Doro wat is an African dish using a slow-cooking process similar to Jamaican jerk chicken. (Photo: Ministry of Curry)
Writer: Mathany Ahmed
Raymond Abwe visited a lot of heritage festivals when he first moved to Des Moines from Tanzania nine years ago. It was a great way for him to learn more about his new home and the diverse mix of cultures represented in it.
“As an African, I thought, ‘Why not us?’” he said. “We should have a festival where people can come, see how we dress, and dance and learn about our culture, too.”
He was inspired to start the first Des Moines African Youth Festival Awards – or DAFESTA for short – five years ago. Since then, it’s become one of the biggest celebrations of African cultures in Des Moines and attracts visitors from all over the United States.
Starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, DAFESTA will once again put African culture on full display. Tanzanian pop singer Hamisa Mobetto will emcee the evening’s program, which includes a fashion show as well as live music and dance performances.
“Everybody’s welcome,” Abwe said. “We have people from so many different places come, just because they have an interest and want to learn the cultures.”
The evening culminates in an awards ceremony, which will recognize African residents for their contributions to fashion, art and music. African artists from across the country, including Atlanta-based Bin Justin and Chicago-based Chidboy, have been gearing up to compete for Best Musical Performance.
“A lot of these performers tend to sing in their own language,” Abwe said. “We don’t want to lose the culture.”
He believes celebrating African people in Des Moines adds to the area’s reputation as a bastion of diversity and inclusion, while also helping immigrants stay connected to the countries they came from. “There’s always a stereotype that when you come to the United States, you have to act like an American – but that doesn’t mean you have to forget about your own culture.”
And of course, it wouldn’t be an African festival without the food. A specialized catering team at Prairie Meadows will prepare African classics for the event, but a few local restaurants offer these staples year-round. If you can’t make it to this weekend’s event, here are a few of Abwe’s recommendations to experience African cuisine on your own schedule:
Fufu: this traditional West African starch made from boiled cassava or plantains is a staple on many African dinner tables. The soft dough is typically served with stews and soups, where its tart flavor balances out the richness and spice of the entree. (Taste of Africa – 2500 Martin Luther King Jr Parkway Suite 3)
Jollof rice: While the exact recipe changes based on which country your chef is from, this spicy rice dish – seasoned with tomatoes, onions, peppers and herbs – is West Africa’s most popular. Abwe’s favorite is from a local chef named Haja Fatmata, who delivers her home-cooked meals throughout the metro. (Call or text Haja for menu and pricing details – 515-385-9093)
Doro wat (above): Though jerk chicken was popularized in the United States by Jamaican immigrants, the spicy flavors and slow-cooking process of jerk is a legacy of African traditions, like the ones seen in the dish doro wat, served at Gursha, an Ethiopian restaurant in the Drake neighborhood. “I cook a lot, but I still go there at least once a month, sometimes twice,” Abwe said with a laugh. (Gursha Ethiopian Grill – 2316 University Ave.)
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