Buffalo's weather is steadily deteriorating, but the African heat will soon overtake Buffalo's chill for a night of food, fun and fashion. This weekend students will have the opportunity to eat Jollof, wear a dashiki and dance to traditional African music, regardless of their heritage.
The African Student Association is hosting an event that will immerse attendees in African culture, while offering them a chance to experience some of Africa's most tasteful dishes.
On Oct. 29 the ASA will host their annual Hair and Fashion Show on South Campus in Harriman Hall. One of the biggest events that the ASA hosts, they are expecting to uphold and surpass their attendance records from the past.
"The event will be a great way for students of both African and non-African heritage to be educated on all aspects of African culture," said Joyce Eleda, the president of the ASA.
The show will consist of traditional African cuisine, clothing and hairstyles. Because this is the ASA's biggest event of the year, they will be flying in a designer from New York City to assist with the fashion aspect of the show.
Booking the designer is expensive, but something the ASA feels is necessary to add a professional and stylish aspect to the show.
Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the door for the Oct. 29 show at 6:30 p.m. With over 500 people attending last year's show, the ASA expects to rake in lots of cash. And while they certainly make money hosting the show, they also give back.
"A portion of the show's profits will be donated to various charities, some benefiting the education of children in Africa," said Eric Acquaye, vice-president of the ASA.
The fashion show will be divided into five different categories, each featuring a different style of clothing. The show will include traditional African clothing, business wear, casual wear, eveningwear and wedding wear. The models chosen to strut this year's fashions will come from both the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College.
Every year the show takes on a different theme. This year the ASA has chosen a Golden Roots theme for the show.
"You can expect to see lots of gold. We will be incorporating it into the fabrics and the decorations," said Eleda.
The hair for the show will showcase various techniques of styling African hair, including the art of tying knots, and will include all kinds of hair scarves. The hairstyles will coordinate with the various categories of clothing.
Although not a main focus of the show, dinner will also be served. Recipes from all countries in Africa, rich and flavorful, will be rediscovered.
For $7, the ASA will have many exciting and rare dishes such as Chin Chin, a traditional pastry, and Kenke, a Ghanian treat. More common foods like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese will be served too.
"A lot of traditional African cuisine is spicy, so we will probably tone down the recipes so that everyone can enjoy it," said Chinaza Egbuda, a sophomore biochemistry major.
Egbuda will be cooking with a team of six other girls who will all be working carefully to make large amounts of food.
There will be a lot of people feasting on all the wonderful recipes, but the ASA is ordering out some of the food so they can provide food for more people. The Palm Tree Restaurant will be helping with some of the basics.
While the ASA strives to provide entertainment for students, they hope that the event will serve a dual purpose. The crowd is usually a mix of ethnicities and that it just how they like it.
"Our goal is to educate both African and non-African people about African culture," said Acquaye.
Eleda agreed.
"We also want to break down stereotypes," she said.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
