Annual Jollof Festival Returns for the Third Year

Students packed the Boylston Hall’s Ticknor Lounge to try a variety of Jollof and other rice dishes from African and Caribbean countries as part of the annual Jollof Festival, hosted by the Harvard Association of Ghanaian Students on Sunday.

For the third year in a row, students gathered to rate a variety of Jollof and other rice dishes in a friendly competition to uncover this year’s crowd favorite dish. The event featured dishes provided by several African cultural student groups, music, and a spirited game of Jeopardy.

“I really love this festival,” attendee Richael Saka ’27 said. “I think it’s such a good way to celebrate the African diaspora, not only in Africa, but also in other places such as the Dominican Republic.”

“I am Ghanaian, and I’m also a quarter Nigerian,” she added. “So it’s nice to see both of my cultures represented.”

Harvard Undergraduate Association of Ghanaian Students won first place with their Jollof dish, followed by the Harvard College Nigerian Students Association’s Jollof dish in second, and the Harvard African Students Association's Pilau dish in third.

HUAGS Co-President Sutchie Ofori-Nyako ’26 said events like the Jollof Festival help show how represented African and Caribbean students are on campus.

“I think it kind of changes the perception of how African cultures might be perceived, possibly through the media or other methods, and so to see your own classmates and see how they’re celebrating their culture,” Ofori-Nyako said.

Student organizers also said they were pleased by turnout at this year’s event, which drew roughly 50 people to Boylston.

“It’s actually great seeing people I’ve never seen before getting everyone together to celebrate something new, something exciting,” said Kow W. Simpson ’26, also a co-president of HUAGS.

Before digging into the variety of plates offered, each of the representatives from the student groups explained the history of the dishes they brought.

“I feel like it’s a good way to come together to explore different cultures. Also, I love the part where we got to hear why the food was important before we ate,” said Anicia A. Miller ’27, who also attended the event.

Though the event was not held to celebrate a specific holiday or ritual, HUAGS Vice President Nana Yaa P. Dwomoh ’27 said the festival was important because it brought people together with food.

“I feel like that’s one of the best and fun ways to share culture with other people,” she said. “I was also really glad that it wasn’t only people from the Black diaspora that came, but people that aren’t Black or aren’t from the diaspora.”