The Ethnic Hoosier��.December 2003

Published by the Nationalities Council of Indiana

 

You can find us on the Internet at

http://www.nationalitiescouncil.org

(information about the International Festival, NCI, Indiana and the world)

 

 

President�s Message�.

 

This will be my final President's message to you: I am glad to announce that Josef Laposa has accepted the presidency for the coming term. He is an extraordinary man whose efforts with the Piran Sister City project bode well for the future of NCI, and I am proud to serve on HIS team as he has so enthusiastically served on MINE!

 

The Festival this year was a HUGE success. Thanks to the grant from Key Bank that got us started, the grant from the Lilly Foundation for the Passport Program that pulled the school kids into the cultural areas like never before, and the promotion from our media sponsor, Channel 13 our attendance went up, everybody had a good time, everybody learned some things, and we all enjoyed our time with folks not only of our own cultural backgrounds, but with others as well. 

 

I will never forget: Dancing with the Turks. Watching the Mocko Jumbies on stilts. Hearing a young Turkish woman and a kilted Scotsman singing the Philippine National Anthem together. The tears of joy on the faces of the cooks from the Congo when they won first place for their food, or the joy and pride of the Mexican Ensamble Folklorico when they took the grand prize, the Betty, for best cultural display. The Polish woman screaming (as you're supposed to!) to "Black Bear" played on the bagpipes. Watching the Andean pan flutist tuning his pipes with grains of corn, and then checking the pitch on a high-tech electronic meter. And the hard work from the oldest generation to the youngest, keeping our ethnic cultural traditions alive. 

 

The Promotion Company, the Festival Committee, and so MANY of our members worked long and hard to put it all together, and it paid off. You did GREAT!!!!

 

����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Gene

����������������������������������������������� Eugene Maresca, President

 

Our new officers and directors�.

 

Officers for 2004:

President - Josef Laposa (Slovenian Cultural Society)

!st VP - Ahmet Fer (American Turkish Association of Indiana)

2nd VP - Bob Bunnell (Minyo Club of Indianapolis.)

Secretary - Cecelia Dickinson (Forest Glen Elem. School)

Treasurer - Susan McKee (Individual member)

 

Board Members (2004-5): Takiko Gilson (Minyo Club of Indianapolis), Jim Weinmann (Swiss Club of Central Indiana), Marlon Alfonso (Philippine Barangay Club of Indiana), Gene Maresca (Italian Heritage Society of Indiana), Robert Yang (Indianapolis Chinese Community Center), Cheiko Jacobs (Indianapolis Minyo Dancers), Ewa Papiez (Polish Cultural Society of Indiana), Chuck Workman (Individual member), Joe Cerda (Individual member).

 

Board members with one year remaining in their terms: Bob Bunnell, Moussa Cisse, Nati Dumaual, Ahmet Fer, Phil Hughes, Chao-Hung Lee, Chuck Lindgren, Frances Russell.)

 

 

NCI awards for International Festival 2003�.

 

Grand prize for cultural booth: Ensamble Folklorico Indianapolis (the first to receive "The Betty," a new award honoring the memory of Tsuru "Betty" Bunnell, who died in April. The award recognizes Betty's long-time commitment to the ideals and goals of the Nationalities Council.

 

Other cultural booth awards:

For educational content, (First) Circle City Lodge #5-614 of Sons of Norway; (Second) Scottish Society of Indianapolis. For theme, (First), African Cultural Resource Center; (Second) Italian Heritage Society of Indiana. For creativity, (First) Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; (Second) Minyo Club of Indianapolis. For quality, (First) Indiana Association of Chinese Americans; (Second) Japan-America Society of Indiana.

First place NCI-member food booths went to the
African Cultural Resource Center (Taste of Congo), and secondplace to the Indianapolis Chinese Community Center.

 

December�s International Calendar for Indy�

(for more details about these and many other events, see the complete calendar at http://www.nationalitiescouncil.org)

 

2: Concert by Marija Naumova. 7 p.m. $25 (tickets available at the door). Latvian Community Center, 1008 West 64th Street, Indianapolis.

3: "Unraveling Iraq". 8 p.m. Lilly Science Hall, U. of Indianapolis.

4: Asian American Alliance Holiday Party. 6-10 p.m. Moyer Fine Jewelers, 14727 US 31, Carmel. Information, June Kiyomoto, 317:818-6699.

5: Annual meeting of Indiana Sister Cities 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Athen�um.

5-7: (German) Christkindl Market. Athen�um, 401 E. Michigan, Indpls.

6: Year-End Meeting, Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis.

7: (German-style) St. Nikolausfest. Athen�um, 401 E. Michigan, Indpls.

8: Advent event. Indpls-Cologne Sister City Partnership Committee.

8: Board member no-host dinner, Nationalities Council of Indiana, Rathskeller, Athen�um. E-mail Josef Laposa: [email protected].

8: Christmas party and elections, Italian Heritage Society of Indiana.

10: "Germans as Victims in World War II" by Prof. Kevin Cramer, IUPUI. Indiana German Heritage Society. 7:30 p.m. Athen�um, Indianapolis.

10: Scottish Society of Indianapolis. 6:30 p.m. Pro Cathedral Church of St. Edward the Confessor. Program on "Hogmanay" by Gordon Inglis.

11: Paul Bartley, chief of staff, International Broadcasting Bureau.

Indianapolis Committee on Foreign Relations. 5:45 p.m. Woodstock Club.

13: Julefesten. Circle City Lodge #5-614 of Sons of Norway. 4 p.m. Riviera Club, Indianapolis. Call 317:842-4042 or 574:699-7977 by 8 Dec.

15: Christmas Party. German-American Klub. Information, 317:888-6940.

 

Planning for January: All Nationalities Council members and friends are invited to join us for our Winter Gala, 6-9 p.m. 17 Jan., St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 4601 N. Emerson Ave., Indpls. ("Snow" date: 24 Jan.)

 

 

Do you have an item for the next issue of The Ethnic Hoosier?

E-mail: [email protected].Deadline: 31 December 2003