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International Culture Right in Your Own Back yardWorcester African Cultural Center Holds First Festival 
September 2005 - Looking for a culture-filled adventure but don’t
have thousands of dollars to spend on airfare? On September 17 and 18,
you can experience a little taste of Africa without even leaving the city
limits. The Worcester African Cultural Center (WACC), located at 33 Canterbury
Street, will be hosting its first annual African Cultural Festival in
collaboration with the Worcester Historical Museum, celebrating time-honored
African traditions that have become an integral part of Worcester’s
diverse culture. Entertainment will be provided for the entire family,
including musical and dance performances, games, food and beverages, and
arts and crafts. The WACC (www.african-museum.com/),
which was founded in August of 2001 and officially opened to the public
in September 2004, promotes African culture and history via artistic,
educational, and social activities and events for individuals of all ages
and cultural backgrounds. Founder and director Emil Igwenagu is a native
of Nigeria who has made his home in the United States. He has amassed
an extensive collection of African art, crafts, and photographs, and has
both filmed and recorded various aspects of African life, culture, and
traditions over the course of many years of travel across the continent.
His interests in the collection and preservation of African art and in
education about African cultures led him to acquire a space in which to
showcase this information, according to administrator Alexandra Moreno. The gallery area of the Center showcases exquisite African artifacts
such as ceremonial masks, divination sculptures, decorative arts, musical
instruments, jewelry, furniture, and everyday objects. The Center’s
150-seat Theatre for Performing and Visual Arts offers workshops, dance
and music lessons, performances, lectures, and other programs of special
interest. The WACC is a member of the Worcester Arts and Humanities Educational
Collaborative and has engaged in a number of academic and research activities
with Clark University and Nichols College. The organization has become
an established and credible source for information on African culture
for schools, colleges, and universities in the New England area. In addition, the WACC has been the site for a number of community fundraisers,
most recently the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy Black Student Union’s
fundraiser to provide support to Darfur, Sudan. As the WACC makes its
presence known in Worcester, it hopes to continue to inform the community
about the rich history of Africa. The upcoming African Cultural Festival,
with its wide variety of offerings, promises a fun and educational experience
for all who attend. ”We hope to have a great turnout for our festival, including the
general public, members of various African communities, individualsand
families of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds,” said Moreno. |