Roots Homecoming Festival
Roots Homecoming Festival is the name of a festival that is celebrated every two years in the West African state of Gambia .
The idea of the festival is based on the success of the book Roots by the American author Alex Haley . In the semi-fictional book, Haley tells his family story beginning with the kidnapping of Kunta Kinte from the Gambia Valley in the middle of the 18th century and his subsequent life and that of his descendants as slaves in the United States . The festival is now to commemorate the time of enslavement and the transport of millions of Africans to America. In addition, the week-long festival takes place every two years, usually in June. At this festival the traditional Gambian culture is extensively cultivated and presented to the guests. Including the music, dances, handicrafts and the arts. In addition to the President of Gambia, who is regularly present, numerous tourists from Europe and the United States take part in the activities. Most of the people from America are Afro-Americans who want to know more about their own past and the African diaspora . The Roots Homecoming Festival is organized by the Department of State for Tourism and Culture, and Minister Susan Waffa-Ogoo played a key role in the development.
The festival first took place two years after the 1994 military coup in May 1996. In February 2011 the festival will take place for the tenth time.
literature
- Craig Emms, Linda Barnett, Richard Human: The Gambia. The Bradt Travel Guide (= Bradt Travel Guide ). 2nd edition. Bradt Travel Guides, Chalfont St. Peter 2006, ISBN 1-84162-137-4 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bala Garba Jahumpa appointed secretary of state for foreign affairs ( Memento of the original from October 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. statehousenews.info; October 25, 2006
- ↑ 10th International Roots Festival opens ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. The Daily Observer (online) February 7, 2011
