Tchaka Night is a tradition for the Haitian American Society at UMass Boston that only seems to get better and grow more each year. The organizers behind the show are dedicated in making Tchaka Night a culturally enlightening show, featuring a showcase surfacing around the Haitian culture.
However, the show is not only about Haitian culture, but also about embracing culture in general. This year was no different as a large group of new students and upper classmen performed in a variety of scenes and short skits. The show this year was a little different than the previous years, as it included fewer skits and more performances.
Refreshments, including the delicacy Haitian patties, were served. Tchaka Night’s celebration began with the reading of the Tchaka Night poem, a tradition for the program. Throughout the night, hosts Stephanie and Terry kept the audiences entertained in between performances.
Towards the end of the show, Tchaka Night dancers performed to Konpa sounds, as well as a performance by the group Trinity. One of the Tchaka Night trademarks is the fashion show in which UMass Boston students display cultural outfits. This year, the show included traditional designs from countries such as Haiti, Trinidad and Jamaica.
President of HAS Tania Lamour said many volunteers had been hard at work since the beginning of the semester to put together such a wonderful show. Everyone involved did their part, and a large portion of the show’s success is the dedicated work of every HAS member.
The show gives the impression that it brings a larger crowd each and every year. The show was so packed that a large group of people were waiting outside hoping to get in. The show was great, but the after party appeared to be a strong feature of the evening for many students who love to socialize and listen to Caribbean music. The after party, which promptly began at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday evening, featured the sounds of music DJs Takeover Sound. If one knows how to dance Soca and Konpa, then it was their lucky night, because the majority of the party was entertained by these tunes. Overall, the night was a huge success, and I am sure everyone is already looking forward to next year.