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(11/09/07 2:57am)
At 5 p.m. Friday, the Asian Culture Center, with the help of the Indian Students Association and the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, will begin its celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights.\nDiwali is one of the most popular and celebrated holidays in the Hindu faith. Just as Christmas is celebrated differently in various other parts of the world, so is Diwali.\n“It celebrates the victory of good over evil,” said Babita Upadhyay, Asian Culture Center program and administration assistant. “Lamps are lit as symbols of hope for humankind.”\nThe ceremony will last until 6:30 p.m. Afterward, attendees are invited to attend a reception at the Asian Culture Center.\nThere will be a variety of activities offered for every age group and traditional Indian food will be served, including curry and sweets.\n“The ACC celebrates almost all the major festivals and holidays from various Asian cultures, and Diwali happens to be one of them,” Upadhyay said. “Through these celebrations, the Asian Culture Center endeavors to bring the Asian cultures closer to the University and Bloomington communities.” \nUpadhyay said fireworks are traditionally a major part of Diwali, but instead, sparkers will be used to show this part of \nthe celebration. \nAt the reception, students can learn to make “rangoli,” a type of popular art that uses finely ground powder colors to decorate floors and walls. \nDiwali is also the time of year for families to come together to socialize and strengthen relationships, Upadhyay said.\nIn her home country of Nepal, Upadhyay said that there are five days of celebration: Kag Tihar, dedicated to crows; Kukur Tihar, dedicated to dogs who protect homes; Laxmi Puja, dedicated to the goddess of wealth and Bhailini, where girls sing songs and go door to door asking for money; Deusi, where boys sing songs and go door to door asking for money; and Tika Day, the final day.\n“The main day of Diwali is day three, which is Laxmi Puja,” Upadhyay said. “It is the biggest holiday for Hindus, as important as Christmas is for Christians.”\nAlthough she cannot be at home with her family for Diwali, Upadhyay said he will still celebrate the holiday at IU.\n“I miss the wonderful food, playing cards, gatherings at my house,” she said. “Since it is the special day for brothers, back home my house is filled with my uncles and aunts. I can still smell marigold as every house is decorated with garlands made of the marigold flower.”
(11/09/07 2:52am)
The African American Arts Institute’s ensembles will inaugurate their performance seasons Saturday evening with the 14th annual “A Potpourri of Arts in the African American Tradition.”\nThe concert will be begin at 8 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and children and are available at the Sunrise Box Office, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.\nIU Soul Revue, African American Dance Company and African American Chorale Ensemble will all perform individually first, AAAI Executive Director Charles Sykes said. After their respective performances, the groups will come together for a song or two.\n“There really are a wide variety of things,” he said. “We’ll have old spirituals, gospel music, contemporary dance, dances styles that are influenced by different kinds of traditions, rhythm and blues from the 60s, 70s, 80s and current pieces.”\nThe primary goal of the concert is to expose the audience to a sample of the range of the performances they give, he said.\n“The word ‘potpourri’ implies a mixture of colors and ideas,” Sykes said. “Our ensembles have a broad range of styles from African-American traditions. There will be something on the program for everyone.”
(11/08/07 5:00am)
Psychology Professor Phillip Summers steps down from the lecture podium at the front of Morrison Hall's lecture hall and walks over to a student.\n"How's Ryan doing?" he asks the student, beginning a conversation with him that transcends typical small talk. After wishing the student luck on his remaining midterms, Summers walks over to a female student and inquires about her weekend.\nIn a class of 251, Summers knows every student's name and interests. \n"Over the past six years, I have had 99 percent accuracy," he said. "I missed one female student's first name by one letter two years ago."\nIt is this approachability that led the IU student body to vote Summers "Best Professor." The retired Vincennes University president remained humble about the award.\n"I know of many, many professors who are far more deserving than me," he said. "IU and the psychology and brain sciences department are fortunate to have very talented and dedicated faculty and staff who work diligently to provide IU students with the highest quality undergraduate and graduate education."\nHowever, his students disagreed, each stating in a brief written survey that he was the best professor IU has to offer.\nFreshman Katherine Fay said Summers is the best professor because "he helps to understand difficult subjects by making the class fun and interesting."\nHe always tells jokes, shows movie clips and demonstrates complex ideas, she said. \n"He makes psychology so much fun, you can't wait to get to class."\nFreshman Lauren Dardanes echoed Fay's statements, saying, "He gives students the benefit of the doubt and wants us to do good in his class."\nMost students who were surveyed said that the extra-credit opportunities and Summers' sincere concern about his students' well-being make him IU's best professor.\n"He makes you feel wanted," student Bryan Jones said. "To him, you're not just another face in the crowd."\nSummers said that he wants his students to be challenged and to learn and enjoy their experiences in his class.\n"My goal is that all students who take my class can say I knew them and even in a large lecture setting, they felt I had a personal interest in their learning and academic success," he said.\nReceiving his bachelor's degree in education from IU in 1960 and his master's degree in guidance and counseling from IU in 1963, Summers said he is proud to be able to give back to his alma mater.\n"I have the wonderful opportunity each semester to teach and get to know 250 interesting, trusting, motivated and success-oriented IU students, which in itself is a great reward," he said.
