Cultural festival this weekend

The kick-off for the Dayton African American Cultural Festival started with Friday’s induction of the latest members of the Dayton Africana Elders Council.

This year’s festival theme is “It’s a Family Affair: Culture Matters.”

The festival will be held 12 to 8 p.m., Aug. 22 at Island MetroPark, 101 Helena St. The festival’s Gospel Explosion will take place 12 to 6 p.m., Aug. 23 at Courthouse Square at the corner of Main and Third Streets in downtown Dayton.

The five inductees, all community leaders, were recognized during a special rites of passage ceremony that was held Friday night at Island MetroPark.

“The rites of passage program is part of the Dayton Africana Elders Council’s attempt to create an Africana village,” said Boikai Twe, council elder and co-facilitator of the council’s 2015 rites of passage program.

The elders council is made up of men and women who are elders of the African-American or African community. These elders are rooted in the seven principles of Kwanzaa and designed to promote the well being of the African-American and African communities.

Larry Crowe was inducted as a new elder. Marlon Shackelford and Amaha Sellassie were both inducted as the council’s Nation Builders.

“A Nation Builder basically follows the directions of the Elders Council,” said Shackelford, who created the Elders Council. “(The Elders) are basically giving us responsibility…We are held responsible for the community. We’re sort of the feet to the Elders Council.”

Manicka Thomas, the only female inductee, along with Bakari Lumumba and Jovan Webster were inducted as the council’s Warriors.

“It’s an honor and a priviledge, but it’s also a responsibility,” Lumumba said. “To know that I will be seen as someone who is a representative, not only for the Dayton community, but as a representative of Africana principles and the ideology of Pan-Africanism.”

For more information about the Elders Council or the DAACF, call (937) 475-2707, visit www.daacf.com or visit the DAACF Facebook page.

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