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No luggage or passports were needed. No flight delays or traveler’s checks had to be worried about. To try a pirogi from Poland, listen to a women’s Balkan chorus or watch Indian dancers, all you needed were a few dollars and an open mind.
As part of a week-long international celebration, the 17th annual Culturefest was held Sunday, Oct. 30, in Memorial Gym Field House. A series of planned events kept visitors of all ages busy and engaged in ethnic activities from around the world. Admission was free and open to everyone.
Starting at 10 a.m., country and culture exhibits were set up for the public to peruse. Decked with landscape postcards, maps, videos and trinkets, the exhibits gave an alluring hint of the rich cultures other areas of the world, like Bulgaria or Japan possess.
“[Culturefest] is important because it brings us together as foreign students and helps us share our culture with the rest of the community,” said Jean-Paul Kabche, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering from Venezuela.
“The university enrolls close to 400 international students and scholars from 70 countries, bringing the world to Orono, Maine,” said Karen Boucias, director of the Office of International Programs. “Culturefest allows internationals from around the state to meet compatriots and allows Americans who have traveled or lived abroad a chance to revisit past homelands and memories.”
If taking a whirlwind tour of the world made visitors work up an appetite, Culturefest had a solution for just a few dollars. The International Food Court opened at 11 a.m., and an aroma of global spices filled the Field House.
There was something available for every palate, whether you preferred spicy, mild, sweet, tangy, adventurous or simple cuisine. Quiches from France, doughnuts from Africa and vegetable rice from The Gambia were just a few of the tempting dishes.
A food contest with prizes awarded was held for all food court chefs. The judges admitted having a hard time trying to make a fair decision. Categories included everything from best presentation to most healthful food. Argentina won Best All-around Dish and the German club won Best Food for the Best Deal.
“The food was excellent. It was a great opportunity to try some food I never had before. I compliment the organization on the variety of food. It was great to see so many countries represented,” said Cortlynn Hepler, president of the student body and food judge for the Culturefest cuisine.
An activity center with crafts and games was set up for visiting children. An estimated 30 children participated in maracas making, Chinese chopsticks practice, and trying Latin dances. A scavenger hunt with prizes for completion encouraged children to explore the exhibits and challenged them to find out what “Guten tag” means in German or to draw a picture of the Turkish good-luck charm.
“We want to engage the children from a young age and raise their awareness,” said Orlina Boteva from Bulgaria, coordinator of the children’s activities. “The parents were very encouraging and explained a lot of the details.”
“I try to expose my kids to other cultures. It’s important for them to know they are a part of a much larger world,” said Susan Morse, Bangor resident and mother of three.
At 1 p.m. audiences were dazzled by the colorful costumes of the style show. The international students raided their closets to pull together an impressive array of traditional global fashion. Cultures from almost every continent were represented with folk costumes from Bulgaria to saris and ghagra cholis from India.
“Dressing up is something that has always been important to me. Wearing my Indian clothes brings back memories of friends and family and brings me closer to my cultural roots. I was happy to see so many participants in the show sharing their own traditions. Clothing is such an important part of every culture,” Neenu Choolani said.
A talent show provided an exciting grand finale to end the day’s festivities. International students displayed talents unique to their country’s culture through dance and music. Sabeshan Srinivasan sang an Indian song during which Ajay Nair jumped up on stage and performed an impromptu dance to the delight of the crowd. Other performances included flamenco and Indian dancing and Balkan and Korean singing.
“I enjoy seeing how proud these guys are of their culture and the amazing talent that they have,” said Culturefest organizer Sarah Joughin of the University of Maine Office of International Programs and National Student Exchange.
“[Culturefest] is a unique and rare opportunity to learn about and appreciate cultural differences,” said Joughin in a recent news release. “This year’s Culturefest was definitely a success.”
Bangor Daily News