About Afrekete
Home of Australia's Premier Dedicated Afro-Cuban Dance & Music Festival
Afrekete Inc. is an Incorporated Association promoting authentic Afro-Cuban culture in Australia via
Cuban, Dance, Music, Food & Art
Afrekete comes from the word for the Ocean Mother energy of the Arara Tradition originally from Dahomey region in present-day Benin and came to Cuba with the slaves. Afrekete in Arara/ Dahomey is the Yemaya (Yemoja) of Yoruba culture of Nigeria, Iemanja of Brazil & Uruguay, Mamiwata of many African Nations.
Like the Universal Mother, Afrekete advocates for an inclusive community, celebrating cultural diversity and intercultural sharing.
Afrekete organises annual events as well as workshops leading up to the main events, uniting Australia’s authentic Cuban dance, music and culture experts!
Come and share a special gathering with us, and co-create an energetic centre to connect to the roots of our sacred ancestry, and experience an authentic piece of Cuba in Australia!
Our events always start with an Official Opening Ceremony with Welcome to Country from local Indigenous Elders and our Afro-Cuban team performing ceremonious drumming and dance, then continue over a whole weekend of dance and music workshops and performances by our Cuban dance and music maestros.
Feel the heartbeat of Cuba and let the rhythm move you…
Friday 4th to Sunday 6th August 2023
Afrekete 2023 will be operating in compliance with an industry approved Safe Event Plan
Afrekete Festival has been the proud recipient of
- Queensland Government’s Celebrate Multicultural Queensland Multicultural Events Grants in 2019 – 2023
- Australian Government’s National Australia Day Council Grant in 2022
- Recipient of City of Gold Coast Community Events Grant Program 2021
- Supported and Auspiced by the Gold Coast Multicultural Communities Council for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022
- Supported and Auspiced by the Cultural Association of Cuban Heritage & Roots for 2021
- Supported and Auspiced by Southern Beaches Community Garden for 2022
- Supported by Townsville Intercultural Centre & City of Townsville for 2023
Afrekete has also been previously supported by
- City of Yarra Small Projects Grant in 2019 for Afrekete Winter Edition Melbourne
- Coffs Harbour City Council Small Grants Funding 2014-2017
- NSW’s Regional Arts CASP Funding 2015 and 2017
- Auspiced by Coffs Harbour Arts Council Inc
Afrekete Inc. acknowledges all Australia’s First Nations Peoples as the traditional custodians of the lands we live, dance, drum, perform ceremony and teach on, and we pay respects to elders past, present and emerging.