It's a small world

The sound of banging drums and cymbals reverberated through IU's nearly packed auditorium as six Korean musicians came through to the stage.\nThe crowd, composed mainly of freshmen, was there for CultureFest, IU's annual celebration of culture and diversity on campus. \nThe Korean Samulnori Drummers played sitting cross-legged while a Korean toddler danced and clapped with the dynamics of the music, making audience members in the first few rows laugh for much of the song.\n"They were so talented I didn't want them to stop," said sophomore transfer student Whitney Biber. \nA video that challenged students to be "the author of their own stories" at IU followed the drummers. \nKeynote speaker Momma Sandi, who grew up in African, Caribbean and Southern neighborhoods, almost never let her hands rest during her nearly 30-minute speech.\nSandi connected to her audience through a childlike story about a mouse that learned to understand others' differences.\n"I'm a storyteller, (but) not in the traditional sense," said barefooted Sandi, who wore bright orange from head to toe. Minutes later, she began singing and clapping to a song while inviting the audience to chime in with "oh yeah" when she pointed at it. \nSandi's tale described a mouse that learned to be unselfish by giving things it needed to other animals -- animals that were unlike the mouse.\nSandi said she likes engaging the audience with this style of speaking because it is "different than just preaching."\nHer bright personality did not allow her love for teaching to stay confined in a curriculum, so she combined it with her love for creativity, she said.\nFreshman Bo Leonard said he enjoyed being able to listen to the stories. \n"I felt like a little kid again," he said. \nFreshman Emily Pressler agreed that Sandi's speech was appropriate and fun. \n"She kind of put the message (out) to unify and be a team and help each other," she said.\nOther students said they felt Sandi's storytelling was fun and interactive but inappropriate for the college-aged. \n"It felt a little juvenile," senior Sam Laughlin said. "(It felt like) something she should be telling grade-schoolers."\nOnce students left the auditorium, they were welcomed at Showalter Fountain to free food from several culture centers on campus and local restaurants such as Dats and Qdoba.\nStudents moving through the crowded area stayed in small groups and aimed for a shady spot from the late afternoon heat.\nThose who were patient enough to linger in lines that were dozens of students deep to get the free food approved of the unique cuisine -- including chili cheese etouffee and vegan succotash.\nStudents were more frequently seen eating pizza and snow cones, however.\nMusic ranging from lively and upbeat to loud rock accompanied students as they made their way to several booths offering such activities as painting flowerpots and getting information about the cultural centers on campus.\nJunior Dee Wanapun, who was working at the Asian Cultural Center booth, was happy to get more information to students for fall events. \n"It really exposes freshmen to know more about diversity on campus," she said.