Miami Student

Issue date: 4/10/07 Section: Campus

Students from five different universities dance in Hall Auditorium Saturday to celebrate African diversity and remember the Rwandan genocide.

While many students reflected on the traditions of the Easter holiday over the weekend, the African Student Union had another reason for remembrance - Saturday marked the 13-year anniversary of the Rwandan genocide.

This year's African Night Cultural Night, sponsored by Miami University's African Student Union, was themed "African Unity and Renaissance" and hosted award-winning singer and Rwanda survivor, Jean Paul Samputu.

"We wanted to celebrate our diversity as well as remember that day and what happened," said Adeline Kikam, president of the African Student Union, Miami junior and native of Cameroon. "We want to be optimistic about the future and learn from the past."

The night also celebrated Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence and African culture and diversity in general, with a fashion show, different dance performances and poetry recitations.

"We all need unity," Kikam said. "We want to be able to reach out to people who don't know much about Africa. It's a chance for us to show them a different side. The media is not always positive about what comes out of Africa."

African student unions from Ohio State University, Earlham College, Xavier and University of Cincinnati all joined Miami in putting together this evening.

"This is for everybody," Kikam said. "This is a chance to bring everyone together - Africans and non-Africans (and) students from outside Oxford as well."

The fashion show exhibited the four costumes of the "African Queen" followed by costumes from the different regions in Africa, and two poems about African pride and unity. Miami's Black Student Action Association contributed to the fashion show.

The students ended with a traditional Ethiopian dance before introducing the main performer, Jean Paul Samputu.

"We didn't want to only focus on genocide," Kikam said. "Rwanda is a country that has moved beyond what has happened. It's not just about genocide but celebrating our accomplishments as a people and our heritage and proudness."

Samputu has won an African Grammy, as well as an international song writing award and says his desire is to bring a message of peace and reconciliation.

Continued...

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