By Mark Caracciolo
On Friday, June 20 at 1 p.m., the Wellington branch library will host an event for all ages featuring musicians Julius and Julia Sanna of the band Positively Africa. The event will have attendees listening to live performances by the musical duo as they both teach about Swahili words and traditional African instruments. The event is free and designed with families in mind.
“We offer a wide range of events throughout the year — cultural performances, author talks, STEM workshops and more — that are designed to educate, entertain and bring the community together,” said Jessica Consuegra, manager of the Wellington branch library, part of the Palm Beach County Library System.
The various library branches host many community events throughout the week, often geared toward seasonal and holiday observances.
“We are excited to welcome Positively Africa back to our branch,” Consuegra said. “Presented by Julius and Julia Sanna, the performance is a vibrant and engaging celebration of African culture through music, storytelling and interactive activities. The program highlights the positive and diverse traditions of Africa in a way that is both educational and entertaining for all ages.”
It is not the first time that the Sannas have brought their performance to Wellington. Positively Africa visited the Wellington branch on Feb. 21 of this year for Black History Month. The audience was enamored by the engaging performance, including the interactive format of the show that displayed parts of African culture.
The Sannas founded their band Positively Africa in 2007, and released their debut album, Introducing Positively Africa, in 2011. The duo combines several genres together, such as funk, jazz, afrobeats and afrofusion to make a unique sound. Some songs in their discography include “Pendo (Love),” “Pambazuka (Arise)” and “Beautiful Africa.”
Since the release of their album, they’ve performed all around the South Florida area in festivals, concerts and libraries, educating people about African music. Aside from the event in Wellington, they have several other events next week at libraries in Broward County. Learn more at www.positivelyafrica.com.
“Juneteenth is a meaningful occasion that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and celebrates African American history, culture and resilience,” Consuegra said. “At the Wellington branch, we are dedicated to providing programs that reflect and honor the diversity of our community. Observing Juneteenth supports our mission to connect, inspire and enrich the lives of all residents through inclusive and educational events.”
The Wellington branch of the Palm Beach County Library System is located at 1951 Royal Fern Drive. The Positively Africa event will be held on June 20, the day after Juneteenth. The event is for all ages and backgrounds. Visit https://pbclibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/68066885bc2a6fc8dccb8095 to learn more.
As a librarian myself, I’d like to rebuke these lazy libraries that go around making Juneteenth – a Black American holiday – about Africa. These same librarians will lose their minds if you call a Japanese person Chinese or a Cuban person Mexican, but Black people are all the same to them. African, Black American, Jamaican, Haitian; librarians claim to be woke but will not respect that these are different cultures and not interchangeable. I assure you, Palm Beach County Library would never draft a Cuban-themed celebration for Cinco de Mayo, but this crap is okay -_-