African Languages Fair: COVID 19 and African Languages and Cultures

Celebrate African Languages at UNC-Chapel Hill.  The African Language Night (ALN) has become one of UNC’s traditions of celebrating Africa’s linguistic and cultural presence on the campus. This year’s event will be held virtually and the activities will include both scholarly and creative sessions.

The theme of the 2020 African Language Night will be: “COVID-19 and African Languages and Cultures.”  This online event will feature performances and artists and highlight the study of African languages at UNC.

Event Objectives
1. To showcase the communication and cultural skills of UNC’s African language students
2. To increase interest and create visibility of UNC’s African Language Program
3. To create a public platform of scholarly exchange about the importance of African languages in academic and non-academic career
4. To expose attendees to first-hand African language arts

Wednesday, March 24, 1 – 3pm (EDT) Program:

Opening Remarks by Dr. Mohamed Mwamzandi, UNC-CH African Language Coordinator

Panel Session on African language Instruction and Careers

1. Prof. Tim Ajani (Yoruba, Fayetteville State University)
2. Afi Bello (Afi learned Swahili and Lingala in the AAAD African languages program)
3. Abbey Warchol (UNC doctoral student, studied Wolof the AAAD African languages program)

Cultural Showcase by Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants

1. Mouhsinatou Toure: Wolof 2020/2021 Fulbright FLTA – UNC-Chapel Hill
2. Oluwasegun Fabiyi: Yoruba 2020/2021 Fulbright FLTA- UNC-Chapel Hill

Creative Session by Students and Guest Artists

1. “Mbiu ya Mgambo” a poem (Swahili)
2.  Live Skit in Wolof
3.  Wolof Guest Artist: Y’En a Marre; a Hip-Hop Duo based in Senegal, performing a rap session titled “France à fric,” meaning France to Cash
4. Safari ya Afrika Msahariki (Swahili)
5. A conversation – “waxaale” – a market bargain banter (Wolof)
6. Yoruba Guest Artist: Adeyemo Emmanuel ‘’Kakaki-Ogbon’’, a Poet based in Lagos, Nigeria reciting a poem titled ‘Kofiidi Oluko; Ooko Gbogbogbo: An Anthology of Didactic Poems on the Aftermath of Covid 19 and Humanity’
7. A conversation- “Greetings” (Swahili)
8. Swahili Guest Artists: Jabali Afrika – Joseck Asikoye, Justo Asikoye, Michael Okero and Kerwishi Deward, a group from Kenya with a musical performance “Aoko” -The title is a name of the composer’s mother in honor of all mothers
9. Wasilisho ‘Presentation’: Maisha nchini Kenya ‘Life in Kenya’ (Swahili)
10. Yoruba Guest Artist: Dr. Tolulope Dairo, a Medical Doctor and Artist from Lilburn, Georgia offering an Ewi Rendition titled “The Uninvited Guest: Corona Virus’’

Closing by Ada Umenwaliri, Associate Director, UNC Africa Studies Center

Registration is required.  Register