Reflections/Jonathan Gramling
The Joy of Africa Fest
Life is about relationships and opportunities that present themselves, opportunities not necessarily of our own making.
Back in the late 1980s, when I was vice-president of the Madison Urban League, we hired a woman newly arrive from Ghana to work in our single parent program. She was the late Dzigbodi Akyea. And it was through Dzigbodi that I got to know Aggo.
In the late 1990s, Aggo was chairing efforts to create Africa Fest. And since he knew that I had written proposals for the Urban League, we got together so that he could get a feel for funding sources that could possibly be interested in funding Africa Fest. And 1-2 years later, the first Africa Fest was held at the Monona Terrace. It was a spectacular affair that involved a parade around the Capitol Square while farmers market was still going on.
It was an excellent kick-off event that was held annual at Monona Terrace for the next five years. And then it was halted as its producer, the African Association of Madison, went through a reorganization.
African Fest emerged once again in 2005, I believe, in Warner Park, it’s first outdoor iteration.
While it had rained that day and parts of the festival grounds were flooded, there was still a lot of excitement and high energy in the air. I remember standing and talking with Emilee Songolo just outside the main performance tent. And Emilee exclaimed, “This reminds me of the festivals we had back home in Africa. The modern-day Africa Fest was born.
Sometime later, we moved Africa Fest to McPike Park on the near east side to gain some cost efficiencies and to make it a more central gathering place. And it has been at McPike Park ever since.
I am proud to say that I have been a member of the Africa Fest Planning Committee since 2005. If I am not mistaken, Ray Kumapayi and I are the last two members still actively involved.
I love being a member of the Africa Fest committee because of the camaraderie of the group. We often times will sit in the park and discuss the details. Many of us are veterans and so we all know what needs to happen and when it needs to happen. And it really helps that the African Women’s Association plans the African Village Tent and some members plan the fashion parade.
And I love being a part of Africa Fest because it is such a vibrant and fun-filled afternoon and evening. Men and women wear garments representing so many different countries that it is almost like a kinetic art piece. The colors are bright and the designs are intricate.
Over the years, I have developed so many friendships present and past from AAM and Africa Fest that it almost feels like a family reunion, a time to catch up and share a laugh or two. Many members of the African community treat me like family. In fact, at one Africa Fest held in Warner Park, a member of the Ghanaian royalty was there with his entourage. And they called me on stage and the member of the Ghanaian royalty bestowed me with the name Kwasi. I was so surprised and so honored.
Several years ago, my son Andrew started coming to Africa Fest on his own volition. He bought shirts and jewelry and truly enjoyed himself. And I was so proud last fall when Andrew Asked to be a part of the Africa Fest Planning Committee and of course Ray said, ‘Yes.’ Ray is very cognizant that many of us on the committee are getting “long in the tooth.” And he wants to bring new blood into the committee so that Africa’s legacy and Africa Fest will be preserved far into the future. It feels good that my son will continue on after age has slowed me down to the point that I won’t be of much use to the committee.
I hope everyone will come out to Africa Fest on Saturday, August 19th in McPike Park. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a high around 81 degrees. Come out and enjoy the fun and learn a thing or two in the process. On Africa Fest day, everyone is an African.