Bringing the world home

Lotus World Music and Arts Festival began Thursday in an explosive manner – literally. \nBooming drums and roaring applause filled the Classic Touch Limousine Service Tent as the members of Balkan Beat Box, wearing Halloween masks and playing various hand instruments, wove through an audience of hundreds. Lead singer Tomer Yosef leapt onto the stage and ushered in an energetic performance by the band, kicking off a promising Lotus Fest 2007. \nFor three days, downtown Bloomington was transformed into a cultural melting pot, represented by dozens of world music genres and local artists. Lotus Fest saw old and new acts this year, from Balkan Beat Box and Golem to this year’s crowd favorites Amazones and Dhoad Gypsies of Rajasthan. \nThousands of students, Bloomington residents and music lovers poured into Bloomington to savor Lotus Fest and expose themselves to new styles of music and art. \nNewcomers Amazones infused the crowd with energetic rhythms straight out of Guinea, Africa. Member and Jamaica-native Afia Walking Tree said the energy she felt from the audience was tremendous, and it helped her and her fellow Amazones keep moving throughout their performance. \nAmazones focuses on breaking the stereotypes faced by female drummers, Walking Tree said. \nAlthough Walking Tree doesn’t speak the native languages of Guinea, the language barrier is not a problem while playing the djembe, a hand drum.\n“I believe that women are able to communicate through everything,” she said. “We learn through hand gestures and movements, and if you don’t get it the first time, (the rhythm) will come back to you as you’re learning, and you just keep trying and repeating until you get it. There’s a language barrier, but that doesn’t keep us from having deep conversations about cultural issues and the problems faced by women.\n“There’s a different way that women handle the drums, and there’s a different way that we master it as well. It’s only that today, we’re being recognized as master of the djembe, sabar and bougarabou.”\nWhile Amazones was determined to break tradition with their music, the Dhoad Gypsies of Rajasthan were upholding thousands of years of tradition of Indian drums and entertainment.\n“I came from a family of tabla musicians, seven generations,” band leader Rahis Bharti said in Hindi. “We wanted to bring all the colors of Rajasthan to Indiana to share our cultures and traditions.”\nBharti, along with his younger brother Amarat Hussain, played the tabla, a traditional Indian drum that takes years to master. Band member Mohammad Bilal played bhapang, another Indian drum, and morchiang, a jaw harp. Gulam Ali played the portable harmonium and Gopal Singh played the dholak, a two-sided drum, while Munshi balanced on beds of nails and sword blades and ate fire. \nFusing traditions with contemporary music was Tunisian-born Mohamed Chaous, better known as MC Rai. Rai’s music is a blend of traditional Arab beats and rock music, Chaous said.\n“It’s very underground in America,” he said. “But in France, rai music is very popular.” \nChaous expressed his excitement at playing at Lotus Fest this year, citing the success of Balkan Beat Box after the group began playing at Lotus Fest in 2005. \n“They’re huge now, and they started right here in Bloomington,” Chaous said. \nChaous was interrupted by a cry of “Move! Move!” as March Fourth Marching Band paraded down Sixth Street, followed by about 200 festivalgoers. Towering over the onlookers and parade participants were two stilt walkers, clearing the path for the following 35-piece band. Clad in black and white marching suits and face paint, March Fourth passed through most of the Lotus Fest area. Although new to Lotus Fest this year, March Fourth seemed to also be a crowd favorite among both the young and old. \nJunior Alex Luboff said Lotus Fest weekend is the best time of year because it gives students an opportunity to experience various cultures.\nThis year’s Lotus Fest brought eons-old cultural traditions to Bloomington but was still able to spotlight artists who are breaking those traditions. Many of the 23 acts this year spoke of coming back next year.\nFor the 14th year, Bloomington became a stage for global music.\n“Even though it’s southern Indiana, it can still be one universal place,” Luboff said. “It’s really cool how you can see the world in Bloomington.”