shoes full of the sweat of a fat American kid that a Taiwanese kid died making.
Introducing Africa. A continent not a country.
While Black Panther did much to further the cause of white people who can now replace a positive reference about Obama with a quote from the film to follow a comment or phrase they’re not sure they’re allowed to say, it seems that damn World Vision ad imprinted on the minds of a generation an incredibly flawed portrait of that portion of the map.
If only there were a way to counteract some of this ingrained ignorance that required no mental or physical effort and involved the consumption of fried food…
“The African Music and Cultural Festival is the largest African festival in Australia celebrating the rich customs and culture of the hottest continent on earth. With 12 hours of free non-stop entertainment, from live music to dance, fashion, market stalls, DJs and drumming, it’s a fantastic day out for the whole family!
Of course, it’s not a festival without food, so expect traditional street food from Egypt to Ethiopia, Ghana to Nigeria: think injera and curry, plus delicious sweet treats. Whether you love the vibrant music, tasty food or iconic drumming, the festival has something for everyone!”
Introducing the African Music and Cultural Festival.
Not a complete tonic for ignorance, but certainly a more timely and geographically wide-ranging arse-covering reference than Black Panther.
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