ALGIERS - The 2nd Pan African Cultural Festival (5 to 20 July 2009) enters its second successful week with an array of expositions, performances and exchanges, as the continent embraces the arts in battle to break the spiral of disasters, wars, and conflicts that have continually set the continent backwards.

Major highlights of the cultural gathering include African cinema, theatre, visual and heritage exhibitions of ancient African art, Diaspora African and tribal art, heritage exhibitions, and music shows at stadiums and squares in Algiers and surrounding cities.

Yesterday the festival hosted the Young Designers of Africa fashion show at the El Aurassi Hotel which was graced by several prominent African designers including Marisa Moura and Marlen Simons de Paula from Brazil, S’phalele Magagula from Swaziland, and the award-winning EthnoDesignProject founder from Zimbabwe.

The high-end fashion held in the capital Algiers, featured top emerging designers, an impressive line-up of; Algerian stylist, Karim Sifaoui, multi-talented Malian artist Lamine Badian Kuyate, the sensational designer from Cote d’Ivoire, Micheal Kra, Senegalese designer, Marian Diop, the Benin designer, Pepita D., the Cameronian designer, Imane Ayissi, and the Timbuktu-born African designer Alphadi.

There was hustle and bustle at the Palais De La Culture Crafts exhibition, with local consumer flooding the market stalls to buy African artifacts, crafts, and costumes. Most artists interviewed at the festival confirmed having sold out their art and crafts. There was even an brawling incident at the Malian jellewer’s stall as buyers were bidding to buy some designer silverware.

Swazi jeweller, Busisiwe Ngwenya said, “The PanAfrica Fest is the best cultural event I have ever participated in. The Algerians are treating us really very well. The city is so beautiful, the architecture is amazing. The works by most of the African artists are so rich in culture and the levels of creativity are high. I am very happy that my footwear products, I’m the only one who is able to make those recycled plastic pumps.

“I am so very proud that the Algerian authorities here do recognize and respect our culture, they permitted us to wear Imvunulo, our tradition garb, despite that fact that there is a muslim culture here,” remarked Nonhlanhla Fortunate Mngometulu, another artist from the Southern Africa royal kingdom. “People from Algeria live our cultural womenswear.”

The event is the second biggest festival Africa has ever hosted since 1969, with Algeria playing host to both events. There were isolated incidences of confusion as some artists missed certain shows and exhibitions due to miscommunication and logistical errors.

“The organization is a bit disjointed, the event is too big and sometimes you don’t know what you are supposed to be doing. Most of the literature is in French, we are English speaking. Sometimes no one is ready to guide you through. You are kept guessing.” Said Rickson Zavare, a sculptor from Zimbabwe who missed the gallery exhibitions at Safex.

Several artists said they were happy with the Algerian reforms but expected some reforms and change in the treatment of artists.

“The reception and the security if fantastic and I’m very happy> the cuisine is fine, but these organizers do not respect time, and also their treatment of fellow Africans is disappointing. Their decisions are all in haste, and it seems they do not have a central coordinating point. There is no command center where answers can be provided, their communication is so disappointing,’ remarked Namibian visual artist, Shileongo Moses.

“People were fighting for food when we arrived at the Artists Village, and in my country we are not used to that, some of our girls from Namibia started to cry.” Moses added.

The women from Swazi caused a stir at the festival with their colorful traditional regalia. The Sudanese tribal dancers were a marvel to watch as they belted their traditional songs and dances.

Jaja Cardoso, a sculpture from Sao Tome and Principe, said the coming of the 2nd Pan African festival, marks the return of Africa to her cultural roots.

With the exception of Nigerian artists who were moved away by their embassy to a city hotel, after having complained about ‘bad conditions’ at the artists residency, most artists said they felt honoured to be at the Pan African Cultural Festival.

“This is a good experience for us, we have never been to such a very big festival. This our first time meeting so many African countries,”

Ugandan artist, sarah Musalizi said.

Malawian artist Mathews Chikapa, who is among the few participants interviewed by the BBC a few days ago, said there is good business for African artifacts in Algeria.

“I brought almost half a tonne of wooden sculptures and most of my wares have sold out.”

There were unconfirmed reports suggesting that two artists from west and central Africa skipped camp at the Artists Residency in Algiers for greener pastures in Europe.

At the Zeralda Mutuelle bungalow, visual arts participants form several African countries convened at meeting to form a Pan African Visual Arts committee to spearhead the formation of a related council.

One artist from north Africa who attended the meeting said the idea is commendable, ” It’s the intentions of the idealists which were not clear. The clever ones are quick to nominate themselves into positions, while the wise ones are simply eyeing an opportunity to get elected into offices.”

Kenyan sculptor and painter, Elkana Ongesa dispelled fears of greed within the interim committee tasked to spearhead the formation of the artists organization saying all developments were being followed in good African spirit of togetherness.

“We all have to ensure that there is accountability, transparency and goodwill. We all need to harness our wealth of knowledge and skill to develop our arts in Africa.”

Meanwhile there were moments of uncontrollable laughter at the official opening of the visual arts expo in Algiers as one local photojournalist tripped into a spring pond as he hurried to cover the Central African dancers entertaining revellers at the visual arts exhibitions.

C Miele and Agencies