For the 17th consecutive year, the George Washington University (GW) African Students Association (ASA) hosted Taste of Africa, with the goal of unifying the African Diaspora.
Embodying this year’s theme “Xhuma” the Zulu word meaning “to connect,” the dishes, dances, fashion shows and musical performances featured during the function fiercely celebrated diasporic similarities and differences.
By tailoring it to this theme, the multicultural celebration immersed attendees into many of the diaspora’s nuances, demonstrating the Pan-African principle of global solidarity.
“Inspired by the resilience of African artistry, which has been used to shape history, tell stories and overcome struggles, this theme highlights how heritage, creativity and community remain deeply connected– celebrating the strength, unity and cultural evolution of African traditions across generations and regions,” GW ASA wrote in a post on Instagram.
During the diverse event, GW Afro-Caribbean dance team XOLA performed routines to Brazilian Afrohouse music and Nigerian Afrobeats, wearing traditional grass skirts.
Attendees were also given food from different regions such as Nigerian jollof rice, Kenyan beef samosas, West African chicken dibi and much more.
With performances highlighting intricate Afrocentric hairstyles, an audience dressed to the nines in African garments and aromas of bay leaves and cumin wafting through the venue, the “Mother Continent” was truly brought to GW’s student center.
“When people hear ‘Africa’ they think of villages, but Africa is really beautiful,” said Zimbabwe-born Future Chamba, a candidate for a Master of Business Administration in finance at GW, as Afrobeats and R&B sounded from the next room. “Africans are united. They are one, and they are lovely.”
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Adorned in a navy blue dress with a bodice made of Ankara fabric showcasing vivid blues, greens, yellows and oranges, Nigerian-born Oluwatosin Adewumi attended Taste of Africa despite being a student at Morgan State University. After her friends told her about the event, she decided she had to travel from Baltimore to Washington to broaden her horizons and connect with a multitude of people.
“I felt like it’s meant for me to network and meet new people, not just in Baltimore. I can [now] say I have friends everywhere,” Adewumi told The Informer. “I came today… to just put myself out there.”
Considering GW enrolls approximately 2,800 international graduate students, celebrating multiculturalism is a critical part of the university’s culture, and Taste of Africa gives students born on the African continent who seek a chance to experience everything they miss about their homes.
Chamba attended Taste of Africa to feel more connected to home.
“I miss everything about Africa. Everything I know is Africa,” Chamba told The Informer. “I came [to Taste of Africa] to get an appreciation of African culture, history and more.”
Even though he didn’t see Zimbabwe represented at the celebration, Chamba appreciated the diversity and authentic depictions it provided the audience. Rather than promoting harmful stereotypes of violence, poverty and helplessness, the event showcased the Africa that people like Chamba know and love so well.
Chamba’s classmate Tendai Sambo, who was also born in Zimbabwe and is pursuing an MBA in finance at GW, believes events like this tear down barriers created by the confines of national borders and further bridge members of the diaspora to each other. He attended this affair to observe how different nationalities interact with each other.
His favorite part of the night was seeing everyone’s traditional textiles and the commitment to Taste of Africa’s dress code– African attire. Just as hairstyles and songs have been utilized in history by the diaspora as a form of resilience and storytelling, fashion can represent a region’s customs through intricate patterns, vibrant colors and materials used.
Geometric patterns are notable in traditional African dress. They typically feature zig-zags, checkerboards, circles and more. Zig-zags, also known as Nkyinkim, represent the ups and downs of life’s path, reminding those wearing the pattern to remain prepared for any obstacles that may come their way.
Textiles and design methods that have been passed down through generations can symbolize a person’s pride in their heritage and identity, acting as a token of solidarity among different tribes and nations within Africa.
“I really liked [the] fashion because you can understand… the African way,” Sambo said. “You can actually see and feel [it] because you can understand how Africans think just by the way they are dressed, and you can see they are passionate about the African theme.”
Sambo emphasized that celebrations of diversity and shared experiences like GW African Student Associations’ Taste of Africa can foster a deep sense of understanding between different demographics, creating safe spaces for African cultural recognition.
“Whether you are from Ghana, Nigeria or Zimbabwe as I am, we share the same blood. We are from Africa,” Sambo told The Informer. “We need to understand it’s not about continents, countries or boundaries. We are the same people.”