The Washington West African Center (WAWAC) was established in 2017 with the goal to
support West Africans in Washington to gain access to resources and bridging the gap between us
and the wider community. In doing so, we actively endeavor to create spaces that would enable
us to share our cultural experiences but also get to learn about others. In that regard, the
organization has collaborated with the University Of Washington School Of Public Health to
create a colorful gallery of West African fabric and traditional musical instruments. This gallery
archives traditional West African fabric and musical instruments while highlighting significant
stories associated with each particular item. We are very proud of this collaboration as it fulfills part
of our mission to connect our community with others through cultural appreciation and
socialization.
Essentially, creating this gallery took several months of hard work and intense research from
both the UW students and WAWAC personnel who had put in a lot of work in creating the
gallery. In light of the above, WAWAC organized an official unveiling of this gallery on
Saturday, June 11 th 2022. The purpose of the unveiling was to give the community an
opportunity to see the beautiful West African Fabrics and musical instruments, create a better
community where our cultural values and experiences form part of the tapestry that unites us as well as
an opportunity for our partners to have a taste of West African cuisine. The event was attended by a
cross-section of the community including grandmas, kids, and WAWAC partners such as the
students and lecturers of the University of Washington Bothell and Seattle campuses, Verdant
Health Commission, Department of Health, etc.
See the event pictures here