By: Dr. Mary
FT. LAUDERDALE – The Renaissance Festival tells us to “Travel back in time to the 16th Century at the 25th annual Florida Renaissance Festival, coming to Quiet Waters Park, 7 Weekends February 11th through March 26th, 2017!
Over 100 Artisans selling their wares, Over 100 Performers to entertain, Kid’s Kingdom, Entertainment and Food and Drynk fit for a King! It’s a Fun Family Event for All Ages!”
That’s all well and good but if you’re like me you are wondering, what in the world is a Renaissance Festival?
Renaissance is defined by Dicitonary.com as “the activity, spirit, or time of the great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe beginning in the 14th century and extending to the 17th century, marking the transition from the medieval to the modern world.”
It has to do with History! History? All that stuff went out the window in high school or first year of college.
Jamaican born, Michelle Lawrence who currently lives in South Florida stated that there is a “lack of diversity” at the festival and she would like to bridge that gap.
She conveyed that she joined the cast a couple years ago and when she joined she realized that “we” Caribbean Americans/African-Americans are the “missing pieces”, we are not “represented as part of the cast.” Therefore, Michelle would like to change all that this year. She is inviting all Caribbean Americans and African Americans to the festival for a taste of history.
Michelle explained that this year her Encampment is focusing on the year Ottoman Empire. Again what is that?
The “Ottoman Empire, empire created by Turkish tribes in Anatolia (Asia Minor) that grew to be one of the most powerful states in the world during the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Ottoman period spanned more than 600 years and came to an end only in 1922, when it was replaced by the Turkish Republic and various successor states in southeastern Europe and the Middle East. At its height the empire encompassed most of southeastern Europe to the gates of Vienna, including present-day Hungary, the Balkan region, Greece, and parts of Ukraine; portions of the Middle East now occupied by Iraq, Syria, Israel, and Egypt; North Africa as far west as Algeria; and large parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
The term Ottoman is a dynastic appellation derived from Osman I (Arabic: ʿUthmān), the nomadic Turkmen chief who founded both the dynasty and the empire about 1300.”
Too much history? Or is that not enough history for you? Would you like to learn more?
Michelle would love to have you attend the festival. She and her son along with significant other have been attending these festivals for years and she would like to educate other Caribbean Americans about its significance. She expressed that it would be a wonderful experience.
What can you expect? She conveyed “friendly” people. They will be dressed in the attire of that era. You can expect to experience the food, music, and artifacts from that time period.
Calling all Caribbean people to go out and support The Renaissance Festival ask for Michelle she would love to educate you on the Ottoman Empire.