(11/08/07 3:37am)
Imagine bringing together all the ethnic and international cultures of IU and spending an entire evening sampling their authentic cuisines.\nThe Union Board Diversity Performance Committee, in collaboration with the Office of International Services, decided last semester to offer such an event, IU World’s Fare.\nThis festival will celebrate the diversity on campus and introduce students to different menus from around the world, said Kelli Zimmerman, Union Board Diversity Performance director.\nBeginning at 5 p.m. tonight, Indiana Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall will become infused with nearly every culture on IU’s campus. \nIU World’s Fare is free to IU students with their student IDs, Zimmerman said.\n“The goal of World’s Fare is to raise awareness about the different international student groups, and to include them in the mainstream campus events,” she said. “We also want everyone to have a good time learning about new cultures.”\nThe international food festival will open with a performance by the African Ensemble, and nearly two-dozen student cultural groups will be represented.\nExotic cuisines from Puerto Rico, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Hawaii will be featured, just to name a few.\nOther groups displaying their respective culture, but not necessarily serving food, include the Asian American Association, the Indian\nStudent Association, IU Korean Student Association, the Japanese Student Association, the Malaysian Student Association, the Pakistan Student Association, the Saudi Students Club and the Turkish Student Association.\nDuring the food sampling, there will be more performances by several international student organizations such as Sigma Lambda Upsilon (Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc.), the Singapore Student Association, the Thai Student Association and the Kazakh Student Association.\nA panel consisting of IMU interim executive director Bruce Jacobs, Meeting Rooms Assistant Director Hollie Lutz, several faculty members and Office of International Services staff members, will judge performances, Zimmerman said. \n“This is a brand new event,” Zimmerman said. “(My committee) was trying to live up to our name, Diversity Performance, and we found out that the Office of International Services and the International Center were trying to do the same thing.”\nCollaborating with the other offices, Zimmerman said that the pilot project has been under construction since the end of the spring 2007 semester.\n“Hopefully, it will be huge,” Zimmerman said. “According to the Facebook group, we have over 500 people coming.”
(11/02/07 3:26am)
Colorful paper banners were woven throughout the tree branches and streamers trickled down the gravestones as more than 60 students huddled around the cemetery outside of Foster Quad on Thursday evening. \nIU graduate student Rachel Gonzalez addressed the crowd about the significance of the traditions and customs of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.\n“In Mexico, droves and droves of people would be in cemeteries like this, cleaning the graves and decorating them,” she said. “The purpose is not just to honor them, but to entice them to come back to interact and communicate with the living.” \nFoster’s formal lounge was also transformed Thursday night into a solemn gathering place to honor the dead. Decorated with colorful Mexican paper banners and two traditional alters, the Dia de los Muertos celebration began. \nAttendees initially assembled in the lounge, facing traditional Bolivian and Mexican alters. Both had similar elements on them, such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead), apples, flowers and other unique cultural elements. \nGonzalez explained the Mexican customs of skull imagery and color choice. \nSkulls can be made from papier-mâché, wood, sugar or ceramic, she said. They are then decorated with colorful paint and icing, and often exchanged among family members. \n“They can be shared with other people, but it’s a very intimate thing,” Gonzalez said. “You only give them to your closest friends.” \nAlters, she said, can be adorned with colorful draperies and objects. Bright orange and red marigolds are also added to the setting. The aroma is meant to entice the spirits of the dead, Gonzalez said. \nThe candles represent warmth and light to entice the dead, as opposed to the darkness and cold of death, she said. \n“This day is very playful, but it is not like Halloween,” she said. \nGraduate student Vannessa Pelaez-Barrios then described the traditions of the Bolivian Day of the Dead, which were similar to those of Mexico, but also very different.\n“In Mexico, the colors of the alters are very bright and make light of death,” she said. “But in Bolivia, we respect death and are afraid of it.” \nAfter the illustrations of various Day of the Dead customs, the students were invited to taste the pan de muerto and Mexican hot chocolate. Crafts, such as sugar skulls and tissue paper flowers, were demonstrated by IU’s Latino community members. \n“During the Day of the Dead, families spend entire days and nights in cemeteries, lovingly calling back the dead to the living,” Gonzalez said. “There’s no right or wrong way to honor the dead, as long as your heart in the right place.”
