First Annual Trip to Philly for the Celebration of African Cultures

Today after Little Gym we drove into Philadelphia for the 18TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN CULTURES at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (click here). Wow. What a great day we had. There is nothing -- just nothing -- like plopping our little Haitian-Americans right down in the middle of a crowd like the one there today. It felt to me like the best example of the African diaspora that I've ever witnessed. People from all over the region coming together to celebrate -- truly celebrate -- African Cultures in the most genuine, dynamic, energized, inspired way. First and foremost, I have to just say: we have never been together in one place with so many people with beautiful dreadlocks. How awesome is it to be somewhere where other children (multiple children! even a couple children as young as ours!) are sporting locs?! So awesome! Owen couldn't get enough of that. He just couldn't stop touching and caressing (and at one point even laying his entire head upon) other children's locs. It was a beautiful -- let me say that again: BEAUTIFUL -- sight to behold. And Ky Ky, well, let's just say that the photo below does not even come close to doing justice to how enthralled this child was with the African Drumming we heard/saw. At one point I put my hand over his chest and could literally feel his heart pounding as if it were about to jump right out of his little body.

The whole family agreed that our favorite part of the day was definitely the performance of the the "Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble." I seriously don't think Kyle blinked once during the entire 45 minute performance (why waste time blinking?! you might miss something!). And Owen could barely contain himself (and we didn't even try to contain him -- he ended up walking right up to the stage to watch as closely as possible).

As the four of us walked along the sidewalk to the parking garage Braydon and I agreed that this just has to become a family tradition for us. So, today was officially our First Annual trip to Philly for the CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN CULTURES.