By ETEOBONG ITA, Germany

Stringent COVID-19 restrictions such as the mandatory wearing of FFP2 masks in public spaces, imposed social distancing rules and required antigen tests are to an extent now relaxed, bringing a measure of normalcy and much welcomed relief to many across Germany. Also, summer has officially arrived, with many people enjoying sunny days and warm temperatures across the country.

Situated in Dortmund city Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW), Dietrich-Keuning-Haus (DKH) is a cultural event centre and district-oriented meeting place. In terms of governance structure, NRW is a parliamentary republic and partially a sovereign member-state within the Federal Republic of Germany. With an estimated population of 17.9 million inhabitants, NRW is Germany’s most populous state.

Hosted at DKH, this year’s Afro-Ruhr-Festival spanned three colourful days – June 24 to 26m 2022 – as the festival offered live music shows such as afro-beat, gospel, soul music, reggae, and afro-pop. Musical ensembles featured artists from Senegal, Ghana, and performers like the Natty Marbell Otumfuo entertainment and acrobatic group, Etnia y Folclor Colombia (EFC) – a traditional Colombian dance group.

Equally on offer was an African bazaar, workshops and club evenings including reading sessions, cinema and visual art shows depicting a cornucopia of positive narratives from the African continent. Alongside a variety of recipes inspired by the African Continent, visitors enjoyed dishes prepared by natives from the various participating countries like Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Senegal. Other attractions showcased a variety of products with vibrant colours and designs i.e. clothing, crafts, shoes, accessories, carpets, lamps, furniture and sculptures carved from wood and native materials, as well as stunning paintings by international artisans and artists.

While many visitors said the food was very tasty, one visitor from Cuba of which I had the privilege of speaking with complained that a dish of rice with fish sold at 10 Euro was costly. “An addition of some salad and a can of soft drink could have made the price somewhat reasonable,” the Cuban added. I shared the Cuban’s comment with a Senegalese food vendor who said the price of food items, transportation and even cooking oil had spiked. Moreover, he must buy the paper plates on which the meals are served, purchase ingredients like spices, which he needs to source from the African, Asian, and Turkish markets in Germany. Furthermore, besides preparing the food, which requires much effort and time, he must pay a 500 Euro deposit to the festival organisers. At the end of the festival, when his stall has been disassembled and the area cleaned, the festival organisers refund 50 Euro. Arguably, pegged against the sum covering the rental space for his stall over the three-day period, a 10 Euro charge for the food is reasonable, and allows him to recover his costs with a bit of profit, he remarked.

Europe’s largest and oldest festival of African music and culture was hosted in Würtzburg Germany in 1989. Since then more than 7,000 musicians and artists from 56 African countries and the Caribbean have performed, with over 2.5 million visitors. In 2002, the city of Stuttgart in Germany began celebrating its own legendary Africa Festival at the Erwin-Schöttle-Platz. Regrettably the last two festivals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however Stuttgart is geared up for this year’s festival from July 8 to 10, and it promises not to disappoint.

On Saturday 25 June, 2022 the “Parade of Diversity” under the motto “Diversity in Unity” commenced at 10 a.m. Anyone wishing to partake in the peaceful march was welcomed. Participants gathered at Dortmund’s Friedensplatz (Peace Square), from where they marched and danced through the city centre to the DKH. Captivating drum rhythms of the group Mama Limbo, the hip-hop dance group Gentlemen Club from Dortmund including groups from various nations such as the Bali Cultural Association, Tamil Art Association, and the Auslandsgesellschaft were represented.

This feature article is dedicated with love and respect in memory of Née Ida Bell Wells-Barnett, an African American investigative journalist, educator, civil rights leader and one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).

•Ita is an Environment Consultant and Independent Journalist.