2008 Woodie Awards
International Festival celebrates many homelands
Rose Soliven
Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Art & Culture
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This year's International Festival pulsed with ethnic sounds, sights and smells, drawing hundreds of visitors to celebrate Indiana's cultural diversity. The festival was held Nov. 15-18 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
The Nationalities Council of Indiana, a non-profit, all-volunteer educational foundation involving more than 50 ethnic or national organizations, hosted the 31st annual International Festival with its major sponsor, the AAA Hoosier Motor Club.
In the State Fairgrounds' West Pavilion, visitors could walk up and down the aisles of more than 90 cultural booths, food stands and gift vendors. Some local restaurants were represented, such as India Palace and Taqueria 5 Amigos. Ethnic clothing, toys and jewelry were among the souvenirs sold. The festival also featured live entertainment on two stages. Some of the performing groups included the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana, Japanese Minyo Dancers, Indy Highland Dancers and the Philippine Barangay Dance Troupe.
The festival honored not only individual countries and backgrounds but also the one culture they all share - the American culture. Festival visitors, family and friends had the opportunity Nov. 16 to observe a naturalization ceremony, a rite of passage for immigrants becoming U.S. citizens.
Among the festival's new exhibits were "Earth Adventure," a 20-foot tall balloon globe where about 25 people could walk in and see the globe from the inside, the Global Gifts Fair Trade Zone and the YMCA International Fun Zone. At the Global Gifts Fair Trade Zone, visitors could purchase handmade gifts from over 25 countries, and the YMCA International Fun Zone invited children to play games and make crafts from various countries.
Perhaps the most celebrated addition to the festival's program was entertainment from two nationally acclaimed performing groups. The Flamenco Triana, a Chicago-based ensemble led by Michelle Nascimento, who was trained in Spain and has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Northern Africa, presented a bit of Spanish flavor with Flamenco dancing, singing, handclapping and guitar playing. The other highlighted group was the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, a song and dance ensemble of 50 college students from Pittsburgh that entertained visitors with well-choreographed dance and music from Eastern Europe.
The Nationalities Council of Indiana, a non-profit, all-volunteer educational foundation involving more than 50 ethnic or national organizations, hosted the 31st annual International Festival with its major sponsor, the AAA Hoosier Motor Club.
In the State Fairgrounds' West Pavilion, visitors could walk up and down the aisles of more than 90 cultural booths, food stands and gift vendors. Some local restaurants were represented, such as India Palace and Taqueria 5 Amigos. Ethnic clothing, toys and jewelry were among the souvenirs sold. The festival also featured live entertainment on two stages. Some of the performing groups included the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana, Japanese Minyo Dancers, Indy Highland Dancers and the Philippine Barangay Dance Troupe.
The festival honored not only individual countries and backgrounds but also the one culture they all share - the American culture. Festival visitors, family and friends had the opportunity Nov. 16 to observe a naturalization ceremony, a rite of passage for immigrants becoming U.S. citizens.
Among the festival's new exhibits were "Earth Adventure," a 20-foot tall balloon globe where about 25 people could walk in and see the globe from the inside, the Global Gifts Fair Trade Zone and the YMCA International Fun Zone. At the Global Gifts Fair Trade Zone, visitors could purchase handmade gifts from over 25 countries, and the YMCA International Fun Zone invited children to play games and make crafts from various countries.
Perhaps the most celebrated addition to the festival's program was entertainment from two nationally acclaimed performing groups. The Flamenco Triana, a Chicago-based ensemble led by Michelle Nascimento, who was trained in Spain and has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Northern Africa, presented a bit of Spanish flavor with Flamenco dancing, singing, handclapping and guitar playing. The other highlighted group was the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, a song and dance ensemble of 50 college students from Pittsburgh that entertained visitors with well-choreographed dance and music from Eastern Europe.
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