Cup Match is just weeks away yet there is one band of academics who are already planning to turn next year's festivities into an educational extravaganza.

US educators Dr. Elizabeth Clark-Lewis and Dr. Katherine Olukemi Bankole arrived in Bermuda yesterday on a week-long mission to help plan an historical twist to the 100th anniversary of the fixture.

Next year they hope to bring over 100 to 150 African Americans to explore the common cultural heritage they share with Bermuda.

Dr. Clarke-Lewis, of Howard University, explains: "There's intense interest in Cup Match and African Americans are aware of the rich cultural heritage outside the US.

"Cup Match with the Gombey and the marking of emancipation is a cultural celebration.'' Students making the trip from Washington D.C. can earn credits for their courses at Howard University but those fearing a stuffy fact-finding mission will be pleasantly surprised.

Dr. Clark-Lewis explained: "We'll be looking for ways to engage people. It's not exclusive, we're encouraging people to learn in a way everybody can relate to.'' Possibilities include moving museum displays out into the community and putting on travelling plays.

Other types of live performance are planned and to get the ball rolling the Gombey dancers are set to visit Howard University in August.

Helping things here is Somerset man Radell Tankard, a history PhD student at Howard University, currently back here for the summer break.

His wife Mellisa is also study ing for a PhD at Howard and past students include Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown and Government Senator Patrice Parris.

Former Howard University students now back in Bermuda are involved in an alumni association which is giving strong support to next year's exchange.

Dr. Bankole, of West Virginia University, said that links with other countries often demonstrated the similarities in culture between peoples thousands of miles apart.

She explained: "The gombey mask is very similar to ones found in Nigeria. The costumes and rituals are the same.

"You will find similar customs in Brazil, Sierra Leone and Louisiana for Mardi Gras.''