Olodum Will Perform in Costa Rica for the African Diaspora Festival.

The tenth Festival of the African Diaspora is coming and this year it will spread further within the country, with celebrations taking place in Guanacaste, Limon, Alajuela and San Jose, with dancing, music and singing, African food and lectures. The surprise guest is one of the most proclaimed Brazilian bands, Olodum.

Every year, this event, which honors the African descendants who live in Costa Rica and their culture, brings together some 25,000 people both in San José and locations near Limón. Visitors can expect to hear a variety of Gospel, Jazz, soul, hip-hop, reggae and socca music and sample favorite Caribbean dishes, rich in coconut milk and spices.

The event is organized by the Foundation of the Art and Culture for the Development, and will go from Aug. 23 to Sept. 10. While the goal of the show is to promote the Afro culture of the country, this year will include a grander agenda of cultural and educational activities. The aim is to break the barrier and to unite Costa Rica and the Caribbean black community together, as it is one of the strongest cultures alive in this country today; wonderfully rich in music, beats and the arts, which can truly enhance the richness of this multi-cultured country.

On Saturday, Aug. 23, the inauguration will present the Gospel Group Reflections, from the United States, Mundo Afro from Uruguay and the Costa Ricans Manuel Monestel and Esmeralda de Britton. There will also be a delectable presentation of some typical Caribbean food.

The Variedades Cinema, in San Jose, will show movies produced in Latin America and in the Caribbean of the First Film Festival of the Diaspora Africana, from Sept. 1 to Sept. 5.

The Spanish Cultural Center will present the book Anayancy and his Friends on Aug. 25, plus various workshops for children that are to take place on Aug. 27, with students from the schools of Limon, Matina and Cahuita on the 28th. The Uruguayan group Mundo Afro will probably be quite a sensation with the Ritmo Negro de Candombe in the central valley, and in Guanacaste, the dancers from the Venezuelan group Danzas Mandela, named in honor on Nelson Mandela, will present various shows and workshops.

For the first time in Costa Rica history, the famous group Bahia from El Salvador will bring the sound of drums to the Melico Salazar Theatre on Sept. 10, accompanied by some typical carnival dances, with the group Olodum bringing the festival to a close. It is said that Olodum has a surprise show that will not fail to hold the Costa Rican public in awe and amazement! Odolum has had shows in many different cultures, including South America, Africa, Europe and the States. They have appeared on stage with Michael Jackson who has included some of their movements in his shows.

The Festival sounds promising this year and for those who like the afro-Caribbean culture, it is a chance to let go and have fun to the marvelous sounds of this fun, energetic music and the soul breaking experience of awesome gospel music, while making a feast of some of the best dishes this country has to offer!

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Filed under: Costa Rican Music on August 20th, 2008