Reflections on Festac ‘77

Feb 16, 2017 Samuel Features 0

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Black Artists, writers, scholars and activists have for many years been engaged in forums aimed at promoting Black and African civilization.

The first internationally known forum was the 1st Congress of Black Artists and Writers held in 1956 in Paris. It was organized by the African Society for Culture. Three years later 2nd Congress took place in Rome, during this Congress it was decided that Festivals be organized to bring together Black Artists, writers, and other men of Culture.

In 1996, President Leopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal, with the help of the African Society for Culture, organized the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar. During this Festival, there was a Colloquium on the theme: ‘Function And Significance of Negro African Art in the Life of the Masses and For the Masses! The First Festival and this Colloquium accomplished the promises and hopes of the 1956 and 1959 Congress. It also affirmed the sovereign of Black peoples over their structural heritage.

At the end of the First Festival in 1996, Nigeria was invited to host the Second Festival in 1970. Nigeria accepted the invitation, but because of the internal situation in the country, it was not possible to hold the Festival that year.

At the end of the Nigerian Civil War, the matter was resuscitated, and the Festival was rescheduled to be held at end of 1975. But consequent on changes in the Federal Military Government of Nigeria (the host Government) in July, 1975, the Festival was postponed ‘in view of the obvious difficulties in providing all necessary facilities.’ The Festival now holds from January 15th to 12th February, 977.

AIMS OF FESTIVAL

The principal aims of the festival are:

• + To ensure the revival, resurgence, propagation and promotion of Black and African culture and Black and African cultural values and civilization.
• + To present Black and African culture in its highest and widest conception;
• + To bring to light the diverse contributions of Black and African people to the universal currents of thought and arts;
• + To promote Black and African artists, performers and writers and facilitate their world acceptance and their access to world outlets;
• + To promote better international and interracial understanding.
• + To facilitate a period ‘return to origin’ in Africa by Black artists, writers and performers uprooted to other continents.

FESTIVAL COMMITTEES

The governing body for the Festival is the International Festival Committee representing the present 16 festival zones into which the Black African World has been divided. This Committee technically includes the Patron of the Festival – His Excellency, Lt-General Olusegun Obasanjo, Head of State of NIGERIA. He does not participate in the meetings of the committee but full reports are forward to him by the President of the Committee. Commander Ochegomie Promise Fingesi, Nigeria’s Federal Commissioner for Special Duties.

THE FESTAC PARTICIPANTS

(South America Zone) Republic of Brazil, (Caribbean Zone) Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba Surinam, Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua, Grenada, (USA/Canada Zone) Canada U.S.A. Festival Committee (Europe Zone) Germany (Austral Asia Zone) Australia (Eastern Africa Zone) Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Mauritius (Southern African Zone) Zambia Swaziland (East Africa  Community Zone) Kenya, Uganda,Tanzania (Central Africa Zone I) Zaire (Central Africa Zone II) Cameroons, Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea (West Africa ‘Anglophone’ Zone) Liberia, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria (West Africa ‘Francophone’ Zone 1) Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau (West Africa ‘Francophone’ Zone II) Ivory Coast, Niger, Benin, Togo, Guinea (North Africa Zone) Egypt, Libya, Morocco. (Central Africa Zone I) Central African Empire (West Africa ‘Francophone’ Zone I) Mali (East Africa Zone) Malagasy (North the Africa Zone) Tunisia, Algeria (Newly Independent States) Mozambique, Angola (Liberation Movements) Zimbabwe, Namibia, A4zania.

FESTIVAL EVENTS (Exhibitions)

Africa and the History of man, Black Contribution to Science, Technology and Invention, Books, Costumes, Domestic Arts, Handicrafts, Liberation Movements, Mounted Animals, Musical Instruments, Star Country Ethiopia, Nigerian National Exhibition, Brazilian National Exhibition, the influence of African art on European Art (Dances) Traditional African Dances, Traditional Afro-American, Traditional Caribbean,  Traditional Australian, Contemporary Dance Theatre, Modern Dance, Ballet (Music) Traditional African Music, Traditional African-American Music, Traditional African-Latin American Music, Traditional Afro-Caribbean Music, Traditional Australasian Music, Modern African Music, Modern African-American Music, Modern Afro-Latin American Music, Modern Afro-Caribbean Music, Modern Australasian Music (Drama) Tragedy, Comedy, Poetic Recitals, Shows revolving around Fables and Legends, Humoristic, Children’s Shows, Pantomime (Films) Feature Films Short Length Films, Children’s Films, Cartons, Documentary Films (Literature) Poetry, Essays, Novels, Short Stories, Fables and Legends, Texts for Children (The Colloquium) the theme of the colloquium is BLACK CIVILIZATION AND EDUCATION. This has been divided into the following ten sub-themes: Black Civilization and the Arts, Black Civilization and Philosophy, Black Civilization and Philosophy, Black Civilization and Literature, Black Civilization and African Languages, Black Civilization and Historical Awareness, Black Civilization and Pedagogy, Black Civilization and Sciences and Technics, Black Civilization and Mass Media, Black Civilization and African Governments (I) Ali

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• Art, Nigeria