BARIKA Darboe is passionate about Africa.
The Wellington-based entrepreneur and cultural champion has big plans to properly introduce Africa and New Zealand, first through a gig this month and later when he opens his own restaurant.
Darboe says there are three types of Africa.
“There’s white Afrika, Arab Afrika and jungle Afrika; Afrika Afrika.”
He spells Afrika with a ‘k’, which he says is a rejection of the ‘c’ adopted by colonisers because “the k was too intimidating” and which has become a widely used symbol of Afrikan unity and rebellion.
Darboe is originally from the Mandinka tribe in Gambia, the same tribe as Kunta Kinte – the African man made famous by Alex Haley’s book and subsequent television adaptation Roots. This is jungle Africa.
After finishing his national service in Gambia, Darboe moved to the UK where he became a prison driver. Eventually he moved into security, and when he met his Kiwi wife and relocated to Wellington in 2004 it was in security that he formed his own company.
Darboe’s dream is to open a restaurant that showcases the real food, music and dance of Africa.
“Almost every part of Afrika is here in Wellington but there is no Afrikan food. I want to help anyone who wants to go to Afrika to get a feel for it. To taste the food of whichever country you want and learn some of the language,” he says.
Darboe believes food is a key part of the reason Africans don’t mingle with other cultures as much as they could.
“Afrikan people have nowhere to eat their own tasty food except at home. I want to make a place where Kiwis and Afrikans both like to go, because when everyone is there in the room connections will start to happen,” he says.
In the meantime, Darboe has organised a fundraising concert of African food, music and dancing.
“All the food is cooked by Afrikan Mamas from many countries. Plus me, I’m a great cook,” he laughs.
Melbourne band One Africa is headlining the event, with a mission to unite ethnic tribes of Africa by combining different languages and musical styles. Proceeds from the event go to the Red Cross.
“The Red Cross helped me so now I’m helping them. They fed me when I had no food; my first coca cola was from the Red Cross. They offered aid without forcing the bible or the Koran on us. Most aid in Afrika comes with a bible.”
One Africa, Sam Manzanza and the Afrika drummers, Ruby Lounge, October 22.