4th annual multicultural festival attracts hundreds

Smells of ethnic food filled the air Sunday as hundreds of students and Bloomington residents packed into Showers Plaza and an explosive performance by Estrela de Norte Capoeira Angola group opened the festivities of the fourth annual Bloomington Multicultural Festival. \nOrganizers created the festival in 2002 to promote diversity, said Sue Owens, program specialist for the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department.\n“Each culture brings its own unique beauty to our community,” Owens said. “The Bloomington Multicultural Festival is particularly exciting because it offers festival-goers an opportunity to experience many different cultures in one afternoon.”\nThe opening performance by Estrela de Norte Capoeira Angola captured the audience’s attention, using indigenous Brazilian instruments and singing while two “capoeiristas” sparred as if they were dancing. The capoeiristas looked as if they were break dancing, but capoeira itself is considered a martial art and fight-dancing game.\nBoth campus and city organizations, including the Asian Culture Center, La Casa Latino Culture Center, Tibetan Culture Center and CUBAmistad, set up booths and displays for the attendees.\nThe Tibetan Culture Center promoted the upcoming October visit and lecture of the Dalai Lama. CUBAmistad is an organization that promotes the lifting of the trade and travel embargoes on Cuba.\nFair Trade Bloomington, an organization dedicated to global economic development, also attended the festival, selling fair-trade goods like jewelry, hand-carved statues and books.\nRepresentatives from the Portuguese, Central Asian, Slavic and East European and African Languages departments were also on hand, promoting their languages and cultures.\nPerformances by the IU International Folkdancers, Cry of the Children gospel performers, the Bloomington High School North Mariachi Band and traditional India dancers carried over the other sounds of the festival. \nFor the children who attended, the Mathers Museum of World Cultures hosted a hands-on craft booth featuring art from around the world. Volunteers from the museum helped kids create African necklaces, woven baskets and “milagros,” charms made from aluminum foil in the shape of a wish. \nVarious local restaurants offered food to the attendees as well. Smokin’ Jack’s Rib Shack prepared various ethnic dishes from Asia, Mexico, Italy, Africa, Germany and the U.S.