ENERGY, vibrant costumes, dance, and song were in abundance when students at Waltham Forest College staged a culture and music show in celebration of Black History Month.

A fashion parade of students wearing the national costumes of Somalia, Nigeria, Ghana, Congo and Brazil set the tone for the performances.

Fatima Abas, a health and social care student, wore Somalian costume and also sang a duet with Joselyn Meade, who is studying on the same course.

A highlight of the show was an energetic display of Brazilian capoireira dance by former catering student Franklin and Danielle Dos Santos, a brother and sister act who perform together professionally.

Franklin explained that the dances have their roots in Africa and were brought to Brazil by the slave trade.

Deji Odenunmi, studying business, wrote lyrics called Dear Mum about a difficult time in his life which he performed as a mixture of rap and song with his friend Kenan Nderede, who is studying sport.

Kenan said: “I was born in Uganda and Deji is from Nigeria. There are a lot of mixed backgrounds at this College and it is important we understand each other’s cultures.”

Emerging urban music star Young Nate, a teenager from North London, performed his new single Be the One which is due to be released next month.

Wednesday's show, held in the student common room at the college’s main campus in Forest Road, Walthamstow, is one of a series of events held throughout October to celebrate Black History Month.

Yesterday, students were taken on a guided history walk by a Peter Ashan, learning and outreach officer from Vestry House Museum who explained the history of the black and asian population who have lived in Walthamstow since at least the 17th Century.

The museum's archives show black people migrated here a result of The East India Company but also because of the transatlantic slave trade, many young men were brought to Walthamstow to work as servants in the mansions of the wealthy.