Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

The Art of Africa

Abissa, a celebration of African culture, promises exciting performances, including traditional dances, singing and poetry readings, as well as a fashion show with Georgetown students modeling clothes by designers like Alphadi.
COURTESY NAA ADJELEY KOME-MENSAH

Abissa, a celebration of African culture, promises exciting performances, including traditional dances, singing and poetry readings, as well as a fashion show with Georgetown students modeling clothes by designers like Alphadi.

On Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., the African Society of Georgetown will open the Lohrfink Auditorium doors to usher in the waiting Washington, D.C. community. At 8 p.m., performances will begin, weaving together a web of cultural African experiences into a vibrant two-hour show. This is Abissa, an annual Georgetown version of the celebrated traditional festival that still thrives along the Ivory Coast.

So what exactly is Abissa? Naa Adjeley Kome-Mensah (SFS ’16), one of the event coordinators for the ASG, describes the two-way relationship of the performers and the audience.

“In Ghana, ‘Abissa’ means ‘to ask.’ Abissa is the audience asking for what our African culture is, and it is us giving it to them and explaining what it means to us.”

Naa-Shorme Aidoo (COL ’14), another event coordinator, speaks of her own experience with this powerful reciprocal exchange.

“I was definitely shocked the first year that we did Abissa when we were setting up and I looked into the audience. I knew I was putting in a lot of work, but I didn’t know that everybody was going to show interest. It was a very vibrant crowd. The fact that I looked out and the house was packed with a diverse group really showed me that Georgetown was interested in learning something new and experiencing the different cultures that are out there.”

Abissa is a dialogue between two cultures. It is an expression of African identity that manifests within the music, words, movements and clothing of the various performers. Through this diverse sensory experience, the audience can sample many of the rich African forms dispersed throughout the community.

Artistic Director Binta Ceesay (NHS ’14) outlines the breakdown of the event.

“We have a three-part fashion show, mixed in between various other performances which include dance, singing, stepping and spoken word.”

From a cappella and gospel to clothing and comedy, Abissa is a culmination of the complex components of African society. Performers and models living throughout D.C, Maryland and Virginia are drawn to the event to showcase their talents and pay homage to their heritage, combining their efforts to create a cohesive and intricate picture of African life.

Courtesy Naa Adjeley Kome-Mensah
COURTESY NAA ADJELEY KOME-MENSAH

While the event strives to preserve the distinct traits that make up this African community, it also experiments in ways that sometimes break from tradition. President Jescinta Izevbigie (SFS ’14) elaborates on this modern touch.

“The show is Africa re-envisioned. Through fashion, I’m hoping the audience really sees that African style is constantly changing and evolving, and it’s progressing in a way that’s definitely a lot more modernized today. Different individuals are incorporating African elements into different forms and cultures. You’re definitely going to see a conglomeration of traditional forms and mediums with a more modern twist. That’s what’s so cool about Abissa, that it shows you a more transformative view of African culture.”

Peppered throughout the fashion show are other equally attention-grabbing acts. “We have music performances. We have dances, and we have spoken word as well. We have an African-inspired ballet, interpretive dance and an African-themed step team performance,” Kome-Mensah said.

Pulling from so many different sources, Abissa still maintains a sense of unity through the underlying pride of the individual performers. It is a menagerie of art forms, each separate piece working as a brush stroke to paint a grander picture of the African identity.

At first glance, Abissa may seem intimidating to an outsider. With a core centered on African values, it’s hard to imagine someone outside of the culture easily interacting with those within. Yet an exchange between races is one of the primary goals that the coordinators are hoping to achieve.

Courtesy Naa Adjeley Kome-Mensah
COURTESY NAA ADJELEY KOME-MENSAH

“We don’t just limit ourselves to the African American community. We branch out, so we have Indians, Caucasians and people of Latin American descent in the fashion show. The models are very diverse,” Kome-Mensah said.

The event is designed to welcome participants and audiences alike into an open African community. It promotes interactions across traditional cultural boundaries in exciting, new ways.

“You don’t have to be African to come,” Izevbigie said. “You don’t have to know anything about Africa. We’re really trying to raise awareness about our culture in the Georgetown community. It’s the best way to bridge cultural gaps and divides. Who doesn’t like free food, music, dance and fashion?”

Whether you’re celebrating your African heritage or curious about an unfamiliar culture, Abissa is an event welcome to all. It is a one-night wonder of immersion into the spirit of an African lifestyle that thrives within the student body. It brings the treasures of a different continent right to our doorstep at the bargain price of nothing, freely offering its cultural gifts to anyone curious enough to try it out. Abissa is a cultural celebration and an enlightening experience, and it is this deceptively small source of diversity that leaves one of the greatest impacts on the Georgetown community.

 

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