Saturday will bring celebration of diversity in the form of African Night 2009.  The event is a celebration that has been entitled “Slap Back to Africa” in an effort to catch and grab students’ attention. The theme will be explained through a comedic tongue-in-cheek skit of two kids that do not value their heritage and roots. The skit will be incorporated with others into a variety show displaying African traditions.

The African Student Union, a student organization that seeks to inform and educate about the culture and history of Africa, will be hosting the event.  The student organization is open to everybody who wants to learn about African cultures and its membership is very diverse.  They even shot a promotional video that is available for viewing on YouTube.

African Night is a family event that will show the positive side of Africa. The African Student Union feels the media portrays the continent in a negative way.  With the coverage of pirates in Somalia and turmoil in Darfur, African Night is designed to be a chance to intimately view the cultures and traditions of many African nations.

The African Night is not a new event — there have been other similar events that evolved to what will happen Saturday. Former NCSU student, Grammy Award Winning Producer 9th Wonder recalled “back in the spring of 1996, we called it Blackout, we had Wu-Tang Clan and KRS-One in Reynolds Coliseum, lots of panels, art expos, speeches, everything, it’s not the same now.”

“It was a great time on campus to celebrate my black heritage and having meaningful programs that showcased talents. From the parade to the gospel concert to the Cookout/Concert, it was a week of celebration not separation,” Vernetta DaeVane, a 1996 graduate, said. “Students from other campuses came and enjoyed the activities. And it was always refreshing to see other students of other races learning about black culture. I remember it fondly,”

Segen Fishastion, co-president of the African Student Union, said African Night will include a fashion show, poetry, a lot of dancing and other displays of student talent. She hopes that the event will show the beauty and culture of Africa.

For the first time ever, African Night will also feature a North African belly dancing troupe and South African gumboot dancing. The event will have dancing styles from all parts of the continent. There will also be an African Idol spoof , an HIV/AIDS awareness presentation and other surprises.

Isaac Owolabi, co-president of the African Student Union, said the goal of African Night is “to bring everyone in laughing and crying and to come out with more knowledge of Africa than when they came in.”

African Night 2009 will be at the Talley Student Center Ballroom on March 28. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. They are available at Ticket Central or www.ncsu.edu/ticketcentral.