Africa in the Western Spaces

 Things continued to happen slowly. One of them is building community and support network, which mostly happens through private get-togethers and public festivals. Like everywhere for immigrants within the Western metropolis, there is such tradition in Madison. It’s Africa in food, music, dance and clothing. Within the community there exists, however, the jollof rice war between Nigeria and sub-Sahara of the continent, notably Ghana and Senegal. 

It was my second week. The next few days would see Africa Fest in Madison, a gathering of Africa and her friends with cultural exhibits, entertainment, dance and food.  I did not expect to see a large population of Hausa people but I hope to meet one person. I must definitely go there to meet fellow Africans, Nigerians, and particularly someone from the North.

                                                    
 

Africa is so similar that you can be forgiven for mixing one country and people with another except for the national flags at the kiosks. However, Nigerians are distinguishable by their Nigerian pidgin and accent, and their tendency for dominance. 

I saw Fulani sombrero from Gambia and Uganda and some little cultural artifacts from almost all the countries that I used to see in my grandmother’s room. What warmed my heart was the sight of a Northern Nigerian woman. From her dress I could tell she was from either Kaduna or Katsina (look closely at the background in the video). I battled the urge to walk up to her. I didn’t know how to start. An idea was cooking up in my head. I would just walk up and speak to her in Hausa to spring up a surprise on her! Being someone deeply concerned about faux pax, I gave my idea a second thought, pointed to the group of women and asked Michael about the nationality of the women. It turned out they’re from Senegal. 

L-R: Me, Tolu, Hannah, Michael, Nneoma

 

A few days later one of them named Astu hosted Senegalese dinner for the African community. Such events, like I said, are meant for veterans to welcome new comers. They’re helpful in the process of settling in new arrivals. Most of them went through similar process and wanted to pass the baton. Few people would fail to extend such gesture to someone going forward.

Discussion followed after eating as in the American culture of social event: foody first before anything else. In Nigeria, people hang around meaninglessly and pretend they don’t care. Also, in the US people are encouraged to pack away the food after events, because, as they always say, who would eat if you leave the food? Doing that in Nigeria would cause you being associated with negative social baggage. Packing away the food comes as a relief for the real and technically-made bachelors like Theophilus, because – you’re right if you’re guessing – “you don’t have to cook for some days” as he told me last night after a social event.   

I sat down with Astu and had a conversation with her. I was fascinated by the similarities between her Senegalese people and Northern Nigeria. The connection is obviously way beyond skin color. We tried to figure out. Maybe because of Islam, but more so because of Sheik Nyass, a Senegalese who is wildly popular among Nigerian Muslims. 

I told her that my friends in Nigeria travel to Senegal every year for the Sheik’s Maulud. She told me that her brother in Senegal is called Abubakar. I told her in return that my sister in Kano is her namesake. Aisha being Astu in Senegalese variety. Oh, it’s so sweet. There was a girl with Chadian descent in my neighborhood named Ashta.

I had set my mind to not to expect many Northerners here, but I was sad by not seeing anyone at the festival, which speaks about their presence not only in Madison but in most Western spaces. Many factors are at play here, including religious and cultural and something weak around good enough social hustling. But generally, people in the North majorly return home after whatever they did abroad.  

I am not overly inclined to ethnic leaning, but it will be great if I could find a family that can dress like me, cook and eat my cultural food and with whom, like everyone, I can abandon the English language and converse in my native tongue.

 

Madison, WI