In Cheonan, South Korea, Gabonese community gathered on Saturday, August 17, to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Gabon’s independence. The event, organized by Samba Corée with support from the Gabonese Embassy, blended traditions, gastronomy, and community reunions.
This celebration, far from the military parades and official ceremonies of Libreville, took the form of a community gathering. Compatriots from all across Korea traveled to Cheonan to share Gabonese food, exchange, dance, and celebrate their homeland.
“This is a moment of reunion for us,” explained one participant. Students, families, and workers transformed, for a day, a neighborhood of Cheonan into a Gabonese enclave. Cassava, grilled fish, and alloco replaced the official tribunes, while laughter and songs gave the celebration a distinctly African warmth.
To further mark the occasion, the afternoon featured quizzes on Gabon’s history and culture, rewarding the most attentive as well as traditional dances, also recognized with prizes.
This year, a particular theme was chosen: wearing traditional attire. From colorful boubous to knotted loincloths and ornaments inspired by various ethnic groups, participants showed creativity and pride, giving the gathering a vibrant atmosphere.
Samba Corée spearheaded the festivities, the support of the Gabonese Embassy in Korea made this large-scale gathering possible. It was a way to strengthen ties between the diaspora and national institutions, and to encourage community initiatives abroad.
Beyond nostalgia and festivity, the celebration also became a moment of exchange about the future: professional opportunities, studies, and collective projects. For many, it was a chance to reaffirm a patriotic solidarity, where cultural transmission and unity prevail over distance.
The 65th anniversary of Gabon’s independence, celebrated in Cheonan, South Korea, serves as a reminder that, wherever they are in the world, Gabonese people know how to keep their country’s memory alive with the warmth of shared meals, the strength of traditions, and the beauty of outfits that tell the story of a people’s identity.