Friday 22 March 2013

Internaitonal Roots Home Coming Festival, 11th Edition



Since Fridays blog post focuses on Gambian History what better place to talk about and promote the “International Roots Homecoming Festival", that was established in 1996 by Gambia’s then and current president, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh. His government developed the festival to forge closer ties with Africans in the Diaspora for meaningful cooperation and development, whilst promoting international cultural understanding and peace and also to enjoy tourist attractions, nature and cuisine.

Since 1996, the Roots Festival has attracted hundreds of Africans in Diaspora to The Gambia to re-connect with their African ancestry, and to immerse themselves in the values and cultures of Africa. The Festival therefore provides the platform for our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora to come back to their roots on a cultural and historical pilgrimage, to network and build everlasting ties with The Gambia in particular and Africa in general for mutual co-operation and development.

Though geared toward those from and in the Africa Diaspora the festival is attending by all races and nationalities from all over the world.

This years festival is from May 3-10, 2013 and I'm sure is going to be full of surprises. Rev. Jesse Jackson is the guest speaker! To learn more about this years festival please visit the website:www.rootsgambia.gm And if if you're coming from the states or Canada check out this link:



The week long festival is a biennual event, so if you miss it one year you’ll have to wait another two to catch it again. I’ve been to at least 3 of them since I’ve been living here and the last one in February of 2011 was by far the most memorable to me. I had a ball! It was so exciting, full of surprises and a lot of fun. It’s the 1st where I participated in the Futampuf. (Jola rights of passage ceremony). No one really talks about all that entails, but when I found out I had to dance down a red carpet where at the other end the president was watching and waiting; I wanted to find a place to hide! Geez, I think I told you before that I’m shy, now do this dance. I tell you being here has made me face most of my remaining fears. Like the star I am I jammed it! And guess what? It was televised live and on the net! People still recognize me.

What even made it more memorable was that during the opening ceremony of the festival my ex pat group here, “African Homecomers Collective”, were introduced to H.E. and when he took the podium he turned to address us and granted us (12) full Gambian Citizenship! Woo hoo: that was a surprise and just BOOM!  It’s a shame that such a blessing brought out the ugly in so many people here, but we were determined not to allow their ugly to cloud the beauty of this event and blessing. Because no matter what you say or do ugly is going to be ugly!

So I have to say that being a participant is much more fun than being a spectator. And I’m not saying that because of the citizenship thing, but the entire experience just so much fun cause you never knew what was going to happen next.
Me being introduced to H.E. at opening ceremony moments before I'm granted full Gambian Citizenshp
 
Come do it and see for yourself!

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