Anancy Festival is a celebration of Caribbean cultural heritage designed to appeal to children and families curious about the Caribbean. Anancy (also known as Anansi or Ananse) is the West African trickster hero of folk tales familiar to millions of people around the world.
Words and stories are an important part of Caribbean culture. Caribbean people’s love of words evolves into the beautiful storytelling that gathers a family together, the man-to-man “reasoning” conversation about issues in the community, and even the “labrish” that humors a set of friends. So, a folk hero like Anancy is an appropriate icon for the festival that makes the Caribbean accessible to South Florida families.
“We have sponsored this event because it provides children and adults with lively and entertaining access to Caribbean culture and history and because one of our past students, Xavier Murphy, is co-organizer of the festival,” says Ray Stephenson, president of the Florida Chapter of the Jamaica College Old Boys’ Association.
Deirdre Benka-Coker, president of the Florida chapter of the St. Andrew Old Girls’ Association notes that “Outside of reggae music, the Caribbean’s rich cultural heritage is often unfamiliar to youngsters of Caribbean descent as well as families in the broader community who have never lived in the region. Anancy Festival is a welcomed presence on the South Florida cultural landscape.” Benka-Coker adds that “The Association is especially proud that our alumna, Dr. Andrea Shaw, is one of the organizers.
Xavier Murphy, owner/webmaster of Jamaicans.com, founded the Anancy Festival. Jamaicans.com is the leading Internet website for all things Jamaican. It averages over 1.75 million hits per month. Since 1995, it has served the Jamaican community in Jamaica and overseas, as well as the ever-expanding market of tourists interested in visiting the island of Jamaica. His co-organizer is Dr. Andrea Shaw, assistant director and assistant professor in the Division of Humanities at Nova Southeastern University. She is a scholar of Caribbean and African Diaspora studies and author of The Embodiment of Disobedience: Fat Black Women’s Unruly Political Bodies. She is also a creative writer.
This event is free to the public and co-sponsored by the Broward Libraries and Jamaicans.com. Confirmed performances include:
Film Screening: “Ananse and Bald Head Chicky”
Miss Jamaica Florida Participants
Musical Performers: The Jamaica Folk Revue and Pianist Beryl Johnson
Storytellers: Geoffrey Philp, author of Grandpa’s Anancy Stories, Dawn Price, author of Run to Freedom, and the acclaimed Father Easton Lee, author of Heritage Call: Ballad of Children of the Dragon.
The Anancy Festival is on Saturday, June 26 from 1 – 5 PM at the South Broward Regional Library at Broward College located at 7300 Pines Boulevard, Pembroke Pine, Florida 33024.
For more information, please visit the website: http://www.anancyfestival.com
ABOUT THE ST. ANDREW OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION FLORIDA INC.
The Florida chapter of the St. Andrew Old Girls’ Association is just over 20 years old. Through the years, the association has continued to promote its original aims and objectives by providing financial support for St. Andrew High and facilitating social interaction among past students of the school. The association is involved in various fundraising activities, and the proceeds go towards the specific needs of the school, its students, and its teachers, past & present, so that they may all truly experience a “Life More Abundant.”
ABOUT THE JAMAICA COLLEGE OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA
The Jamaica College Old Boys’ Association of Florida was established in 2004 as a 501(c) (3). The association is committed to upholding the traditions of excellence of Jamaica College as one of the foremost educational institution in Jamaica and to supporting the academic development of current Jamaica College students as well as its alumni.
ABOUT JAMAICANS.COM
Jamaicans.com is the leading Internet website for all things Jamaican. It averages over 1.75 million hits per month. The site has been in operation since 1995 and serves the Jamaican community in Jamaica and overseas, as well as the ever-expanding market of visitors interested in vacationing on the island of Jamaica.
The site provides a wealth of information on travel and vacation opportunities for visitors and the culture of the beautiful and vibrant island of Jamaica. There are extensive guides to Jamaica’s “patois” (pronounced patwah) language and to Jamaican music. There is also a large database of Jamaican recipes. The most active area of the site is the Community Bulletin Board. Many regular visitors to the site use the Community Bulletin Board to maintain contact with other Jamaicans living all over the world, including Jamaica. They also use the board to research travel options for trips back to the island to visit their families and friends.
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Press Contact
Xavier Murphy
Dr. Andrea Shaw
info@anancyfestival.com
Jamaicans.com
18459 Pines Boulevard, # 173
Hollywood, FL 33029
Phone: (954) 430-8736
