The Eagle Eye

Issue date: 10/22/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Jose Soto Kenyan night brought together a very diverse group of people.

Media Credit: Jose Soto John Karugia, from Kenya, and Peter Nartey, from Ghana, were among the students present at the coffeehouse to participate in this event.

Media Credit: Jose Soto The event presented the opportunity for many to discover and enjoy different food.

Media Credit: Jose Soto LHU Junior Nicole Cozzi was responsible for the execution of this event.

On Tuesday, October 13th at 6:00 p.m., Kenyan culture was brought to Lock Haven by a group of students with the desire to share their knowledge of the African Nation. An event put together by Nicole Cozzi, with the help of a few African students and Avenue 209, taught the local community about the marvelous and fascinating country of Kenya.

I had the privilege to speak with some of the college students who put this all together, and got the scoop behind it all. John Karugia, a Lock Haven student from Kenya, informed me that this was an event to educate the people. He said that he is happy because, "people are open and willing to learn about the culture."

Throughout the night, the group taught children and adults alike about the local animals and their names in Swahili, and about the Massai tribe; including their traditional attire (like the shuka), and some rituals commonly seen among the Kenyan natives.

"The kids were very interested," Karugia commented as he glanced at one of the tribal masks made by the kids that night. "They learn quickly."

The group of African students also brought music to the event. They played tracks by a local Swahili Hip-Hop group called Genge People.

I was able to pick up on some of the native language that night as well. Among the words taught were Mbwa (um-boa), which means dog; Samaki which means fish; Asante (ah-sawn-tay) meaning "thank you," and of course, Hakuna Matata (ha KOO nah mah TAH tah), which if you don't remember from the popular song from Disneys' "The Lion King", it means "no worries."

Nicole Cozzi introduced some traditional Kenyan food that night, rice and beans. I sat next to Peter Nartey, an LHU student from the African country of Ghana, who encouraged me to try some of the food. The rice, which was brown rice with cumin powder and onions, had a light, dry curry taste to it. A bit of a spicy kick at the end, which was felt after swallowing the food and take that first breath. The beans, which were kidney beans, maize (common among Kenyan dishes), green peppers, tomatoes, and several spices, went great with the rice. It was like a festival of spices, yet blended perfectly. No ingredient outstood among the others, giving the dish an overall smooth, top-layer taste.

Part of the night was also devoted to promoting Avenue 209's selection of Kenyan coffee. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I decided to go for it and have a taste anyway. Right away I was hugged by the amazing smell. A smooth, roasted, yet tangy odor drew me closer, and had me wondering what I've been missing out on. It has a beautiful aroma.

After giving in and taking a sip, I was surprised by the bitter, tangy taste of it. You can also pick up the roasted flavor though the aftertaste. I don't know if I'm ready to become a coffee drinker yet, but I definitely recommend heading on down to Avenue 209 and trying some for yourself. And maybe one day we will see some of Kenya's world famous tea there.

"There should be more events like this. Each person should be allowed to represent his or her tribe," suggested Karugia.

Cozzi assures that there will be more events like this one. Day of the Dead (Mexican night) will be on October 27th, followed by Albanian (Turkish) night on November 10th, and Moroccan night on November 23rd. So make sure to keep your schedules open on these dates, and head on down to Avenue 209 for an experience away from Lock Haven and into these amazing cultures.

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