Funding secured for Black History Month feast in Kuujjuaq
Haitian and Jamaican cuisine to be featured
Jephthé Sylvestre, a longtime Kuujjuaq resident, DJ and radio host, is planning a community feast to close out Black History Month in Kuujjuaq. (Photo courtesy of Jephté Sylvestre)
Kuujjuaq is getting its first Black History Month event.
After weeks of planning and outreach, Jephthé Sylvestre has secured funding to host a community feast on Feb. 28, aimed at bringing Black, Inuit and other residents together through food and music.
For the past 30 years in Canada, February has been designated as Black History Month.
Makivvik along with two general stores, Newviq’vi and Co-op, are sponsoring the celebration. Notre Dame de Fatima, the Catholic church in Kuujjuaq, is opening its doors for the event.
Sylvestre said there will be a wide range of cuisine from across the Black diaspora including ackee and fish, a national dish in Jamaica made from salt cod and ackee fruit. Haitian comfort food staples will be on the menu as well, like vegetable stew and pureed bean sauce.
“I want to say thank you to all the cooks because I’m not cooking alone and to everybody that helped and supported me,” Sylvestre said.
The event flyer posted on Facebook is advertised to everyone, regardless of their cultural background.
“I hope a lot of people from the community come by, that people make new connections, new bonds,” Sylvestre said. “That would be a success story for me.”
He said he’s looking forward to planning an even better event next year.
“This year is just a trial. So, hopefully it goes well.”
wow i like rap music………..