Caribbean music resonated throughout the Killeen Civic and Conference Center on Saturday so much so that attendees of the 14th annual Caribbean Afr’Am Festival couldn’t help but join the dance train and procession around the main ballroom.
One of the attendees who joined was Killeen resident Carmen Graham.
“It’s island music,” the Panamanian said with a big smile on his face. “It takes me back to when I was little (and) dancing to that kind of rhythm, that kind of music. So it just lifts you up.”
Graham made a comeback appearance at the festival after missing out during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It gets people out and makes you meet new people. You can hang out again,” Graham said. “And from here, you can hear about other events that are happening; you know, word of mouth. So that’s great. I saw friends I haven’t seen since the pandemic.”
The Songhai Bamboo Roots Association, a Killeen-based nonprofit that teaches steel pan drumming, African drumming and cultural dance, among other things, organizes the annual event. Darlene Golden, one of the organizers of the event, said the event is designed to bring all cultures together.
“It’s not just about the Caribbean,” Golden said. “We focus on South America, Central America, North America, the Caribbean (islands), Africa (countries).
Musicians who performed at the festival featured genres from countries as diverse as Trinidad, Belize, Guyana and Jamaica.
Songhai Bamboo Roots received nearly $15,000 from the Killeen Arts Commission to help with the event. Golden said taxpayer money goes to hire international talent services, such as Da’Ville and Fyah Sthar – both of whom are from Kingston, Jamaica.
The money also goes towards adding things to the event, such as the many bounce houses and inflatables that were in the room for the kids to enjoy. Finally, Golden explained, the money goes toward tuning the organization’s steel drums and purchasing new drums.
All revenue from ticket and for-profit vendor fees goes back into improving the organization’s programs, such as purchasing new costumes or apparel and other operational costs to keep all programs free to the public, Golden said. .
She said she expected around 1,000 attendees at the event, which ran from 2pm to 10pm on Saturday. More than a dozen vendors were on hand, selling food, clothing and other items.
Songhai Bamboo Roots is also in the process of adding a new African drum program.
“Drumbulli, it’s something because you know, this is a new generation. You have to have something to keep their attention,” Golden said.
IMPAC Outreach will host the fifth annual Taste of Africa celebration on Sunday, August 7. The family-centric celebration of African cultures will include tantalizing flavors, vibrant fabrics and fashions, exotic jewelry, handcrafted art, vibrant sounds, breathtaking dance moves and other acts to show audiences a authentic cultural performances. The event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the Killeen Civic & Conference Center, 3601 South WS Young Drive, Killeen.
General admission tickets purchased in advance are $15 or $20 at the door. Vendor booth rental is $150.
