Itinerary : Africa and Beyond

The spirit of African culture is at the Museum of Natural History this weekend with the opening of the exhibition, “Africa: One Continent, Many Worlds” (See story, Page 41.) Here are some other places to experience the world’s second-largest continent--as well as the culture and traditions it spawned in America.

Friday Evening

The Fairfax district may be best known for its string of Jewish delis, bakeries and shops, but it’s also a commercial center for L.A.’s Ethiopian community. Nyala’s fragrant, spicy dishes come with the traditional bread of injera (a large, spongy crepe) that is both a serving platter and an eating utensil. There are several meat entrees, but the vegetarian dishes are almost better. Try the yemiser wot (red lentil stew simmered in red pepper, fresh garlic and ginger, $8.95), and don’t miss the traditional coffee ceremony. Fridays and Saturdays, there’s a live band that plays Ethiopian music starting at 10:30 p.m. 1076 S. Fairfax Ave., (213) 936-5918.

Saturday

Both children and adults will enjoy “Isn’t S/He a Doll? Ritual and Play in African Sculpture” at UCLA’s Fowler Museum. The exhibit of about 120 dolls from 24 African nations has labels for children and adults at the appropriate eye levels. Both question what dolls and doll imagery say about cultures and their values. The exhibit inspired a juried art show of children’s art and dolls, also on display. Both exhibitions end Nov. 16. Admission $1 to $5; free on Thursdays and Sundays. Located on the UCLA campus in Westwood. (310) 825-4361.

The California African-American Museum is hosting “Three Generations of African American Female Sculptors: A Study in Paradox.” The exhibition, which includes sculpture from the last 120 years, examines why, with only a few exceptions, African-American women chose to work in a three-dimensional medium to express their art. Was sculpture, as a three-dimensional form, empowering?

On Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m., the museum will host “Face Vessels,” a workshop for children and adults to create clay vessels that resemble people in their families, a tradition that was originated by enslaved African-Americans in the early 19th century. Workshop and museum admission free; parking $5. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, (213) 744-7432.

For dinner, try Kukatonor, where you can sample a range of West African cuisine from Senegalese yassa (a chicken dish with marinated onion and mustard spice, $5.50) to Nigerian egusi (spinach cooked with melon seed, $9) to Liberian cala (rice fritters, $2) 4212 W. Pico Blvd., (213) 937-2208.

Sunday

Catch the 9 a.m. screening of the first of Black Dot Media’s “African Scholars” documentary series, “John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk.” The film, produced by Wesley Snipes, is both a biography of the African-American scholar as well as a quick stroll through 5,000 years of African history. Magic Johnson Theater, 4020 Marlton Ave., (213) 290-5932. Admission is $7.50.

Leimert Park Village is a center of African-American visual, wearable and performance art. Browse such stores as Bak-Tu-Jua (4330 Degnan Blvd., [213] 295-2502) for African clothing, jewelry and musical instruments and Kongo Square Gallery & Gift Shop (4334 Degnan Blvd., [213] 291-6878) for affordable African treasures, including masks and sculpture.

The term “soul food” originated in the 1960s as a term for African-American cooking that includes collard greens, hush puppies and fried chicken, dishes that grew out of tendencies demonstrated in the cuisine at Kukatonor. Harold and Belle’s is an upscale soul food joint not far from Leimert Park that serves great fried chicken, jambalaya and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. 2920 W. Jefferson Blvd., (213) 735-9023.