(11/01/07 4:00am)
I have to admit that I was in total shock last week when I saw a saffron-and-crimson-clad monk walk out of Starbucks, then later saw a group of monks smoking at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center.\nI thought to myself, "Aren't Buddhists supposed to avoid putting harmful substances into their bodies? Should this guy really be drinking that $5 venti macchiato?"\nThis confusion clouded my mind until reality hit me early in the morning Saturday, Oct. 27, as I awaited the arrival of His Holiness' motorcade: These monks are holy men, yes, but that doesn't mean they can't indulge in some of the same pleasures as normal folk. I mean, I've seen priests drink wine and rabbis smoke cigarettes, but I didn't think any less of them. Why should I think any less of these monks?\nThe apex of my judgmental thoughts came later that afternoon, when I heard the Dalai Lama's final address to Bloomington and IU. The message was on compassion and the path to peace, and I felt like he was directly addressing me when he said that many of the world's problems come from a lack of knowledge about reality.\nTo me, "reality" is the midterm that I bombed last week that will haunt me the rest of the semester. It's not the philosophical "what's real, what isn't" nonsense out of "The Matrix" that's entirely over my head. But after hearing those words come from that tiny, ancient man's mouth, I realized that, like Plato said in "The Republic," reality is always changing, and knowledge of reality is subjective.\nComplex, I know, but in essence, I realized last week that my lack of knowledge about what is "real" in Tibet, "real" to monks and "real" to Buddhist spirituality prevented me from understanding that monks, including the Dalai Lama, are human beings. Sinning, smoking, emotional, thinking humans. It took me six days to conclude that, just as the Tibetan spiritual leader said, he is "just a monk."\nThat's hard to believe, given that he had a miniature army of Secret Service agents flanking him at all times, but I truly see now that he is "just a monk." He is simple, reserved and likes a bit of humor every once in a while. He even told the audience of about 9,000 that he likes cats more than dogs, and he took off his shoes at his lecture because they made him uncomfortable. I mean, I do that, so why shouldn't he?\nBefore I took the assignment of covering the Dalai Lama's progress for the Indiana Daily Student, I had this preconceived notion that he was basically the "pope" of the Buddhist world. For goodness' sake, could I be blamed? The man was just awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to humankind, not to mention his Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.\nI learned that he was the Tibetan head-of-state, in exile in India since 1959, but also a spiritual leader for Tibetan Buddhists. He wasn't an all-encompassing religious leader for every Buddhist, however; Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists alike revere and respect him. His decades-old message of peace and nonviolent discourse has inspired millions around the world. He had harsh words to say about the war in Iraq and upheld sympathy for terrorists and their lack of early childhood affection.\nTo me, he is like Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus all rolled into one: His nonviolent ways inspire compassion for his own people and for those oppressed by tyrannical governments. He judges no one and encourages our generation to "make this century a century of dialogue, not bloodshed."\n"The concept of 'we' and 'they' is no longer relevant," he told us. \nHis words could not have been more directed toward my tendency to stereotype: We are all the same, regardless of our religious beliefs, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender. Whether you're a monk, a priest, a rabbi, an imam, an atheist or just a spiritual person, we're all humans, he said, and we all have an identical need for love.
(11/01/07 2:33am)
Halloween might be over, but the link between the living and the dead is not yet broken.\nToday is El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. \nObserved in most Latin American countries, this is a day of honoring one’s ancestors and celebrating their lives. \nBeginning at 7 p.m. today, Foster Residence Center’s Formal Lounge will host an El Dia de los Muertos program to commemorate the holiday and explain its significance.\nThe tradition of honoring and celebrating the lives of the dead originated in the indigenous cultures of Mexico and several other Latin American countries, said Rebeca Hernandez, Foster Global Village resident adviser. \n“Death was not seen as the ultimate end of a person’s existence but rather as a re-birth into another world of the dead,” she said.\nIn more modern times, El Dia de los Muertos falls on the same day as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, traditional Catholic holidays, Hernandez said. \nSeveral Latino communities spend their holiday at cemeteries where their ancestors are buried, decorating the graves and offering traditional Day of the Dead foods, flowers and herbs, she said. \n“Others build beautiful altars for their ancestors in their homes and invite family and friends to come over and celebrate with feasting and praying,” she said. “The goal of all of these activities is to invite the dead to enjoy the fruits of living once again and let them know that they are still cherished.” \nThis year, the theme of the Foster celebration is showing the diversity of Day of the Dead celebrations, Hernandez said.\n“We will be observing and learning about the traditions of the Aztec people, the decorating of the grave site, the altar building from Mexico and Bolivia and much more,” she said. \nAttendees of the celebration can participate in different Day of the Dead crafts, such as creating sugar skulls and sampling pan de muerto, or bread of the dead.\nThis celebration of the dead is becoming an IU tradition, Hernandez said. \n“In the past, we have even dedicated altars to Herman B Wells,” she said. “It is important to share with the IU community because it is an alternative way to view a very sensitive subject while building community among IU students and staff as we realize we are all just people with our own losses in life.” \nHernandez said that El Dia de Los Muertos is a time for her to share the grieving of her ancestors with other people in a way that honors and celebrates their lives before and after death. \n“Since it is a festive holiday, I always leave with a more positive understanding of the process of life,” she said. “I believe my ancestors wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
(10/30/07 2:44am)
Beginning at 7 p.m. tonight, Willkie Auditorium will host a Samhain celebration. The event, coordinated by Willkie Community Instructor Kim Shrack, will educate students about Wicca and paganism during the religions’ most important holiday. \nPronounced “sow-in,” Shrack said that Samhain celebrated the time that the “veil” between this world and the next is the thinnest, making it easier to communicate with spirits and ghosts.\nAlthough she is not pagan, Shrack said that she feels that paganism and Wicca have bad reputations. \n“This is my attempt to clear it up,” she said.\nWicca is a religion recognized by the U.S. government, and is based on traditions originating from medieval Europe.\nAt the program, there will be food rituals led by local Wiccan priestess Beckie Wagner.\n“We will be serving a mini version of barmbrack, traditional bread served on Samhain,” Shrack said. “The bread contains charms that give you good fortune.” \nTraditional harvest foods, such as caramel apples and apple cider, will also be served, she said.\n“Apples are very important to paganism because when you cut them open, the seeds create the shape of the pentagram,” Shrack said. \nIn addition to ritual demonstrations, there will also be other practitioners of pagan religions who will discuss their experiences and rune readings, she said.\n“Rune reading is tossing stones that have inscriptions on them,” Shrack said. “The reader will then read the pattern to tell you something about your future.”\nPronounced “sow-in,” Shrack said that Samhain celebrated the time that the “veil” between this world and the next is the thinnest, making it easier to communicate with spirits and ghosts.\nAlthough she is not pagan, Shrack said that she feels that paganism and Wicca have bad reputations. \n“This is my attempt to clear it up,” she said.\nWicca is a religion recognized by the U.S. government, and is based on traditions originating from medieval Europe.\nAt the program, there will be food rituals led by local Wiccan priestess Beckie Wagner.\n“We will be serving a mini version of barmbrack, traditional bread served on Samhain,” Shrack said. “The bread contains charms that give you good fortune.” \nTraditional harvest foods, such as caramel apples and apple cider, will also be served, she said.\n“Apples are very important to paganism because when you cut them open, the seeds create the shape of the pentagram,” Shrack said. \nIn addition to ritual demonstrations, there will also be other practitioners of pagan religions who will discuss their experiences and rune readings, she said.\n“Rune reading is tossing stones that have inscriptions on them,” Shrack said. “The reader will then read the pattern to tell you something about your future.”
