All events will be held at Union South, 1308 West Dayton Street on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
Participation in DAY IN AFRICA is free to registered school groups. Registration is now closed.
Registration 8:15-8:45am
Location: Varsity Hall II
Welcome 8:45am
Welcoming Remarks
Presenter: James Delehanty, Associate Director, African Studies Program, UW-Madison
Location: Varsity Hall II
Keynote Address, “From the Midwest to East Africa and Back Again”
Presenter: Katrina Daly Thompson, Associate Professor, Department of African Languages and Literature, UW-Madison
Location: Varsity Hall
Session 1 9:25-10:05AM
Rhythms of Senegal
If you have an interest in drumming, percussion, or music, come to this session to take part in an interactive workshop focused on the history and background of rhythms in Senegal.
Presenter: Teresa Speciale, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Northwoods A, 3rd floor
48 hours in a Tuareg Camp in Northern Nigeria
The Tuareg are often portrayed as Islamic militants. However, one UW-Madison student encountered a very different perspective of the Tuareg people while traveling in northern Nigeria. Come to this session to hear how stereotypes are challenged when abroad.
Presenter: Max Croyn, Undergraduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Fifth Quarter, 2nd floor
A Day in the Life of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana
Interested in the Peace Corps? This session will explore the typical teaching day of a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Ghana. Tracy Frank will also share about her evening activities and village interactions with what became her Ghanaian family.
Presenter: Tracy Frank, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Location: Industry, 3rd floor
Life Volunteering for Peace Corps in Guinea
Did you know UW-Madison is ranked third nationally in number of Peace Corps alumni? Come hear Chris Kirchgalser’s stories about life as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea and see why so many Wisconsin alumni choose to serve in the Peace Corps after graduation.
Presenter: Chris Kirchgalser, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Agriculture, 3rd floor
Dancing with Shambaa Peoples of North Eastern Tanzania
This session will explore life among the Shambaa people of Tanzania. Heckscher will share her personal experiences doing research in Tanzania and participating in the cultural ritual practices of the Shambaa people.
Presenter: Marguerite Heckscher, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Wisconsin Idea, 2nd floor
Teacher Session
Teaching about Africa: Resources and Suggestions
Teaching about Africa can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. This session will provide teaching suggestions related to Africa and give educators resources to make the task more manageable.
Presenter: Anne Waliaula, Outreach Coordinator, UW-Madison African Studies Program
Location: Northwoods B, 3rd floor
Session 2 10:10-10:50AM
Why You Should Volunteer Abroad: Opportunities and Possibilities
What are UW students doing in Africa? Come to this session to hear stories from students who have volunteered and lived in different regions of the continent and why they encourage you to do the same.
Presenters: UW-Madison 2nd year Swahili language students
Location: Northwoods A, 3rd Floor
A Day in the life of a Volunteer Teacher in Namibia
Come visit with Rachel Manley as she shares the experience of living and volunteering in Namibia. Learn about Namibian culture, life, schools and the elements of teaching in a foreign culture. Additionally, she will share resources and ideas for students interested in traveling abroad.
Presenter: Rachel Manley, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Fifth Quarter, 2nd floor
A Challenge of Becoming: What it means to be a high school student in Southern Africa
Amidst countless cultural differences, formal schooling in South Africa shares many common elements to that of schooling in the United States. Visit this session to discuss the perspectives, opportunities and challenges of African students and how these understandings feed into a global network of learners and makers of contemporary culture.
Presenter: Susanne Ress, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Agriculture, 3rd floor
Exploring North African Cultures Through Literature
Interested in African literature? Visit this presentation to learn about the variety of North African literature available in English and examine the unique and various cultures of different Islamic countries in North Africa.
Presenter: Said Hannouchi, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Wisconsin Idea, 2nd floor
Umlabalaba (Zulu Chess): A Board Game from KwaZulu Natal
If you enjoy games of strategy, come to this session to learn about Umlabalaba (Zulu Chess) as an international game to develop the mind. You will learn the rules of the Zulu version and discuss how it relates to other games from Africa and around the world. Additionally, the audience will help one participant to play the game, offering a small prize if that person wins. The presentation will encourage students to start umlabalaba clubs of their own and join an international community of players.
Presenter: Dr. Edward L. Powe, Black Languages, Arts and Culture Foundation
Location: Industry, 3rd floor
Teacher Session
Resources and Ideas for Teaching about Girls’ Education in Africa
This session provides attendees with an overview of recent initiatives to expand education for girls in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on how these efforts have affected girls’ daily lives in specific countries and contexts. As we take a critical look at the positive and negative effects of these initiatives, teachers will participate in activities and receive information relevant to teaching students about girls’ education in Africa.
