With drastic improvement clearly noticed in the organization of FetAfrik 2013, the FetAfrik Organizing Committee has announced the 2014 edition of this celebration will be driven by a breath of fresh air.
In the last couple of weeks, the committee has been working hard to keep FetAfrik 2014 and event that will make Seychelles proud, as it sits now firmly on the Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s annual calendar of events.
Unveiling FetAfrik 2014 to the Seychelles media, Alain St.Ange, the Minister for Tourism and Culture, said FetAfrik 2014 is the annual opportunity for Seychelles to celebrate its cultural ties with the African continent.
“The time has come for us to again celebrate our link with mainland Africa. For this FetAfrik, we will see the participation of different groups from Africa. This is to ensure that we appreciate our very own cultural diversity as we see what the world showcases as their own,” Alain St.Ange, the Minister for Tourism and Culture said.
This year, the FetAfrik Organizing Committee is bringing from Kenya, DJ Kalonje, a reference in the DJ industry in Africa, to showcase his art of mastering beat juggling and scratching.
Clinching the CHAT Award for best DJ of the year, two years running (2010-2011), George Waweru, alias DJ Kalonje, one of the most sought-after DJs in Africa, is sure to bring some serious beats to FetAfrik.
From the African Great Lakes region of East Africa, the Organizing Committee has also been able to get from the West Coast of Africa, in particular Niger, a hidden pearl in the fashion industry. He is called Alphadi. Some even go as far as dubbing him the “Magician of the Desert,” because of his masterful collections. Alphadi needs no introduction. His works can be seen so easily on Google search engines. As famous as he may be in Europe and Africa, Seychelles is yet to be familiarized with Sidahmed Seidnaly’s collection “Alphadi line.”
Sidahmed Seidnaly’s sophisticated and brilliant collection combines his Touareg root with contemporary western techniques.
Alphadi’s achievements have enabled him to collect numerous titles: Knight of the Order of Merits in France, Commander of Arts and Culture in Niger, and Best African Designer Award by the prestigious French Federation of Haute Couture and Pret a Porter.
Alphadi’s collection will be modeled by Seychelles’ Coral Models’ charming ladies at this year’s Gala Dinner and promises to elevate this edition to a new level.
The Organizing Committee of FetAfrik wants to strike again with the concept of the Gala Dinner, a success of last year’s edition. The stars of the night, besides Alphadi, will be an international chef from Zambia, Musama Kaloto Chamunda, who runs two restaurants in Zambia under the brand of Twapandula Restaurant Limited. A musical band is also being attracted to come to this year’s FetAfrik, but details of this have yet to be revealed by the Committee.
The popular African Bazaar will also return this year with a kaleidoscopic of artifacts. The African Bazaar is the ideal platform for the African community living in Seychelles to revisit their cultural artifacts and showcase them to the public.
FetAfrik is all about the fusion of African and Creole culture. This concept is more than ever apparent in the 2014 edition. The official opening is designed to show the celebrations of both cultures. Whereas on a more serious note, the FetAfrik 2014 cultural talk will explore “African Influence in the Indian Ocean.”
The event will launch on May 22-25 and will culminate with a Gospel Show to celebrate Africa Day.
FetAfrik 2014 is a celebration of Africa’s success stories.
Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .
