QUEEN’S COLLEGE, YABA, LAGOS , NIGERIA

QUEEN’S COLLEGE, YABA, LAGOS , NIGERIA TEAM MEMBERS: • Nwazota Kene. • Suleiman Rukayat • Elias Yewande • Omeihe Oluoma • Adebayo Christiana CO-ORDINATORS: • Elizabeth Oyelola. • Chinemelum Anakwue. • Oluyemi Adenmosun.

CULTURAL FESTIVALS OUR CULTURE THE LAGOS CLASS

INTRODUCTION • Festivals are one of the most common heritage activities cherished and observed religiously. There are different types of festivals celebrated at different times and seasons and for different purposes. • Each festival has rules and regulations that guide them. These rules and regulations are strictly adhered to by all. • In some cultures, the presence of women are not required while others, though required the presence of women, believe they should be seen and not heard.

There are various festivals performed in Lagos which are fun but connotes some traditional implications. Each festival has requirements which are unique to them depending on the different geographical locations in the country. Some of the festivals performed in Lagos are: AGERE MASQUERADE FESTIVAL EYO FESTIVAL EFE/GELEDE MASQUERADE FESTIVAL ZANGBETO MASQUERADE FESTIVAL

AGERE MASQUERADE • Originated from the western part of Lagos and Kwara states. • The masquerades stand on stilts to give them their required height.

EYO FESTIVAL • The Eyo festival is one of the most important festivals in the south-western part of the country. • The Eyo is to Lagos as Samba is to Brazil. • The Eyo was introduced into Lagos from Abeokuta. • It is believed to be introduced from outside the African continent but the particular origin is yet to be ascertained.

Our people believe that each time the Eyo Festival holds, the barren will conceive and a variety of private problems get solved. It takes place only on Sundays. The Senior Eyo is identified by a black broad-rimmed hat and go to public with a staff. There are other groups of Eyo masquerades who are identified by the colour of their rimmed hat, like Laba (red), Oniko (yellow), Ologede (green), Olokun (white).

This is possibly the only Nigerian festival with stringent rules for both participants and onlookers. Importantly, headgears and footwear of any kind are not allowed and trousers are not allowed for females on the D-Day. The Eyo Masquerade Festival occurs during the coronation of a new king, the death of the king or an important dignitary.

The staff (Opanbata) they hold is placed on an individual for prayer or logging offenders. • The senior Eyo (Eyo Adimu) comes out first in the procession then the others follow in their order of seniority. • Before the Eyo comes out, sacrifices have to be carried out to appease the gods for prosperity, peace and love.

GELEDE / EFE FESTIVAL • It is celebrated by certain Yoruba subgroups in western Nigeria and Republic of Benin. • It highlights the importance of women and serves as an occasion to recognize their spiritual powers. • It is generally performed over a two-day period.

EFE / GELEDE MASQUERADE • Efe festival is performed on the first day in the market area - a setting of social, religious and economic activity primarily involving women. • Gelede festival is performed in the afternoon following the Efe festival to embody an approach to the mothers that appeal to their positive attributes. • The main performers for Gelede festival are masquerades.

ZANGBETO MASQUERADE • The zangbeto masquerade is celebrated in Badagry every year and the duration is for nine days, during which the people make merry and do not work. • The Zangbeto festival includes males and some females who have passed child-bearing age.

The Zangbeto serves as a cult and are said to have magical powers. They dress in raffia only. They serve as the traditional Police to Badagrians to solve disputes and ensure that the law takes its course.

Festivals in Wichita And where they come from By Trea Gadbury Alissa Farley Keith Simmons

Flight Festival celebrates the fact that we are the air capital of the U.S.A. It can involve lots of stunt planes performing aerial tricks. This years performances will be performed by Red Eagle Air Sports, Red Barron Pizza Squadron, and Oregon Aero Sky Dancer. The date will be August 22, 2008 - August 24, 2008. This festival is celebrated merely for public enjoyment, and to celebrate our dominance in the airplane making business.

River Festival The River Fest is about when the pioneers decided to have a year long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Wichita. It was called the River Festival, because the Arkansas River was such an important resource. They had the last day of the year long fest along the river. They held a carnival, hoe-down, hometown fair, water shows, a pow-wow and a fishing contest. This is now an annual event and attracts people from all over Kansas adding up to about 350,000 people.

The 8th Annual WSU Car Show This is a car show created by the Kansas W.S.U college students. This is all the college kids showing off there ‘Hot Rods’ for everyone else. This is funded by the college students mostly, and occasionally the college funds some of it. Last years’ winner was Wayne Bagby with a 1949 Chevy Truck.

Conclusion In all, Wichita does not have the largest amount of festivals but it does have some of the most entertaining.

CULTURAL FESTIVALS AND HERITAGE OF SOUTH AFRICA By Salvatore and Gabriella Homeschooled in Johannesburg South Africa by Penny iEarn ppm1 January – May 2008

HUMAN RIGHTS’ DAY21 MARCH Sharpeville massacre happened on 21 March 1960. People in South Africa have commemorated the Sharpeville Massacre ever since it happened, often in secret or in exile. The day is now commemorated as Human Rights Day. Pass laws required that Africans had to carry identity documents with them at all times. These books had to contain stamps providing official proof that that the person in question had permission to be in a town at that time. Initially only men were forced to carry these books, but soon law also compelled women to carry the dreaded documents.

Freedom park The Freedom Park Trust was mandated to build The Freedom Park, a Presidential legacy project which is envisaged to bear witness to our struggle for humanity and freedom. The project was initiated when government received requests from civil society, NGOs, academics and various political interest groups for some kind of symbolic reparation as well as to celebrate our achievements as a nation. One of the exciting ways in which these aspirations are brought to life is through Sikhumbuto, a memorial dedicated to those who have laid down their lives in the struggle for humanity and freedom, cutting across eight conflict areas. These are Pre-Colonial, Genocide, Slavery, Wars of Resistance, South African War (Anglo-Boer War), First World War, Second World War and the Liberation Struggle. This memorial comprises a number of indoor and outdoor elements. These are the Amphitheatre, The Eternal Flame, Sanctuary, The Gallery of Leaders and the Wall of Names. By inscribing the names of those who have fallen on the Wall, the nation will not only be able to remember, but also to honour them. http://www.freedompark.co.za/index.html

FREEDOM DAY27 APRIL Freedom Day marks the liberation of our country and its people from a long period of colonialism and white minority domination - which means that we no longer have the situation in which political power is enjoyed and exercised by a minority of our population, to the exclusion of the majority. Freedom Day is a day for all South Africans. We pledge "Never again would a minority government impose itself on the majority" South Africans are "One people with one destiny". It is therefore imperative for South Africans of diverse political and economic backgrounds to work towards a common objective. On Freedom Day we celebrate the relentless efforts of those who fought for liberation, of the many men and women who took up arms and courted imprisonment, bannings and torture on behalf of the oppressed masses.

Freedom Day means something very valuable, the necessary condition for us to achieve the vital andfundamental objective of a better life for all. On Freedom Day, we commit ourselves to ensuring the defense of the sacred freedoms that we had won as a result of a long, difficult and costly struggle. We remind ourselves that the guarantee of these freedoms requires permanent vigilance. It is our pledge to devote ourselves to continue to work to wipe out the legacy of racism in our country. We need to ensure that all our people enjoy these freedoms not merely as theoretical rights but they must form the daily life experience of all South Africans.

YOUTH DAY16 June When high-school students in Soweto started protesting for better education on 16 June 1976, police responded with teargas and live bullets. It is commemorated today by a South African national holiday, Youth day, which honors all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against Apartheid and Bantu Education. http://africanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa060801b.htm http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/governence-projects/june16/index.htm

Contribution by Jack, Luke, Adam and Jasmine from Pentrehafod School, Swansea for the Cultural Festivals project by Queens College, Lagos, Nigeria.

Festivals in Wales By Jack Luke Adam Jasmine

Different Festivals The different type of festivals in Wales are :- National Eisteddfod Urdd Eisteddfod Swansea Summer St David's Day Eisteddfod Brecon Jazz Royal Welsh Show Abergerveny Food

St David's Day In Wales we celebrate March 1st every year, it is where all the welsh people dress up,sing and eat traditional welsh foods such as Welsh cakes, lava bread and drink Cwrw Schools normally have a special assembly and normally have some readings how St.David came upon his journey through life.

Eisteddfod An Eisteddfod is a Welsh festival of literature music and performance. The tradition of such a meeting of Welsh artists dates back to at least the 12th century when a festival of poetry and music was held by Rhys of Deheubarth at his court in Cardigan in 1176, but with the decline of the bardic tradition it fell into abeyance. The present-day format owes much to an eighteenth century revival arising out of a number of informal eisteddfodau. The word Eisteddfod is derived from the Welsh word eistedd, meaning "sit".

Swansea Summer The Swansea summer festival from May to September the area around the fabulous sweep of Swansea Bay is alive with a myriad of fantastic events, shows and carnivals for everyone to enjoy.

Royal Welsh Show The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society was formed in 1904, and the first Event was held in Aberystwyth in the same year. Wales & the Society have come a long way since those early days, and now the annual Royal Welsh Show is one of the biggest events in Wales' Calendar.

Abergavenny Food This year the Abergavenny Food Festival will be launching its first Fringe programme. Local businesses and community groups have been invited to put on special events and promotions between 13 and 21 September. The aim is to highlight the diversity and quality of what Abergavenny and the surrounding area has to offer to both visitors and residents.

Thank You

QUEEN’S COLLEGE, YABA, LAGOS , NIGERIA