Students participating in the Summer Cooperative African Language Institute will perform a night of songs, skits, poetry and more to showcase what they’ve learned during the two-month, nationwide program being hosted this year by units in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Eyamba Bokamba, director of SCALI and a professor of linguistics and African languages in LAS, says 11 African languages are being taught at this year’s institute. The capstone language showcase – open to the public – will feature each one. The showcase takes place from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 25, in the Illini Ballroom. A reception will follow in the union’s rooms 314 A and B.
Roughly 100 students are learning the African languages of Akan-Twi, Arabic, Bamana, Hausa, Igbo, Kikongo, Pulaar, Swahili, Woloff, Yoroba, and Zulu. The institute is being hosted by the Center for African Studies and the Department of Linguistics.
Besides the showcase, the program is offering a variety of public events before its conclusion on August 1, including dance and cooking classes, cinema features with analysis, research forums, roundtables, and hair braiding. A full schedule of events and other information is available on the website, scali.afrst.uiuc.edu
This is U of I’s second year hosting the event as part of a rotating, collaborative effort between nationwide Africa Title VI National Resource Centers and Foreign Language and Area Studies institutions. Michigan State University will serve as host for summers 2009 and 2010.
