African Night

NCV is home to students from 50 different nations. Included among these are a number of residents from Africa, and in particular from Nigeria, Kenya, Mauritius, Uganda & Egypt. On the 17th September, a group of our African students hosted the inaugural “NCV Africa Night”, which was aimed at showcasing the art, culture, language, music and food of the African continent.

To start the evening, residents were welcomed in the local languages of Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Mauritius. This was followed by an opportunity to enjoy some of the sumptuous food which had been prepared by the organising team. Lyz Murago and Wangari Muchiri, both from Kenya, introduced all the different dishes with some background on what they were made from and how to eat them.

Once residents were settled with their food, the African students performed a short drama based on an traditional African folktale about the origin of thunder. This was followed by a sing-along in Swahili, which was introduced to the attendees by Senior Academic Tutor Mark Dixon, who had formerly worked in Africa aboard one of the Mercy Ships. Patience Mbabazi, from Uganda, then explained some of the traditional jewellery of Africa.

The night continued with poetry, African tea and coffee, music and dance. To conclude the night, everyone joined in for an “African Shuffle”. It was fantastic to leave the evening knowing a bit more about where many of our residents come from. It is hoped that there will be more opportunities to showcase different ethnic groups and nationalities of NCV at similar events in the future.

Above: Residents of NCV doing the African Shuffle

African Night