(10/29/07 4:26am)
Thousands of students, community members, international visitors and monks flocked to Assembly Hall Saturday afternoon for a chance to hear the Dalai Lama deliver his final message to Bloomington.\nAs the audience gave the Dalai Lama a standing ovation before he appeared, dozens of monks stood silent as they waited for their spiritual leader to walk on stage.\nFollowing introductions by IU President Michael McRobbie and Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp, a spokeswoman for the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center and wife of musician John Mellencamp, the Tibetan leader walked onto the stage and sat down in a large yellow armchair. \nJoking about his shoes making him uncomfortable, the Dalai Lama immediately removed them and addressed the awaiting crowd.\n“Sit down!” he said. \nGenerating laughter from the audience, the Dalai Lama began his lecture on compassion and character. \n“Many of the world’s problems are due to a lack of human compassion,” he said. “Major disasters are due to hatred, jealousy and negative emotions.”\nHe encouraged the audience to take a stand to cultivate and nurture positive emotions. \n“Affection and compassion are very much present in the mind,” he said. “These things I learned from my mother, not my teacher. She provided me with maximum affection, and in some sense, I think I’m spoiled because of it.” \nHe said compassion has nothing to do with Buddhism or religion, but comes at the time of birth. \n“Animals also have the capacity of compassion to offspring and humans,” he said. Chuckling, he added, “I like cats, they are very clean.” \nWith his head-of-state status and entourage of Secret Service agents, the Dalai Lama insisted that he is not the “holy or special someone that people think (he is),” rather he considered himself to be “just another human being.” \nMoving into the topic of violence, the Dalai Lama stated that the concept of war is outdated. \n“The past century became a century of bloodshed,” he said. “Millions were killed, and this century, the 21st century, is not off to a very good start.”\nHe suggested that this generation of students become an age known for dialogue, not bloodshed. \n“The destruction of your neighbor is the destruction of yourself,” he said. “The concept of ‘we’ and ‘they’ is no longer relevant.”\nAfter his final message to the audience, “there is infinite compassion through reason,” the Dalai Lama stood up and briskly said “Thank you.” \nBowing to the crowd, he walked off stage, escorted by his company of bodyguards.
(10/26/07 4:21am)
A 60-foot tapestry of an intricate, colorful Buddha set the stage for a performance by the monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery. Flanked by tables of chandeliers with lotus-shaped lights, the wall covering displayed the religious deity surrounded by five Buddhists saints. A large throne sat in the middle of the stage, where the monks placed a photo of the Dalai Lama.\n“Since he cannot be here with us physically, it is tradition that we place a photo of him where he would sit,” the narrator, known only as Gandhi, said.\nThe monks, from the same monastery as the Dalai Lama, presented their “Cultural Pageant of Tibet” on Thursday, demonstrating chants, dances, music and monastic debate as part of Tibetan Night at the IU Auditorium.\nThe Dalai Lama is in Bloomington this week to present a series of teachings Atisha Buddhism but could not attend Thursday’s event. His public lecture, “Compassion: the source of peace,” will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Assembly Hall. Admission is $15 for students and $30 for general admission.\nThe exhibition began with a traditional chant used by this particular sect of monks, and is used to welcome the Dalai Lama and to offer him the newly constructed sand mandala.\nGandhi explained the purpose of the chant beforehand to the audience of more than 1,000 students and community members. \n“The chant is a motion to send forth into the world healing and world peace,” he said. \nAfter the introduction, several monks filed on stage carrying instruments and saffron-colored headdresses. Grouping themselves in a line, they began their chant in Tibetan.\nThe chants lasted only a few minutes, and the monks transitioned to a scene from a Tibetan opera. \n“In 1645, Thangthong Gyalpo founded the Tibetan opera,” Gandhi said. “The monks performing the dance will be wearing masks that represent him.” \nThe purpose of the dance is to bring good luck, he said. \nThe monks’ headdresses were adorned with shaggy white hair, resembling an old, archaic-looking man. Their suits included a colorful shawl and shoes contrasted with black and white-striped pants.\nThe dancers kept in rhythm with a bass drum and cymbals, played by monks, and chanted aloud as they jumped and waved their intricately adorned staffs. \nStill performing as they danced off the stage, Gandhi returned and introduced the next act of the pageant. \n“In monasteries, it is typical for monks to debate philosophic ideas,” he said. \nIn the monastic debates, there are two parties, he explained. A defender must answer questions asked by the challengers. \nWhile most of the monks sat in a line, two younger looking men settled away from the group as defenders. Two more stood and served as moderators to the debate, adding animation and liveliness to the demonstration. \nBetween the clapping, pointing and stomping, the defenders appeared to have made their cases successfully. Since the demonstration of the debate was in Tibetan, much of the audience was not able to tell who actually won the debate. \nFreshman and IU Auditorium usher Alexis Suskin-Sperry expressed her excitement about Tibetan Night and the Dalai Lama’s visit to Bloomington. \n“His presence (Wednesday) just struck me,” she said. “He has such a stage presence, and I really felt touched. He emits so much kindness, and you can just feel his energy.”
