The vibrant cultural heritage of Yellowknife’s Black community was recognized Saturday during the second annual Black History Month Gala Night.
Hundreds of people attended to feast, and watch and participate in traditional performances of music and dance during the evening.
Gilbert Langsi, the finance officer and chief organizer of Black History Month, said the evening was a culmination of a month of activities and workshops that provided information and awareness about Black history and cultural awareness.
“It is a commemoration of the resilience and the achievements of Black individuals and Black communities into the Canadian society,” Langsi said.
“This gala was put together to share our cultural heritage, to share our struggles, our resilience, our success stories, as a people, as individuals, and as a community.”
Langsi said there is a strong Black community in the North.
“We have a very traditional diverse Black community from different parts of the world - from Africa, where we have different countries Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, South Africa, and we have the Caribbean and we have Jamaica. That’s why we find so much joy and so much comfort in our lives,” he said.
Yet, Langsi said there is so much more to be done.
“Because if you look at it in terms of education and awareness, in terms of representation, in terms of policing, in terms of public engagement, we are not there just yet.
“So that’s why we are here to let our voices be heard and to provide the black voice representation in community engagement and in education and awareness,” he said.
Everyone in a community can help raise awareness, he added.
“If you can learn to hate somebody, you can as well learn to love that person.
“We don’t look the same, we don’t talk the same, but we were created by one Creator. So we don’t have any reason to discriminate or disenfranchise against anybody,” Langsi said.
“It’s a very big place for all of us to live in, and so join us. We cannot do this by ourselves. We need everybody to come together and join us and let’s move together as a people.”
—By Jill Westerman