Highlights of 2014
January 4, 2015
African Film Festival
September 14, 2015

Welcome to Leicester

On Saturday 24th Januaryย I was invited toย Leicesterย in the east midlandsย to deliver a presentation about the Ghanaian Cultural Experience. The train from St Pancras only tookย aprox 1hr.ย ย I was joined by Jide, Grace, Michael and Ashanti who were part of the 2014ย Ghana group. We were met by Lois and Joyce who live in Leicester, and theyย tookย us for aย stroll around the town centre and shopping mall before finding aย place to eat.

Leicester Presentation (1)ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

After lunch we took a short walk to the African Caribbean Centre which is very nice and consists of a Cafรฉ Lounge, Dance Studio, Main hall and seminar and meeting rooms where singing, steel pan, hair braiding, martial arts, ย keepfit and black studies classes take place.

Leicester Presentation (3)

At the entrance ofย the foyer area isย a glass cabinet displayingย aย very large 8 headed Ghanaian unity carving. The carving is aย genius interlocking sculpture made from one single piece of tree trunk either sese or cedar wood.

Leicester Presentation (4)

ย I loved the mirage painted onย the wallย in the dance studio which represented positive community representatives. Thereย was also aย mirrored wall, which I was told I could use to conduct aย head wrap workshop in the near future.

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In the cafรฉ area was aย banner displaying information about the Leicester Windrush Project. They wish to create a documentary to acknowledge the history of Caribbean people and their contribution to Leicester’s heritage.

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The workshop was organised by Lois McNab who currently runs a Black Studies group in Leicester. Lois, her daughter, mum, sisterย and friendย Hazel were part of the Ghanaian 2014 group.ย ย Everyone gaveย a testimonial about their experience, highlights, gratitude, after thoughts, memories of the activities, ceremonies and journey encounters of each region they visited.

Leicester Presentation (10)

 

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There was a lot of interest in the next Ghanaian Cultural Experience which takes place in November 2015. If you would like to join us then please send an email to info@thecalabashhub.com withย your name as an expression of interest by February 20th 2015.

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