By Nayaba Arinde
Editor at Large
“There is something completely unique about Brooklyn,” veteran photographer Hollis King told Our Time Press.
Snapping away at the beautifully-adorned attendees at the Bazaar outside Dance Africa in Fort Greene, this Memorial Day weekend, he said, “It stands in who it is, and is populated by people who look like each other, and they understand the threat and they are under, and this is a way of planting a flag where they live.”
With gentrification knocking on every door, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams told Our Time Press, “We have to celebrate our culture whenever, wherever, however–particularly now when they are trying to erase who we are altogether. The vibrancy is amazing. But as Brooklyn changes, we can see how the community has changed, and we have to make sure we hold on to the cultural aspect of it, and the heart of what Brooklyn is.”
Founded by Chuck Davis in 1977, Memorial Day weekend DanceAfrica is an annual Brooklyn cultural staple, embracing African Diasporic dance, and the global Black cultural bazaar on the surrounding streets
Last holiday weekend was just as vibrant, with locals, visitors, vendors from all over the borough, city, nation, and African continent.
Hundreds saw the shows, adding to the thousands who shopped outside, where there were dance classes, community-participatory drumming, art and film, vendors with carvings, clothing, and delicious cuisine.
“This is New York City’s Black kick off for summer,” said Firefighter Keron Alleyne. The former East New York District Leader told Our Time Press, “It’s important to be here because we have to enrich the culture and reconnect before the seasons change.”
“The Dance Africa festival is the beginning of my year, and it’s when we are starting to be outside,” Doriel Inez Larrier, an entrepreneur and Flatbush section President of National Council of Negro Women declared, “We get to see all of the cultural wonderment and excellence in one spot, with no trauma when no issues–just people loving each other and celebrating each other and coming with all of their glory.
What better time to start the summer by seeing all of the beautiful hues, shapes, and sizes and Black excellence in business entrepreneurship and love in one space. Celebrate, celebrate.”
And then there is the economic aspect. Thousands of dollars are spent by Black folks supporting Black vendors.
“It is culture, it is community, it is family, Dr. Torian Easterling told Our Time Press,
The former first Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Health Department was there with his own young family. The One Brooklyn Health Senior Vice President added, “This is an annual experience for us, and we want our kids to understand who they are, which is why I think it is so important that they come out here.”
Garifuna activist Pablo Blanco celebrated the unity, “In our environment now it feels like we’re being hit by a constellation of things as a community coming from the federal government like DEI, and all these different things that are going on in geopolitics too, like Ibrahim Traore.”
The Honduran-born, Bronx resident told Our Time Press, “This is why we should create more coalitions with each other, and it’s something that we started with the Garifuna community that I am from. We have a lot of synchronization with the African American community. And we love Blackness.”
Former City Council and Assemblywoman Inez Barron said, “It gives us the opportunity to come together, to celebrate our culture, to reinforce one another and get revitalized and see people we haven’t seen since the last cultural gathering, and support the vendors in these very challenging times. We have to support our own and talk about longevity, and the history, and make it continue to go forward.”
Haitian writer Danielle Boursiquot said she was there for “community, culture, and roots. Amongst all of the ruin in society–the way we have been treated and oppressed, and robbed of our identity, when I come to a place like this, I get renewal. These types of environments remind us who we are.”
Writer and singer Ty Allen proclaimed, “I believe in culture, and the elevation and application of art, and I am a Pan Africanist. So any moment we can have with the beauty of Black nationalism–I am there.”
Giving out scrumptious ginger shots, African in Harlem publisher and photojournalist Isseu Diouf was also selling beautiful wares from nations like her native Senegal, and told Our Time Press, “It is important to promote Africa and products from Africa in the West.
Now it is changing because of social media, but for a very long time we would only see the bad side of Africa, very stereotypical images, and it’s beautiful to come in this type of event where people value Africa, value things that are coming from Africa, and value the African culture and their roots. So it’s always inspiring to come here and see so many people who love Africa.”
Rocking a ‘Where your Blackness is enough’ T-shirt, activist Monique Thomas told Our Time Press, “I had the honor of performing in Dance Africa in 2002. That was an amazing experience. I am now a marathon runner. I have run 6 marathons thus far, and my first international marathon was in Ghana last year.”
She continued that the festival with the international energy is vital, “Celebrating us is important to us. As long as we understand that, this festival will continue. This is a family business. I love to see people bringing their children so that they can be educated in the culture and feel our energy, and know that we can be peaceful, even though our block may be chaotic. You know you can come somewhere where Black people are peaceful, loving, and respectful, and in fellowship towards each other.”
Shivenze, with her “Revolutionize your look,’ Kenyan fashion line, said, “We get to tell our African stories with our garments and with our artifacts and celebrate our culture, which can never be taken away from us.” The designer continued with clothes, bags, and jewellery from Kenya, Guinea, and Tanzania, “The energy here is vibrant, is love, it is hospitality, and I just love as we embrace creativity. I can tell all the stories that I have in my pieces.”
Busy Sylvie from Sylvie Creations with African jewelery and handmade clothing from Burkina Faso told the paper that with the country’s President Ibrahim Traore in the news as he challenges French colonial rule on every level, “Coming here I was scared, because the way things were going on I thought you guys weren’t going to support it. But I’m overwhelmed because even though they’ve been talking about it in the media, it’s totally something different. We are grateful for the community’s support.”
Great cultural event. Next stop is the July 4th weekend with Brooklyn’s 54th International African Arts Festival at Commodore Barry Park.
https://www.iaafestival.org/
