Celebrating Caribbean Culture University of Toronto Observes Black History Month by Danielle Minghella Toronto, Canada is home to a large West Indian community, so it is no surprise that a number of them at the University of Toronto have formed their own student organization, Caribbean Connections (formerly the West Indian Students’ Association). The association recently hosted a colorful celebration of Caribbean culture as part of Black History Month in February. The event, the Caribbean Connections Culture Day Show, raised money for a non-profit tutoring organization. Over ten performances and seventy performers and volunteers showcased incredible talent. Among the performers were choir singers; folk, step, reggae and traditional Indian dancers; steel pan drummers; and an entire musical band consisting solely of volunteers. Many performers reported that they had practised for months prior to the event. “This is a time where the association gets a chance to shine, and it is a really good way for people to do things outside of school but for the greater community of the school,” said Caribbean Connections president Nadine Chandoo. ____________________________________ Over ten performances and seventy performers and volunteers showcased incredible talent. ____________________________________ The show also provided an insight into other cultures. The choir sang a multitude of uplifting songs. The folk, step, reggae and traditional Indian dancers added a measure of choreography, and the steel pan drummers and band produced a wide variety of beats. It was evident from the many smiles and cheers that the people who came to observe the show had a great time. Brigitte Black, a fourth-year linguistics student, said, “The show brought us all together because it was a mix of different cultures all enjoying themselves. It was a tremendous success.” Last Thursday night was not only about the performances but about raising money for the Tan Furu, a non-profit tutoring organization that has already commenced at University of Toronto’s downtown campus. The function of the charity involves university students volunteering their time to tutor high school students. All proceeds from the Caribbean Connections Culture Day Show were donated to this organization. In light of the festivities, February is also important as Black History Month. One of the organizers of Black History Month events at the University, Walied Khogali, spoke about the aim of the occasion. “The goal of Black History Month is to celebrate the history of Africans and African Americans as well as highlighting the challenges facing African Americans as well as other minorities,” he said. “It is also a time to acknowledge the contributions that many Africans and African Americans have made to society.” One method used on campus to spread awareness of Black issues and accomplishments was film. This past month, numerous documentary films were screened in the presentation room of the student centre. Among the documentaries shown were Malcolm X, Cry Free Town, and Life and Debt. ____________________________________ “It is also a time to acknowledge the contributions that many Africans and African Americans have made to society.” ____________________________________ Khogali stated that for next year, he hopes to add more informative aspects to Black History Month. “We were very successful; we had a lot of participation, however more on the entertainment side of the events such as the pub,” he said. “Next year, we hope to have more talks and discussions, especially at the beginning of February. We need more student participation on an informative angle of Black History Month, which we have been lacking at [University of Toronto]. Overall, though, it was a successful event.” Participation in the Caribbean Connections Culture Day Show and other celebrations was substantial. Sherry Parris, a step performer and fourth-year anthropology student, said, “This presentation is important because it is a display of Black culture and Black history and other cultures as well. A lot of time and effort were put into each of these events to make this month a time of celebration and acknowledgement, focusing on more of the positive aspects and contributions made to society by Africans and African Americans. Overall, it was evident that the Caribbean Culture Show did what it intended to do. It showcased Caribbean culture and in doing so raised money for a non-profit tutoring organization.” Danielle Minghella is a student at the University of Toronto. This article first appeared on March 1, 2004 in The Medium at http://medium.sa.utoronto.ca. This website: Copyright © 2004 Dream World Media, LLC. / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. 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