African communities bring music, stories and flavours to Malta International Food Festival
- Regine Nguini
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Visitors to this year’s Malta International Food Festival will have the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of African cultures through music, storytelling, languages, traditional crafts and cuisine as African communities take part in the festival’s Intercultural Area on 6 August.
The participation forms part of the festival’s intercultural programme coordinated by Malta’s Human Rights Directorate, which brings together communities living in Malta to celebrate their cultural heritage and promote dialogue through food, art and tradition.
Colette Endale from the Cameroonian Association, who is coordinating the African community’s participation in the festival said:
Too often, Africa is spoken about as though it were one culture. In reality, it is a continent of extraordinary diversity. Through food, music, languages and storytelling, we want people to discover that diversity and meet the communities that contribute to Malta’s cultural life every day,”
Throughout the evening, visitors will be invited to discover aspects of African cultures beyond the stereotypes that often dominate public discourse. The programme will include traditional music and dance performances, storytelling inspired by African folktales, and an interactive activity introducing greetings from different African languages together with the cultural values they express.
The African stand will also feature traditional Ankara clothing, jewellery and handcrafted items, while visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about different customs and traditions through cultural displays and demonstrations. A braiding station will also form part of the experience.
Food will be another highlight of the evening. Traditional dishes will be available in accordance with the festival’s guidelines, while selected recipes will also contribute to the Human Rights Directorate’s intercultural recipe book, Flavours of Home.
Rather than presenting recipes alone, participating communities have been invited to share the stories behind their dishes, revealing the family traditions, memories and cultural significance that make each meal unique.
The festival will also feature playlists curated by participating communities, allowing visitors to discover music from different countries throughout the evening between live performances.
Regine Nguini, Director of the African Media Association Malta said:
For too long, many people have encountered Africa through what is often described as ‘poverty porn’—images and narratives that reduce an entire continent to hardship and suffering. That is not the Africa we know. Africa is creativity, innovation, resilience, culture and extraordinary diversity. Events like this allow people to meet the continent through its people, its traditions and its stories, rather than through stereotypes,”
The Malta International Food Festival will be held at The Granaries in Floriana from 5 to 9 August.
The Intercultural Area aims to celebrate Malta’s multicultural society by creating opportunities for residents and visitors to experience different cultures through meaningful encounters and shared experiences.
For the African communities taking part, the event is an opportunity to celebrate cultural heritage and to encourage dialogue.