 |
 |
 |
|
May 2016
|
LusoFesta 2016 – the Portuguese Language Experience – was the third in a series of annual exhibitions (formerly known as Braspo Day), focusing on the Portuguese language, official in nine countries and spoken on every continent, and the cultures of three of these countries: Brazil, Cape Verde and Portugal. Hosted by the Portuguese and Brazilian Studies Section of the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, the week (April 11-15, 2016) showcased four nightly film screenings and ended in the grand LusoFesta Day. The first film screening was Soca in She Samba, focusing on David Rudder, DLitt, visiting Bahia in Brazil. Director Christopher Laird, DLitt, and Colline McTair, translator and interpreter were present and led an exciting, dynamic and interactive post-screening session, looking at the cultural and other links between Trinidad & Tobago and Brazil, and the importance and relevance of the Portuguese language. Other films came from Portugal, Brazil and Cape Verde, as those were the main countries in focus. Thursday featured Capoeira in the Quad with Chuma Isi (student) of the Acanne Trinidad & Tobago Capoeira group and an Acanne member, and the Cordão de Ouro Capoeira group, present on LusoFesta Day. LusoFesta Day was the grand event, where every visitor got to experience the three Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries in tangible ways. The programme started with all four national anthems and the attentive audience heard about the strategic importance of Portuguese and Lusophone studies to the region, and the UWI agreements with King's College London's and the KCL Brazil Institute, the University of Porto and MUNDUS-ACP and CARPIMS projects, and the Grupo Coimbra of Brazil. Fernandes Fine Wines and Spirits kindly sponsored gifts of Portuguese wine and port for the invited speakers. After the speeches, visitors were invited to the CLL Atrium where classrooms had been transformed into Little Lusofonia, with poster displays, flags, a book exhibit, free Brazilian coffee, and information booths from the Brazilian Embassy and the International Office. Classroom 1 became the Cape Verde Room and Language Café (Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole); Classroom 2 was converted into the Bahia Room and the Dance Salon (kizomba, samba and capoeira), and Classroom 3 was the Porto Room and Restaurante Paladar, serving Port wine samples, Brazilian salgadinhos (savoury finger foods by Valéria Regis), meals from Brazil, Cape Verde and Portugal (by Maxine Franklin), and Brazilian brigadeiros by Sweets of Brazil (Ila Martins-Padmore).
The five members of the teaching team passionately pooled energy, time, resources and teamwork to produce this event, students working tirelessly to research Portuguese and Kaboverdianu Creole languages, history, culture, customs, traditions, cuisine, music, geography, literature, people including famous nationals and descendants, and dance, to offer every visitor a Taste of Lusofonia at LusoFesta 2016. LusoFesta 2017 promises to be even more exciting; look out for it! |
Students from the DMLL and the CLL were divided into three teams, led by their teachers - Team Cape Verde (led by Ila Martins-Padmore), Team Bahia (led by Heather MacIntosh-Simon, coordinating her DMLL and CLL students), and Team Porto (led by Sean Samad), each team identified by their polo and t-shirts, Portuguese (including a peeira, a Portuguese wolf fairy), Cape Verdean wraps and Bahian and candomblé wear. Each team worked on poster projects and much more. Team Cape Verde presented a kizomba dance on stage in the Auditorium, and invited members of the audience to dance with them. They also gave lessons to the visitors in the Bahia salon, as well as language lessons in the Language Café led by Maria Teresa Costaguta. Team Bahia Team Porto assisted in the Restaurante Saudade, and Team Bahia coordinated the dance and capoeira lessons.