African Awareness Month 2023 will continue to be celebrated at schools across Barbados.
The St. Margaret’s Primary School will host its activities on Monday, February 20, and Tuesday, February 21, under the theme: African Pride. Two highlights of the celebrations will be a presentation by a Ghanaian resident here on life in Ghana, and an African dress and hairstyles competition.
Also on Tuesday, February 21, Ignatius Byer Primary will celebrate African Awareness Day under the theme Celebrating our African Heritage. The school’s focus will be on countries along the west coast of Africa, and children will display items on their select country in the hall.
The following day, Wednesday, February 22, Queen’s College will host its annual Heritage and Cultural Day. Cultural celebrations will take place from 11:30 a.m. until 2:35 p.m. Activities will include a Best-Cultural Wear Competition, Natural Hair Competition, henna/face painting; heritage/traditional games and a concert.
At Luther Thorne Memorial Primary, there will be a Hooray for Africa Parade on Monday, February 27, where students will parade art pieces and listen to African-influenced music. The event starts at 2:00 p.m. On Tuesday, February 28, students will continue their celebrations with a Hooray for Africa Extravaganza, where they will dress in African garb and engage in hair and dress competitions. The day will also see the sale of African-influenced dishes and natural fruit juices, and entertainment by various guest artistes.
Also on Monday, February 27, West Terrace Primary will host its African Awareness Day under the theme: Africa: From East To West. It will feature a Warri tournament, a King and Queen of Africa Competition and a Bring Yuh Bucket Drumming Workshop. It begins at 9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, February 28, has been designated as African Awareness Day at St Elizabeth Primary. This year, the school will be focusing on Tanzania and children will have the opportunity to display a poster or model on interesting places and art/craft of that country. Students are expected to dress in suitable African attire, wear African hairstyles, and model these outfits.
Olga Millar Nursery School, at Farm Gardens, St. Philip, will also host its annual African Awareness Day & Cultural Celebration on Tuesday, February 28, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The pupils will model their African clothing and partake in various food items and other products that will be on sale. There will be poetry, singing and dancing, as well as an exhibit of work produced by students.
The Erdiston Special School will also celebrate African Awareness Day on Tuesday, February 28 with activities that include drumming demonstrations, head dress demonstration (various ways of tying the head), a hairstyle competition for girls and a fashion parade where students model their African outfits. The children will also be exposed to Afro beats during a Music Awareness session.