Latest update April 27th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 02, 2008 News
Colourful African designs, beaming smiles and succulent dishes marked the African Cultural Development Association’s (ACDA) evening of food, music and dance hosted at the entity’s Thomas Lands location yesterday evening.
The event saw special invitees and organisation members, dressed in the African styles, greeting each other as each filed into a well-decorated banquet hall to enjoy delicious finger foods and the traditional maubee, sorrel and ginger beer.
After cheery interaction and trading of pleasantries, the patrons retired to the upper auditorium to enjoy a dinner that included Vegetable Ginger Rice, Chunk Stew, Cornmeal Coo-Coo and Nutty Tossed Salad.
The non-vegetarians were served Jaloof Rice, Pan Fried Fish in Chunky Tomato Sauce, Coconut Chicken and Nutty Tossed Salad. Dessert included Cassava Pone and Conkee.
The event was actually a fund-raising charity venture for which patrons were required to fork out $5,000 a plate.
After welcoming remarks by Sister Violet Jean-Baptiste, the ‘Jewels of COLAACO’ took to the stage to render several African folk songs and the reverberating ‘Give Me Hope Joanna’ by Guyanese Eddie Grant. This was followed by ‘Hello Africa’, ‘Goodnight Hea’ and several others, to which the smiling audience swayed and sang along in some instances.
Franklyn Langhorne kept the vibes flowing when he delivered a stirring recitation of the popular poem, ‘I come from de Nigger Yard’.
Next it was popular stand-up comedian and actor Henry Rodney, who plunged the audience into hysterical fits of laughter as he told tales of taking a job of playing a gorilla in a zoo, and his mom who sent the whip crashing on himself and other siblings for the most amusing reasons.
Calypsonian Lady Tempest, as expected, excited the gathering with a melodious rendition of the ballad ‘Sulieram,’ made popular by the legendary Mariam Makeba.
In his feature address, retired Brigadier David Granger noted that there are many challenges facing the development of Guyana as a state. He emphasised that there is dire need for strategies to be implemented to rectify such a situation.
He added that many societies have developed considerably because of unique responses to such challenges, many of which can be attained easily if creatively administered.
He touched on the need for youths to become more involved in reading, indicating also that there needs to be a complete eradication of the present unemployment crisis so as to reduce the rise in crime, teenage pregnancy and the spread of HIV/AIDS, to some extent.
The skit ‘Looking Back to my Roots,’ performed by representatives from Artistes In Direct Support, highlighted the need for proper values, high self-esteem and respect among young people.
ACDA dancers Levi and Natasha executed such a stirring and stimulating soul routine that the Master of Ceremonies for the night was drowned out by the thunderous applause that followed.
During the venture, there were persons who won special prizes from lucky numbers written at the backs of their programmes.
After remarks by Ms. Maureen Massiah, the event concluded with the Vote of Thanks by ACDA’s Laura Obermuller.
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