| | 06/08/14 Kingston 2nd Annual Block Party to Celebrate Diversity...
So, the event was called a "Block Party", but it was nothing like an ordinary block party you are familiar with in your neighborhood. But it was rather a Celebration of Kingston's Ethnic Cultures, and there were indeed so many variety of ethnic groups presented food, characteristic folk crafts & books as well as performances. It was organized by the Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History, and I heard they unfortunately had to turn down some performers because they couldn't fit all of them in the limited time. As one of the participating conditions was either the organization or its member(s) must be located or reside in Kingston area, we had Atsuko-san, Keiko-san and Motoko-san who live around Kingston brought some items to sell. We also displayed a bamboo tree along with the introduction and a famous Tanabata story to celebrate one of our cultural family events, Tanabata, though actual date is July 7th, with prayer cards for people who would want to write their wishes and hang it on the bamboo tree. One of our members as well as a representative of Arts Mid-Hudson, Polly-san, who was helping the organizer had come to help us to set up our table as well. Our other member, Nancy-san, who also live in the area came to chat and enjoy the event with us.
The weather was extremely hot but so many people came especially after 1pm. I must tell you, if not for this event you wouldn't get a chance to see so many different ethnic group's performance in one day; Native American drumming, Bagpipes, Irish Set Dance, Eastern European Jewish music, German Dance, African Drumming, Ukrainian Dance, Argentinean music, Hellenic Youth Dance and Gospel choir. Unfortunately, we didn't see any other Asian group's, and we thought it'd be great if we had Taiko drumming or Bon-Odori among them. We had fun. Only thing we regret is that we needed to stay at our table and had missed all those delicious food... Hopefully, we'll have other members would join us next year so that we could enjoy a lot more. We'd like to thank to Geoff Miller, Chair of Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History, and of course our Polly-san for her personal caring about us like a mother hen to make sure we are well taken care of before and on the day of the event. It was indeed a wonderful day for everyone to get to know each other ethnics and nationalities in the community.
Midori Shinye
Kingston Block Party Project Leader | | このｲﾍﾞﾝﾄは元々ブロックパーティと呼ばれていますが、実は普通私達が知っている近所でやるのとは全然違って実際にはKingston地域に住んでいる多種の民族のカルチャーを祝う目的で主催されたものです。したがって多くのグループが参加してそれぞれ自分達の国の食べ物や特徴のある民芸品・本とか踊り・音楽を披露しました。このｲﾍﾞﾝﾄはReher Center for Immigrant Culture and Historyが主催したもので、聞くところによると最終的には4時間の限られた時間に全部企画出来ないため残念ながら何グループかのﾊﾟｰﾌｫｰﾏﾝｽを断わることになる程参加希望グループが多かったそうです。このｲﾍﾞﾝﾄに参加できる条件はKingston界隈に会がある又はメンバーが住んでいることでしたので、今回は篤子さん、けい子さんともと子さんが売る物を持ち寄って参加しました。また日本のカルチャーのひとつである7月7日の七夕を紹介する為に七夕の説明と共にゲストが願い事が書ける様に竹と札を用意しました。MHJCAのメンバーでArts Mid-HudsonのPollyさんがセットアップの時に手伝ってくれましたし、またKingstonの近くに住んでいるメンバーのナンシーさんも見に来てくれて私達といっしょにﾊﾟｰﾌｫｰﾏﾝｽを楽しみました。
気温は異常に暑かったにも係らず特に午後1時過ぎ頃からは大変にぎわいました。このｲﾍﾞﾝﾄがなかったら半日であんなに多くの違う民族のﾊﾟｰﾌｫｰﾏﾝｽを見ることは出来なかったと思います：ｲﾝﾃﾞｨｱﾝの太鼓・ﾊﾞｯｸﾞﾊﾟｲプ・ｱｲﾘｯｼｭｾｯﾄﾀﾞﾝｽ・東ﾖｰﾛｯﾊﾟｼﾞｭーｲｯｼｭの音楽・ドイツのﾀﾞﾝｽ・ｱﾌﾘｶﾝﾄﾞﾗﾑ・ｳｸﾚﾆアﾀﾞﾝｽ・ｱﾙｾﾞﾝﾁﾝの音楽・ﾍﾚﾆｯｸの若者のﾀﾞﾝｽとｺﾞｽﾍﾟﾙなど色とりどりのﾊﾟｰﾌｫｰﾏﾝｽが披露されました。残念ながら他のｱｼﾞｱ系の国の参加者がいなく、あの中に日本の太鼓か盆踊りとかが加わっていたら良かったのではないかと思ったものです。私達皆楽しいひとときを過ごしましたが、残念だったのは人手不足だった為に席がはずせなかったので他の民族の食べ物とかがﾄﾗｲできなかったことです。ぜひ来年は他のメンバーにも参加して頂いてもっと楽しむことが出来ればと願っています。
Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and Historyの会長であるGeoff Miller氏、それからもちろんメンバーでいつも母鳥の様に一生懸命ｲﾍﾞﾝﾄの前から当日まで我々MHJCAをしっかり見届けてくれたPollyさんに心から感謝至します。このｲﾍﾞﾝﾄは元々の目的であったｺﾐｭﾆﾃｨｰ内のいろいろな民族がいっしょになって楽しむことが出来た本当にすばらしい一日だったと思います。
新江 緑
Kingston Block Party ﾌﾟﾛｼﾞｪｸﾄﾘｰﾀﾞｰ | |