(10/25/07 4:10am)
The original plan was to walk 60 miles from Hope, Ind., to Buddha, Ind., but upon realization that the Dalai Lama was in Bloomington and 40 miles from their destination, the two men knew they needed to extend their pilgrimage to see the spiritual leader. \nWashington, D.C., natives Rob Foster and Chris Deutsch had a simple objective: to walk 100 miles in seven days and seven nights for seven minutes with the Dalai Lama. \n“We both really wanted to meet the Dalai Lama,” Deutsch said. “We found the town of Hope, and we were a couple of guys who were going to walk the path with hope.” \nThe Web site they started, ILiveInspired.com, sponsored their walk. The site’s goal is to deliver daily text messages equipped with inspirational quotes from best-selling authors and experts. \nThe interest in the Dalai Lama and Buddhism began after Foster’s recovery from drugs, alcohol and gambling, Deutsch said. More than a year later, the two began to prepare to travel in hopes of meeting their role model. \n“We wanted to get his permission to spread his word through our text messaging service,” he said. \nArmed only with signs saying “Dalai Lama or Bust” and “From Hope to His Holiness,” and a few days’ worth of supplies, Foster and Deutsch began their journey Oct. 17, the same day the Dalai Lama received his Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush. \n“On our last day, we decided to finish the last eight miles in the dark, and it just started to pour down rain,” Deutsch said. “When we arrived at the Tibetan (Mongolian Buddhist) Cultural Center, they were preparing for His Holiness’ visit but were very welcoming of us and invited us in from the rain.” \nFoster and Deutsch were invited to the luncheon Wednesday, where their dream to meet the Tibetan leader finally came true. \n“When we got to meet him, there were so many people around us, but he looked right at us and motioned us over,” Deutsch said. “We told him that we wanted to spread his word and he embraced us and called us ‘messengers.’” \nThe Buddhist spiritual leader chuckled at the men’s choice of Buddha, Ind., as a pit stop, he said, and took photos with them as proof of their dream come true. \n“(The meeting with him) was unbelievable,” Deutsch said. “That’s the only way to describe it.”
(10/25/07 4:00am)
Halloween\nKnown to witches as "Samhain," Halloween is the celebration of a new year for the Wiccan religion.\n"It's basically a time of self-reflection, thinking about your past, present and future, and remembering those who have passed," said sophomore Amy Payne. \nCommunication with the "other world or afterlife" is easiest on this day, Payne explained, because the veil that separates this world from the next is at its thinnest.\n"A lot of Halloween traditions celebrated in the U.S. are derived from Wiccan tradition," said sophomore Sarah Downs. "It's the cultural impact left over from old Pagan traditions."\nJack-o'-lanterns and dressing up for Halloween, for instance, first began as Wiccan traditions, she said.\nHalloween isn't the only holiday that corresponds to a Wiccan celebration. The day of Yule, Downs said, was originally celebrated Dec. 25, the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.\n"A lot of holidays we celebrate were converted into Christian rites," she said. "I guess it's easier to convert people when they get to keep their holidays."
(10/24/07 5:03am)
Rainy and cold weather did not deter the hundreds who braved the elements Tuesday to catch a glimpse of the 14th Dalai Lama as he made his fifth visit to Bloomington.\nNearly 300 students, community members and volunteers lined the driveway, awaiting the arrival of the Dalai Lama and his official dedication of an archway that recognizes the newly named Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center.\nBloomington High School North senior Jeremy Gotwals stood with more than 100 volunteers dressed in traditional Tibetan costumes and waited anxiously for the Dalai Lama’s arrival.\nGotwals, who was dressed as a “cham” dancer, explained the significance of the volunteers’ costumes.\n“Cham is an ancient art form from Tibet and Mongolia,” he said. “It’s a theatrical, musical element that was around before Buddhism came to Tibet.”\nThe choice of costume was fitting, as the inaugural ceremony incorporated a ribbon-cutting ceremony that symbolized the newly forged link between the Tibetan and Mongolian cultures, said Lisa Morrison, director of media and public relations for the cultural center.\nVolunteers strung ribbons of orange, yellow, green, white, red and blue across the intricate, colorful archway for the dedication ceremony. The colors of the ribbons were symbolic to Tibet and are part of the Tibetan flag, Morrison said. Center Director Arjia Rinpoche designed the new archway and Gomang monks hand carved and painted it, she said. \nAs the Dalai Lama’s motorcade approached the center, music of Tibetan throat singers began playing, and the excitement among the crowd intensified.\nCenter volunteers dressed as traditional Mongolian archers raised American, Tibetan and Mongolian flags while others lit strong incense. \nThe Dalai Lama stepped out of the limousine and a crowd of Buddhist monks and Secret Service agents immediately swarmed him. He approached the monks and accepted platters of blessed rice and flower petals, both symbolic to Tibet and Buddhism, Morrison said.\n“(The rice and flower petals) are a ritual in a meditation or prayer service,” she said. “They represent good health and anything that is positive, as well as having historical and symbolic meaning to Buddhism.”\nAfter he accepted the offerings and drank traditional Tibetan butter tea, the Dalai Lama cut the ribbon to the newly renamed center.\n“This was the first public appearance of the center’s new plan and new name,” Morrison said. “Arjia is Mongolian, and he wished to extend outreach to not only Tibetans, but Mongolians as well.”\nAs quickly as the Dalai Lama approached, Secret Service briskly whisked him away. He was at the archway for less than a minute, but he made a lasting impression on those present, Morrison said.\n“This was really an extraordinary time,” Morrison said. “The cham masks and costumes took hundreds and hundreds of hours to create, and there were 200 to 300 people on the property, but this was such an exciting and historical moment to be blessed and consecrated by His Holiness.”
