Africa Festival

As a multicultural society, Australia boast several groups of people from all over the world. Just this weekend Townsville hosted the annual Africa Festival. As a person of Africa decent myself I personally took a lot of interest in the cultural activities.

The continent of Africa alone includes 56 countries, more than any other continent on Earth. To break a very long running gag, Africa is "NOT A COUNTRY!!" and even though the African people may appear the similar, they are not. Each nation or ethnic identity has its very own unique practices and extremely significant historical background (a history which throws that HORRID stereotype that black people don't have a history or have never contributed to international history right out the window). The African continent boasted more than two thousand ethnicity's, languages, and cultures, which was why I was so excited to go to the festivities; so I could encounter and observe them personally for myself.

Most around the world are obliged to believe that Africa and the countries inside of it are regarded as a failed wastelands plagued with disease, starvation, war, and corruption simply because of what the media portrays regarding the continent. At the festival, where almost every black person I met was from a different region of Africa, I learned that not all of Africa is in ruins, and that in fact many African nations, i.e. South Africa and Nigeria, have booming economies which are some of the best in the world. What I really loved the most about the festival were the flags of all of the African countries. All of them, and I mean ALL OF THEM, were beautiful with vibrant colors and patterns.

I was surprised that I would even find such an activity in Australia, no offense but I always thought that Australia was a predominantly "White" society with white cultures. However at the festival I saw many Caucasians taking part in the activities and they seemed to be having a wonderful time. I personally had a great time at the festival. The music was beautiful, the people were kind and very en-joyous to be around, and the food, my favorite of all, was delicious. Personally I was a little jealous myself because everyone I met was from a certain region of the continent and I felt a little out of place kind-of-ish, because I'm from American and could barely relate, nevertheless I had a great time. After attending such an event, I'm officially making a point to Africa one day in the near future, not just to visit, but to explore and document the continents vast history, cultures, and peoples. I'm mean after all, I am a historian.