When Lucy Mungarevaani, an aerospace engineering sophomore from Zimbabwe, began studying at Wichita State University, she said she struggled to understand who she was and where she belonged in the context of a new country.
“Coming here, it was kind of hard,” Mungarevaani said. “I, personally, kind of struggled a little bit, (wondering) like, ‘OK, who am I?’”
Mungarevaani, like more than 100 other African and Caribbean students at Wichita State, found the community she was searching for in the African Caribbean Student Association (ACSA). The group, comprised of students from more than 50 different African countries and 30 different Caribbean regions and countries, hosted its annual Afro Karribbean Night on Nov. 16 to share this spirit of community and help students feel more like themselves.
“It’s mostly for us to celebrate our culture,” Mungarevaani said. “It’s a reminder, more or less, while you’re here, away from home, (to just) embrace it … (and feel) like, ‘Yeah, this is me.’”
More than two dozen students waved their nation’s flags, showcased traditional dance moves and displayed their pride in the flag walk that kicked off the evening’s activities. From Morocco to Zambia, students paraded in a blend of traditional and black-tie dress. Karabo Ndahura, the treasurer of ACSA, said the flag walk, followed by fun facts about each country, helped increase awareness of the many diverse African and Caribbean countries.
“It puts all the cultures out there,” Ndahura said. “Because there’s so many African countries that we know like Nigeria (and) Ghana, but there’s more to Africa than just those two countries. And also, like, the Caribbean (is) more than just Jamaica.”
After the flag walk, students wore their best traditional garb and strutted down the center of the Beggs Ballroom in a cultural fashion show.
“(And) one thing about Africans,” Mungarevaani said while laughing, “is that we like to dress up.”
After a dinner of traditional African and Caribbean dishes, attendees competed in a musical chairs-styled scavenger hunt game “brought back by popular demand.” Contestants had to find an item in the audience, such as gold watches, brown shoes, trilingual speakers, Toyota car keys and even wigs. Then, they’d have to return to their chairs as another chair and player was eliminated from the competition with each passing round.
Hope Ndabaga, a freshman from South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, won the game and a DoorDash gift card. She credited her win to the friendships she’s made with different members of the group — including the wearer of the wig she nabbed to win the final round.
“I just think (I get) the feeling of belonging (from being a part of ACSA),” Ndabaga said. “I feel like every other club I tried, I’ve just felt alone. And I feel like here there’s people who get me and rely on me and understand me … You need your people.”
The final activity of the evening saw the “African Queen,” Kelly Matahwa of Zimbabwe, take her throne at the front of the room to judge seven groups of students for the event’s talent show. Contestants sang and danced to the cheers, chants and ululations of the eager audience to win the favor of the queen and be named the “diamond of the season.”
Jeremiah “Jerry” Serugo and Jordan Kayemba, a duo from Uganda, snagged the win and complementary title after their performance which saw Serugo throw his jacket and dozens of fake $100 bills into the crowd and Kayemba play the keyboard.
Mercy Umeri, the faculty adviser for ACSA, said that, while she’s never experienced a night quite like Saturday’s Afro Karibbean Night, the purpose of the event has remained consistent — to create a sense of belonging for students to help them feel at home.
“When you travel over 6,000 miles or 7,000 miles … and come to a place like this, it’s good to know that you have a community,” Umeri said. “This association has become a second home and a family for so many other students.”
Umeri said anyone is welcome to join this family, regardless of background.
“When we look at the association, I don’t want you to ever feel like it’s for them,” Umeri said. “It is for us. This association is for us.”
ACSA regularly hosts meetings and events on campus. Additional information about the group can be found on Instagram, Facebook or ShockerSync.
