Rose Luangisa. Photo: Facebook.
A Mount Vernon neighborhood kicked off the holiday weekend with “Wakanda 4 Ever Celebration,” of Africa and the African diaspora with a cultural, artistic, fashion, and musical event on Saturday.
The band entertained.
The fashion show. Photo: Milton Allimadi
Vendors offering samosas, jerk chicken, and Nigerian egusi meal, lined one street corner while others selling African designed clothes, woven bags, carvings, sculptures, and paintings marketed their wares along a stretch of Hawthorne Terrace, in Mount Vernon. A South African musical band provided vibrant live music. In addition to their own originals the band performed some of the late Miriam Makeba’s classics.
Africa is in the house, outdoors of course.
By late afternoon about 200 celebrants were enjoying the music, the fashion show, and the food in this large colorful community outdoor gathering. Organizers stressed before the event that all attendees were required to wear face masks. Vaccinations were also to be offered and temperatures taken at the event.
The “Wakanda 4 Ever Celebration” was inspired by the blockbuster 2018 “Black Panther” film starring Chadwick Boseman, whose memory was honored at the event. Boseman died of colon cancer on Aug. 28, 2020.