(10/23/07 11:06pm)
Rainy and cold weather did not deter the hundreds who braved the elements Tuesday to catch a glimpse of the 14th Dalai Lama as he made his fifth visit to Bloomington.\nNearly 300 students, community members and volunteers lined the driveway of the newly named Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center as they awaited the arrival of the Tibetan head of state for his dedication of the new symbolic archway. The archway represents the former Tibetan Cultural Center’s inclusion of Mongolian culture.\nMore than 100 center volunteers dressed in traditional Tibetan costumes waited anxiously for the Dalai Lama’s arrival, including Bloomington High School North senior Jeremy Gotwals.\nGotwals, who was dressed as a “cham” dancer, explained the significance of the volunteer’s costumes.\n“Cham is an ancient art form from Tibet and Mongolia,” he said. “It’s a theatrical, musical element that was around before Buddhism came to Tibet.”\nThe choice of costume was fitting, as the inaugural ceremony incorporated a ribbon-cutting ceremony that symbolized the newly-forged link between the Tibetan and Mongolian Culture Centers, said Lisa Morrison, director of media and public relations for the cultural center.\nVolunteers strung ribbons across the intricate, colorful archway for the Dalai Lama’s dedication ceremony. The colors of the ribbon were symbolic to Tibet and are part of the Tibetan flag, Morrison said. The new archway was designed by center Director Arjia Rinpoche and hand carved and painted by the Gomang monks, she said. \nAs the Dalai Lama’s motorcade approached the center, music of Tibetan throat singers began playing, and the excitement among the crowd intensified.\nCenter volunteers dressed as traditional Mongolian archers raised American, Tibetan and Mongolian flags while others lit strong incense. \nThe Dalai Lama stepped out of the limousine and was immediately swarmed by a crowd of Buddhist monks and Secret Service agents. He approached the monks and accepted platters of blessed rice and flower petals, both symbolic to Tibet and Buddhism, Morrison said.\n“(The rice and flower petals) are a ritual in a meditation or prayer service,” she said. “They represent good health and anything that is positive, as well as having historical and symbolic meaning to Buddhism.”\nAfter he accepted the offerings and drank traditional Tibetan butter tea, the Dalai Lama cut the ribbon to the newly renamed center.\n“This was the first public appearance of the center’s new plan and new name,” Morrison said. “Arjia is Mongolian, and he wished to extend outreach to not only Tibetans, but Mongolians as well.”\nAs quickly as he approached, the Dalai Lama was briskly whisked away by Secret Service. He was only at the archway for less than a minute, but he made a lasting impression on those present, Morrison said.\n“This was really an extraordinary time,” Morrison said. “The cham masks and costumes took hundreds and hundreds of hours to create, and there were 200 to 300 people on the property, but this was such an exciting and historical moment to be blessed and consecrated by His Holiness.”
(10/19/07 3:22am)
Collaborating with the School of Journalism and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, the India Studies Department will host a conference next week titled “Reporting India” in the Indiana Memorial Union’s State Room East. \nOn Monday and Tuesday, several prominent journalists will recount their experiences reporting during India’s evolution as an independent nation. Speakers are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Monday and from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Tuesday.\nSumit Ganguly, director of the India Studies Program, said the conference will inform people of India’s transformation through the eye of journalists.\n“This (conference) will enable Americans to learn how American journalists over time have reported on India, and what it was like to report from India,” Ganguly said. \nConference attendees will learn how the journalists reported on particular issues throughout India’s development, Ganguly said, from foreign policy to the evolution of Indian society. \n“All of these (journalists) are very able, very thoughtful people who reported with considerable skill and sensitivity and knowledge,” he said.\nThe conference will begin with former New York Times and Washington Post editorialist Karl Meyer, who will present a lecture titled “The Changing Faces of India as seen from the U.S.” Meyer has also been the editor of the World Policy Journal since 2000.\nSpeaking on the political struggles of India during the 1990s, Barbara Crossette will present “India as a Regional Power: Reporting on External and Internal Political Crises.” \nCrossette is a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times and author of several books about Southeast Asia. She is currently a freelance writer and travel journalist on international affairs. Her lecture will be presented at 3 p.m. Monday.\nSadanand Dhume, a former Indonesia correspondent and New Delhi bureau chief for the Far Eastern Economic Review, will wrap up the conference lecture. Dhume, who also writes for Wall Street Journal Asia, will give a lecture titled “The Challenges of being a Foreign Correspondent in India” at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday.\nAlthough Ganguly said the idea for the “Reporting India” conference was his own, he credited the School of Journalism and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research with financial and organizational support. \n“(Their support) has been critical, and the conference could not have happened without them,” Ganguly said. “Here is an opportunity for students, faculty and the larger community to be here to hear (the journalists) over the course of two days. All are highly skilled and noted journalists, and did extraordinary reporting of India for their magazines and stations.” \nFor more information about the conference and the full list of speakers, call the India Studies department at 855-5798.
