Africa Day in Rockhampton, 2014 (photographs and oral histories)

Africa Day is commemorated annually around the world on May 25. This date is significant as it marks the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity (now called the African Union) in 1963.

Maureen Ilechukwa with her children Victoria and Victor at Africa Day celebrations, Rockhampton, 2014. From 29203 Sharing Stories from Multicultural Communities Photo Essays and Oral Histories 2013-2014. Photographer Dean Saffron. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 29203-0007-0007

Since 2012, the Central Queensland African Association Inc. (CQAA) have organised an annual event for Africa Day in Rockhampton, with entertainment including displays, music, dancing and food. In a 2014 interview, the President of CQAA, Lawrence Chitura, explained the importance of the Africa Day celebration to the local community - "The Africa Day celebration is a day where we showcase our rich African culture to the Australian community in Rockhampton...We were really supported by the Australian community in Rockhampton. They turned up in droves to be part of this occasion and also part of what we do for Africa Day is we cook the African dishes, the food that we eat in Africa and we give the Australians to come and eat".

Africa Day celebrations in Rockhampton, 2014. From 29203 Sharing Stories from Multicultural Communities Photo Essays and Oral Histories 2013-2014.Photographer Dean Saffron. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 29203-0007-0033

During the CQAA 2014 Africa Day celebrations, photographer Dean Saffron documented the event with 83 images now part of SLQ's digitised collections. The full collection can be viewed via our One Search catalogue.

Two extensive oral histories recorded in 2014 with the President of CQAA, Lawrence Chitura and CQAA's Public Relations Liaison Officer, Mildred Muzenda are available via YouTube or our One Search catalogue. Transcripts of these oral histories are also available online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8-DDVetapU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIBh5Q2Q25k

Further reading

• Brisbane South Sudanese community photographs, 2010-11