Black History Month Celebration goes Friday

Feb 22, 2020 | 7:00 AM

February is Black History month, and the Grande Prairie Intercultural Association is hosting an event to mark the month.

Coordinator of the Association, Maureen Edomwonyi, says the celebration, which goes on Friday, will provide some history of the black communities in Canada.

“Black History Month is a time to learn about the Canadian story, and the many contributions of Black Canadians to the settlement, growth, and development of Canada, and about the diversity of black communities in Canada, and their importance to the history of this country.”

The event, which runs from 1-5 p.m. on Friday at the Rotary Community Room in the Grande Prairie Public Library, will feature displays, an elder blessing, presentations, a dance performance, and more.

The Grande Prairie Intercultural Association has a wide umbrella, and celebrates all cultures, and has members of Indigenous, Asian, European and African descent. Edomwonyi says having many members provides more opportunity for people to learn about other cultures, or about their own culture.

“Being an African, for example, you might not know every culture embodied in African culture, except maybe if you meet somebody from Somalia, or from Nigeria or from Togo. [The Association provides] an opportunity to learn about all cultures, and showcase it to the world.”

Edomwonyi was born and raised in Nigeria. She and her husband moved to Canada in 2005, and have been in Grande Prairie for the past 10 years.

She’s been involved in the group for the past few years, and says the membership has seen growth, but even more involvement would be beneficial in promoting awareness, tolerance, understanding and acceptance.

by Liam Verster