Culture, history, cuisine featured in MTSU’s Africa Week celebration

The music, dancing and history of Africa will be on display at MTSU during the first week in March.

Students demonstrate an African dance at a 2013 event sponsored by Students United for the Advancement and Study of Africa at MTSU. (Photos courtesy of Stephane Jibikilayi)

Africa Week will provide the MTSU community with a glimpse of the continent with several events March 3-6.

“There’s never been anything like this before on campus,” said Stephane Jibikilayi, president of Students United for the Advancement and Study of Africa, or SUASA.

Jibikilayi is a naturalized American citizen who emigrated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“We want to help dreams come true for children who have no resources and no education,” he added.

SUASA will staff an information table from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 3, in the first-floor lobby of the Student Union Building. The organization’s custom-made pins and bracelets will be available free.

The group will host a dinner featuring African cuisine from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, at Raiders for Christ, 1105 E. Bell St. in Murfreesboro. Dishes on the menu include chicken yassa, a traditional dish from Senegal; cassava leaves, which are widely consumed in west and central Africa; and mikite, a doughnut-like dessert.

Admission to the dinner is $10 per person. All proceeds will go to Divine Care Ministries, a nonprofit organization that helps children living in rural villages in Uganda attend school.

A variety show with students showcasing African art, fashion, music and dance is slated for 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in the Keathley University Center Theatre. Admission is $10 with all proceeds benefitting Divine Care Ministries.

For more information, contact Jibikilayi at 615-968-4277 or sjk2r@mtmail.mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)