The crowd buzzed as it waited for the opening of the 2015 African Night. People from all over the world filled the Great Hall on Saturday night to watch friends and family perform dance routines, poetry and informative lectures. 

The event, sponsored by the African Students Association, is the club’s largest event of the year and a way to celebrate African culture and heritage. This year’s theme was “A Cultural Embrace.”

The dancers performed with a singer/drummer giving the beat and melody. In the middle of the act, a man with a single-stringed bow instrument joined in with a twanging sound.

Performers used poetry to highlight the violence and aggression Africa has suffered through the centuries from internal and external sources.

Tunde Adeleke, director of African and African American Studies program, proved his point by asking, “All Africans in the room, stand up.” Everybody from an African nation stood up, which was the majority of the people attending. Many did not stand up, and in response, Adeleke said, “There are a lot of Africans not standing up.”

Adeleke said all people could trace their genetic origin back to Africa, where he says humans first appeared in prehistory. 

Students at the celebration said they found the show entertaining and informative.

“[African Night] gives people insight on African culture,” said Dominique Morris, freshman in kinesiology and health.

She said she was happy that African culture was being celebrated. 

The African Students Association dancers performance was marked by its use of flags of various African nations. People in the crowd cheered when their flag was presented.

Africa Night 2015 ended with a fashion show finale. The music boomed over the speakers, and the emcee announced which country was to be represented for each section of the show. 

The night’s theme seemed to shine through to attendees.

“It’s a great way for people to come and learn about the culture,” said Morgan Hampton, freshman in kinesiology and health. 

The African countries represented in the fashion show included Uganda, Cameroon, Nigeria, Sierra Leon, North Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Ghana and Eritrea. 

Every country represented seemed to have fans in the crowd who would cheer when their country’s fashion and name were highlighted. 

The main event was preceded by a dinner featuring African cuisine in Memorial Lutheran Church, across the street from the Memorial Union. 

African Night is held annually by the African Students Association, and its goal is to raise awareness of African culture and focus on specific African countries, rather than generalizing the entire continent as a single culture.