Suffolk's Sankofa Festival - Pure Delight

The theme of 4th Annual Sankofa Festival in Suffolk, Virginia? The recognition of good in our past and sharing it with others.

June 7, 2009

SUFFOLK VA NEWS -- What can be said about Suffolk VA's 4th Annual Sankofa Festival? More music, more vendors, and more people! This festival was a pure delight. Everyone was friendly and outgoing. However, do to the poor weather it did not draw as many folks as it should have. Although there for only a brief time, I personally enjoyed myself, having met people who really projected themselves to the visitors. Additionally, I have no doubt that this festival will grow to be one of Suffolk, Virginia's top events.

The festival took place Friday and Saturday on June 5 and 6, 2009, at Constant's Wharf Park, in downtown Suffolk VA, the October at Fair Downs Community sponsored the 4th Annual Sankofa Festival while the City of Suffolk Department of Parks and Recreation presented the free event celebrating African American Heritage.

Sankofa in the Akan language of Ghana literal means, "Go back and take." However the word is also used to represent the Asante Adinkra an emblem that symbolizes one taking from the past what is good and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress through the benevolent use of knowledge. This is the true meaning of "Sankofa," which has been brought from Ghana and passed down through generations in the wisdom of African-American spirituality. This was also the theme of 4th Annual Sankofa Festival in Suffolk, Virginia. That is the recognition of good in our past and sharing it with others.

For example, one vendor, Vivian Jack, originally from the Island country of Trinadad in the Carribean recanted the story of how he came to live in Hampton Roads. Early in the 1950's Mr. Jack traveled to London, Great Britain, seeking work in the field of lithography. Vivian secured employment and went on to become a professional lithographer, which eventually brought him to the United States to work for well-known fashion magazines such as GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and Vanity Fair. Now, retired living in Chesapeake, Virginia, Vivian still paints and promotes his own patented invention the "Bike Lite," a bright safety turn signal specially designed for bicycles. So, his "Sankofa" is advance your talents and you will find success.

Another interesting tent was that of Felix "Paco" Valderrama, who is a drummer who plays with the band JuJu, Paco was giving free lessons to festival visitors, and Mr. Valderrama is featured at the beginning of our Sankofa Fest video teaching a young teen to play drum.

Unfortunately, there was only one food vendor at the 4th Annual Sankofa Festival, Big Mama's Soul Food, but fortunately Big Mama had no shortage of customers and the delightful aroma of barbeque lingered throughout the fair.

Other Vendors of mention are:

• Gracie's Accents - Sterling Silver & Amber Jewelry: Afro-centric Apparel - Philadelphia PA.
• IDEA Enterprises - Unique Handcrafted Ceramics - Clementon NJ.
• Spiritual Concepts Publishing - Books, CD's and Live Performances - Suffolk VA.
• Legacy of Weyanoke - Telling our own story - Newport News, VA.
• V&E Productions - Chesapeake, VA
• Renee Washington Designer Scents Without Designer Prices - Burners and Pure Oils - Norfolk, VA.

This year's sponsor of this true extravaganza of African American heritage is, "October at Fair Downs" a new condominium community located on the eastern edge of downtown Suffolk, Virginia. This extraordinary condominium community was created with the idea to provide housing that was truly affordable to the workforce of Hampton Roads. Furthermore, October at Fair Downs provides a choice of home designs to appeal to the desires of many dissimilar families. The development will encompass a lifestyle within a neighborhood that will provide a playful, maintenance-free lifestyle opportunity for each of its residents!

The people at October at Fair Downs provide new condominium homes that include:

• All lawn maintenance
• Fully maintained common areas
• Walking trails
• Observation deck
• Recreation areas
• Security system complete with motion detector in each home
• Maintenance-free exteriors

Lastly, as mentioned earlier the 4th Annual Sankofa Festival at the Constant's Wharf Park and Marina, was a pure delight with outgoing vendors with interesting crafts to appeal to any sophisticated imagination. We wish the Sankofa Festival in Suffolk, Virginia, the best for its future events.

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