(10/18/07 4:32am)
Several Gomang Buddhist monks solemnly filed into the foyer of St. Paul’s Catholic Center, dressed in traditional saffron and yellow robes. After putting on their yellow headdresses, which resembled ancient Spartan helmets, the monks gracefully sat down and began singing Tibetan prayers and blessings. \nThus began the opening ceremony for the creation of a sand mandala Wednesday afternoon. The mandala is an intricate sand sculpture created by monks visiting the Tibetan Cultural Center in honor of the 14th Dalai Lama’s visit next week. \nAfter the initial prayer service, monks began to painstakingly measure the dimensions for the mandala before they began the process of adding colored sand designs. \n“Tibetans are so precise,” said Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp, a spokeswoman for the Tibetan Cultural Center. \nIrwin-Mellencamp, the wife of musician John Mellencamp, attended the ceremony with the couple’s two young sons, Speck and Hud, in order to observe the monks’ new work of art. \n“Mandalas are a practice of patience,” Irwin-Mellencamp said. “They make these one sand granule at a time, and it takes days and days to create. Then, after they are finished, they just dump all the sand off into a lake.” \nMandalas underscore the impermanence of life, she said.\nDesigned by Tibetan Cultural Center Director Arjia Rinpoche, the mandala’s overall theme is “passion,” as well as shared themes of “peace” and “unity,” Irwin-Mellencamp said.\nRepresenting the Sikh faith was K.P. Singh, a member of the Indian community in Indianapolis. He spoke eagerly about the interfaith prayer service to be held with the Dalai Lama on Tuesday.\n“Compassion, unity and enlightenment will be enshrined within this holy and sacred prayer,” Singh said. “In all the hymns chosen, the words spoken and their translations and in the mandala itself, all these things will be.” \nNo matter how someone chooses to worship, Singh said God’s light is universal, equal and ever expanding.\nAll major faiths were represented at the ceremony, where the encompassing theme was “Prayer and Reconciliation,” Mother Linda Johnson, Episcopal chaplain of IU said.\n“This is an opportunity for all of us to get together, to break down the walls that divide us,” she said.
(10/15/07 3:04am)
NEWBURGH, Ind. – Muslim Student Union President Myeda Hussain opened the door to her parents’ home in Newburgh, Ind. \nShe greeted the awaiting guests with a hearty “Eid Mubarak” and “Salaam wa’alaikum,” and escorted them to the basement, where dozens of women were dressed in their finest, most colorful salwar kameezs, knee-length embroidered shirts with loose, decorative pants. Hussain’s mother ushered the guests toward the table of Pakistani food, and her sister began playing bhangra music. The Pakistani tradition of chaand raat, a social gathering of women, had begun. \nFriday night marked the eve of Eid al-Fitr, the celebration of the end of Ramadan. The holiday this weekend was one of two major holidays in Islam; the other is Eid al-Adha, a festival of sacrifice at the end of the annual pilgrimage to the Islamic holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.\n“Chaand raat literally means ‘night of the moon,’” Hussain said. “This signifies that the moon was seen and the end of Ramadan, and it’s the opportunity for women to prepare themselves for all the Eid functions of the next day.” \nEid al-Fitr is a time to give to charities and to help those in need, in addition to spending time with family and friends, much like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Chaand raat is celebrated only in Pakistan and India, Hussain said. Only women are allowed to come, and are able to take off their hijabs in the company of other women. \n“In Pakistan, women and girls get together and go out shopping for clothes and bangles for Eid and put henna all over themselves,” she said. “But in the U.S., we don’t have bazaars to go to, so it’s more of a mehndi (henna) and dancing thing.”\nMen are usually congregating as well, but it’s because they’ve been kicked out of their houses, Hussain said. \nThe next day, Hussain and her family woke up early to go to Eid services. \n“The services began with a sermon that was about poverty and the need for Muslims to help their neighbors,” she said. “That was followed by a congressional prayer, then we all gathered for a light breakfast.”\nMuslim community members throughout the rest of the day held open houses, welcoming family and friends to socialize and to eat, Hussain said.\n“The cool thing about these open houses is that, in Pakistan, open houses are usually just for family,” she said. “But again, here we have open houses for the whole community.”