Presenter: Bethany Wilinski, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Northwoods B, 3rd floor
Snack Break 10:50-11:05AM
Session 3 11:10-11:50AM
The Beat that Beat Apartheid in South Africa
While apartheid was building barriers between people, it was also facilitating the development of a new cultural phenomenon. This session will explore the birth of gumboot, a traditional Zulu dance devised by mine workers in South Africa during apartheid, and the ways in which it aided both cultural expression and the end of apartheid.
Presenter: Bongani Mbatha, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Northwoods A, 3rd floor
The Amazing Kanga of the Swahili People
If you’re interested in fashion or its cultural significance, join Beatrice Mkenda, a Tanzanian graduate student, and Kevin Wamalwa to learn more about the Kanga, a popular piece of clothing in East Africa. She will demonstrate the various uses of the Kanga and what is means to East African cultures.
Presenters: Beatrice Mkenda and Kevin Wamalwa, Graduate students, UW-Madison
Location: Fifth Quarter, 2nd floor
Why Study African Languages?: UW-Student Experiences
UW-Madison offers a wide variety of foreign languages, including five African languages. Come hear Swahili students present on their own experiences studying Swahili at UW-Madison and the various opportunities that have been available to them both locally and abroad.
Presenters: UW-Madison African Studies students
Location: Industry, 3rd floor
All Aboard: Let’s Explore West Africa
Think the French language will simply give you access to high fashion, expensive wine and the Eiffel Tower? Whether you are studying French or not, come join us as we explore life in the French-speaking country of Benin—the spiritual center for Voodoo and the departure coast for hundreds of thousands of slaves during the colonial period. Characterized in more recent years by a stable democracy with a growing economy, Benin offers a rich heritage of music, dance, literature and art. Come prepared to try your hand at some of the traditional musical instruments, learn how to tie a page, and see if you can be the one to correctly guess how many Peace Corps volunteers are currently serving in Benin.
Presenter: Mary Haight, French instructor, Madison College
Location: Agriculture, 3rd floor
Come Explore West African Literature and Culture
Just as literary trends and genres shape the cultural history of the United States, so do the literary texts of countries in West Africa. This session will explore several texts and the ways in which they depict the rich and varied West African cultures and people.
Presenter: Kazeem Sanuth, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Wisconsin Idea, 2nd floor
Teacher Session
Schooling in Uganda
This session will examine educational policies and practices in Uganda. We will use examples of curriculum and teaching from two Ugandan schools and communities to reflect on locally responsive educational practices, and to explore comparative differences in teaching and learning.
Presenter: Margaret Hawkins, Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, UW-Madison
Location: Northwoods B, 3rd floor
Session 4 11:55-12:35PM
How to Build a Cement Cow
This session will feature renewable energy efforts in rural Uganda. Come learn about anaerobic digestion and the opportunities it is paving for communities in East Africa.
Presenters: Aleia Mccord, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Anna Meding, Undergraduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Northwoods A, 3rd floor
Studying Public Health in Kenya: Personal Experiences
This presentation will discus the current health care plan, implementation, and personal experiences of Kenya.
Presenter: Phebe Myers, Undergraduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Fifth Quarter, 2nd floor
Zanzibar: Yesterday and Today
Tag along with undergraduate student Sam Gee as he recaps his recent travels in Zanzibar. Through history, geography, music, food and wildlife, students will receive an overview of Zanzibar and the wider East Africa region.
Presenter: Sam Gee, Undergraduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Industry, 3rd floor
The Untold Stories from Africa: A Student’s Journey
If it’s difficult to imagine getting to Africa from the Midwest, take a minute to imagine the reverse scenario. In this session, Sheila Zawadi will share her journey from Kenya to the United States and the cultural experience of living in two different countries.
Presenters: Sheila Zawadi, East High School senior
Anne Waliaula, Outreach Coordinator, African Studies Program, UW-Madison
Location: Agriculture, 3rd floor
What Rwanda Taught Me: My Transformative Journey to Africa, Back Home, and Beyond
While the process of traveling abroad in Africa may seem overwhelming, many students are able to make this ambition a reality. Through one student’s experience in Rwanda, this session will explore why students may want to look into visiting Africa, highlights of travel preparation, as well as the opportunities and importance of sharing the experience upon return.
Presenter: Meagan Doll, Undergraduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Wisconsin Idea, 2nd floor
Teacher Session
“But that’s just good teaching”: Doing Justice in Teaching Africa
Africa is often seen as a far away place, full of problems that “we” or “the world” has to solve, especially for those who operate from a liberal-democratic and human rights framework. This session will address the primacy of western-style schooling, and how it contributes to the make-up of our globalized world. The presentation will encourage teachers to critically reflect on teaching materials and discourses often used in classrooms. It will invite educators to examine the difference between “diversity” and “cultural competence” in their own teaching.
Presenter: Susanne Ress, Graduate student, UW-Madison
Location: Northwoods B, 3rd floor
Closing Ceremony 12:40-1:00PM
Closing Remarks
Presenter: Aggo Akyea, African Association of Madison
Location: Varsity Hall
African Dance Performance
Location: Varsity Hall