Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari in performance.

While the 2008 ACS Crossroads Conference will naturally see a number of academics making presentations, the dynamism of culture will extend beyond the rustle of papers.

A cultural village will be housed at the conferences main site, the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus.

And on successive nights it will host revival, nyabinghi and dancehall.

On Friday, July 4, a thanksgiving table will be a feature of Revival Night, in celebration of the UWI's 60th anniversary and sacred aspects of Jamaica's culture. The following night, Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, Akwaaba and Drum Explosion will perform, and Stone Love Movements' selections will complement a dancehall fashion show on Dancehall Night, Sunday, July 5.

Conference coordinator, Dr Sonjah Stanley-Niah, told The Sunday Gleaner that "The cultural village came as part of our contribution to showcase Caribbean culture through food, the arts and craft, as well as exhibitions. It evolved from the overall theme of the conference and will showcase sacred aspects of Jamaican/Caribbean culture. The committee settled on Revivalism, the drum typically used by Rastafari in their Nyabinghi celebrations, and dancehall as key components of the culture we would want to share, as well as have dialogue about and through."

And in a release she said "The aim of the cultural village is two-fold. It allows us to showcase important cultural products of the region and it allows us to bridge the gap between the UWI and the general public in terms of wider dialogue about culture."

And the intention is to share with the public, which is invited to walk the village.

- M.C.