(10/15/07 1:43am)
INDIANAPOLIS – An air of solemnity filled the Pyramid Fountain Plaza at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis on Sunday at the Olympic Dream for Darfur rally for the genocide victims of Darfur.\nBetween 250 and 300 people came together to hear guest speakers and victims of genocide at the rally, which was organized by the Indianapolis chapter of Save Darfur. A symbolic torch, aimed at encouraging China to end its support of the Sudanese government, was also passed at the event. The torch has already traveled to other sites of genocide, such as Rwanda, and will end its journey in China this December. \nThe Olympic Dream for Darfur rally materialized because of the support that China gives to the Sudanese government, said Carol Collins, chairwoman of the Indianapolis chapter of Save Darfur.\n“The Olympics are supposed to promote goodwill for humankind,” she said. “But China gets 70 percent of its oil from Sudan and supplies arms to the Sudanese government.”\nDarfurian refugee Ibrahim Adam Musa spoke at the rally, recounting his experience in Darfur when the Janjaweed militia, supported by the Sudanese government, came to his village.\n“My mother, my brother, my family members were all killed by the Janjaweed,” he said. \nMore than 80 villagers in Musa’s hometown were murdered, and 20 of those were his family members, he said.\n“We must stand strongly and send our voices to our leaders,” Musa said. “The people of Darfur do not have days or months. One day in Darfur feels like one year. We need to take action now.”\nCollins coordinated the event, but gave credit to the student and church groups that helped her.\n“This movement is finally gaining momentum,” Collins said. “After the oil divestment campaign, Save Darfur got really big, and as a result, the violence actually escalated. This is why we need action and peacekeepers now.”\nMiddle school student and rally volunteer Lyndsey Brown provided information to attendees about the Save Darfur chapter in Indianapolis, and urged visitors to sign petitions addressed to President Bush, the Emperor of China and film director Steven Spielberg.\n“Mr. Spielberg is the artistic director of the Beijing Olympics, and we want him to suspend his participation in this Olympics until China acts,” Brown said.\nUniversity of Evansville freshman Caleb Konopka said he came to the rally with his church group to help the coordinators and to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur.\n“I feel that this is something important that our government needs to pay attention to,” Konopka said. “People say that our government is the strongest in the world, and that we influence a lot of other countries. So, if we ourselves start to pay attention to the situation in Darfur, then others might do so as well.”
(10/12/07 3:13am)
The national month-long celebration of Latino culture will come to an end Saturday as Bloomington holds its own final fiesta, Fiesta del Otono. \nSept. 15 through Oct. 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, and Bloomington has celebrated throughout the month with various events. The final fiesta will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Bryan Park.\nMelissa Britton, Bloomington Latino Projects coordinator, said that Fiesta del Otono is “more like an expo,” hosting more than 40 nonprofit organizations, businesses, artists and musicians who want to exhibit their traditions and talents. \n“We wanted to invite the whole community to celebrate with us one last time,” Britton said. “This is an opportunity to do outreach to the Latino community.”\nAlmost all the booths have activities for children, Britton said. The whole event is very family-friendly. \nAlthough the event will offer many activities for families and children, Britton said IU students will not feel left out of the festivities.\n“Student will like the energy of this event and lots of diverse entertainment,” she said. “There will be good music, dance lessons and all kinds of food.”\nThe event will include performances from Spanish-language performance group Grupo de Teatro VIDA, which will be in both English and Spanish, Britton said.\nMusical acts Bembe, La Piel Morena and Valeria de Castro will perform, and the Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Arturo Rodriguez will demonstrate salsa and meringue dance.\nAuthentic Latino cuisine will also be available for purchase from El Norteno, KRB Banquet and Catering, Smokin’ Jack’s Rib Shack and Fajitas. \nLatino culture organizations won’t be all that’s available to fiesta visitors.\n “The IU women’s soccer team will be there signing autographs and doing demonstrations,” Britton said. “The Monroe County Public Library Bookmobile will also be there, with their amazing Spanish language collection.” \nThe Bloomington Police Department will be recruiting during Fiesta del Otono, and student translators will be on hand to bypass “the language barrier,” Britton said.\n“We try to use these events to get rid of town-campus separation,” Britton said, “and we try to make our events appealing to everyone in the community.”
(10/12/07 3:12am)
The Beijing 2008 Olympics theme may be “One World, One Dream,” but China has some questions to answer about their involvement with Sudan, said Katie Wolt, a representative of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur.\nThis Sunday, Wolt will lead several members of STAND and Hillel to Indianapolis for the Olympic Dream for Darfur rally, beginning at 2 p.m. at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis’ Pyramid Fountain. \n“The point of the rally is to bring to light China’s involvement with the genocide through their financial ties with Sudan,” Wolt said. “Seventy percent of China’s funds go into the Sudanese military, like guns, vehicles, gasoline and ammunitions used to kill civilians in the Darfur region.” \nThe money China pours into the Sudanese government outweighs the humanitarian aid given to the people of Darfur, Wolt said.\n“China has also used its veto power in the UN to prevent key legislation from being passed and preventing the protection of civilians,” Wolt said. \nWolt said the Beijing Olympics are important leverage for pressuring China to acknowledge the horrific actions and to cease their support of the Sudanese government.\nIn August, a symbolic Olympic torch began traveling around the world, to raise awareness of China’s involvement with the genocide in Darfur. The torch originated in Chad, the African nation currently protecting most of the Darfurian refugees. The torch has already visited areas where previous genocides have occurred, such as Rwanda, Armenia, Bosnia, Germany and Cambodia, according to the Save Darfur Web site. The torch’s journey will end in December in China, Wolt said.\nIbrahim Adam Musa, a Darfur refugee, and Michael Blain, a Holocaust survivor, will speak at the Indianapolis rally, according to the group’s Web site. The event will also feature several music performances, such as African children’s dance troupe, Iibada. \nThe Olympic Dream for Darfur rally is part of Save Darfur’s latest campaign to unite protestors across the country to “remind China of its responsibility to help bring peace to Darfur,” according to the Web site. Similar protests are being staged in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and New York City.