Partially hidden by leaves, a papier mache zebra watches over third-graders tasting African foods and learning about the continent's music.

Starla Pointer
NewsRegister.com

Watched over by a zebra, a giraffe and an elephant, Memorial Elementary School students are learning about the foods, products and culture of Africa.

They've heard from speakers from some of those countries. They've also learned about African art and animals.

Some grades created paintings in the style of native artwork. Others built giant - though not quite life-size - papier mache versions of animals that might be seen on the savanna.

African drummer Laura Rich visited Memorial, as well, spending this week showing enthusiastic students how to beat out different rhythms and tones. And the schoolwide project culminated with an African "Art Cafe."

"It's to give students a taste of the culture," said Georgine Benner, who organized the activity.

Parents and community volunteers annually host an art cafe featuring a different locale. Usually, it's held in the cafeteria, which is decorated accordingly.

This year, since the theme was Africa, the art cafe was held outdoors in the school's new courtyard. The papier mache animals hid in the greenery as children gathered in an open-air hut filled with woven baskets, wooden masks, statuary and bright-colored cloth.

Volunteer Suzanne Howard showed students an array of African fruits and vegetables: butternut squash, muskmelon, okra, plantains, ugli fruit, eggplant, guava and tamarind. Then other volunteers served up an African snack: polenta, or small discs of cornmeal; fried plantains; and couscous with raisins seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg.

"Actually, this is the best food I've had at an art cafe," said Sarek Osborne, a fifth-grader.

He and classmate Ethan Cape said the polenta and plaintains were mild and not very flavorful. They liked the sweet couscous better.

"I would be weird if this is what they served in the cafeteria, though," Sarek said. "You'd have to get used to it."