North students receive lessons in African culture

Throughout this week, fourth-grade students at North Elementary were taught African culture, history and choreography by Charles Ahovissi.

Ahovissi worked with the students to prepare a program that they performed for their parents on Thursday afternoon. The students, dressed in traditional African Kente cloth, performed African dances, recited various knowledge they learned throughout the week and played African drums.

"I started this program 23 years ago," Ahovissi said. "I've traveled all over the place. I teach and perform African culture through dance and drumming. The purpose of the program is to teach kids and young students the traditions and culture aspect that wasn't wrote in the books. If I don't do it, I feel it may disappear."

Ahovissi is a professional dancer, drummer, choreographer, costume designer and tailor. He is an approved teaching and performing artist through the Nebraska and Iowa Arts Councils. He has participated in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' seminar "Planning Effective Arts-Integrated Residencies for Students" in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Ahovissi is the artistic director and executive director of African Culture Connection, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the broadening of knowledge that pertains to African culture and history.

"I learned how to play African drums and dance," said North student Erin Martin. "I learned about African culture. I enjoyed the drumming the most out of everything we did. I also liked learning how to make the drums.

"I learned that a lot of the African culture is involved with drums," said another student, Coleman Kaiser. "I really liked playing the drums."

Ahovissi began his dancing career with the National Ballet Company in Benin, West Africa.

Since 1986, Charles has toured throughout Africa, Europe, Asia and the United States as a member of the Ballet National of Benin performing and teaching traditional African dance and drumming. Ahovissi moved to the United States in 2000. In 2006, he co-founded African Culture Connection.

"I always have a different activity that I do," Ahovissi said. "There are so many dances, so many rhythms that I just can't do the sane thing over and over."

Ahovissi was alone on his trip to Sidney, but he normally performs with his group of master drummers, dancers and a story teller which collectively are called Hwendo. Together they want to foster a better understanding of Africa's diverse and beautiful cultures their knowledge, love of Africa, and its fascinating culture with Americans through traditional dancing, drumming and singing, he said.

"I have a group," Ahovissi said. "I trained them there are various artist. I have a little under 20 people who work with me. I've traveled to Seattle, Washington, Denver, Montana and Iowa. I've traveled a lot of places."

He received his associates degree in Arts and Liberal Arts at Metropolitan Community College. In March 2012, Ahovissi and the African Culture Connection received the Governor's Arts Award in Heritage Arts and national recognition as one of 12 winners of the prestigious 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award presented in November 2012 at the White House.

He is now pursuing his bachelor's degree and lives in Omaha, Nebraska. He teaches African dance and drumming classes that are open to the public at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.