EHC CELEBRATING COMMCOMMUNITYUNITY SINCE 1980 Ethnic Heritage Council M A Y 2 0 0 8 37th Annual Folklife Festival Seattle Center is proud to continue traditions of Native Americans its partnership with Northwest who make their homes in the cities Folklife as co-producer of the 37th of the Pacific Northwest. Doctors, annual Northwest Folklife Festi- dancers, lawyers, musicians, film- val, May 23 - 26 (Memorial Day makers, poets, computer program- weekend), 11am - 11 pm, on 27 mers, artists, storytellers, teachers stages and venues throughout the and more will be on hand to share 74-acre Seattle Center campus. what it means to be an "urban In- dian." One of the largest free folklife events in North America, Northwest In addition, Pacific Northwest art- Folklife Festival hosts more than ists along with special guests from 7,000 participants and roughly throughout the world enliven Seat- 1,000 performances for an ex- tle Center campus with electrify- pected four-day audience of ing ethnic music and dance per- 250,000. For complete schedule, formances, visual arts and folklore visit: www.nwfolklife.org. exhibits, hands-on ethnic chil- dren's activities, symposia, dance Marie'Spinningwind Magenta by Artwork Highlighting the diverse cultural and music workshops, crafts, 'Visions From Our Ancestors' heritage of the Pacific Northwest, food, imported goods, demonstra- Saturday, May 31, 2008 Northwest Folklife celebrates the tions of traditional arts, and more! Langston Hughes Performing core mission of Seattle Center, to Arts Center serve as a gathering place for our Northwest Folklife Festival is free rich and varied community. It is and family-friendly (suggested also a centerpiece of the Safeco In- donation is $10 per person each surance Festál, a yearlong series of day and $20 per family with chil- Safeco Insurance free cultural events that honors the dren each day). For complete list- richness and diversity of our re- ing of Seattle Center festival FESTÁL gion. events, visit the Safeco Insurance at SEATTLE CENTER Festál website at: May 4 This year, the Northwest Folklife www.seattlecenter.com/ festal. Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Festival focuses on the cultures and Month Celebration May 23-26 Northwest Folklife Festival Positive Hip Hop Comes to May 31 Washington State Parks A Glimpse of China: Chinese Culture & Arts Festival Author Jens Lund has been a folklor- DE Collective and Block Team- ist for 33 years and has worked in sters presented workshops in FREE twenty-three states and Canada. spoken-word performance, break- www.seattlecenter.com/festal Since 2004 he has managed Washing- and Hip Hop dance, poetry com- 206-684-7200 ton State Parks and Recreation Com- position, DJ production, and graf- mission’s Folk and Traditional Arts in fiti-style art. The Nature Consor- the Parks Program. tium presented face- and body INSIDE THIS ISSUE: This article first appeared in the painting, kite-making and life- size origami. Seattle Trips for March 2008 edition of WPRA Today, , Northwest Folklife Festival 1 Kids provided mountain bikes a publication of Washington Recrea- Positive Hip Hop tion and Park Association. and instruction in their use, and led participants on a ride around Delegation to Visit Rijeka 2 Under a sunny sky, Saturday, August the park’s trails. Washington 11, 2007, about 300 urban young State Parks and Recreation Com- Spirit of Liberty 3 people from the Seattle area gathered mission’s own Inside Out Family- Visions From Our Ancestors at the Second Annual “Hip-Nic” Hip Youth Camping Program set up a Hop Picnic at Saint Edward State Park mock campsite to interest urban Calendar of Ethnic Events 4-5 young people in camping and to in Kenmore. Event organizers KACAPN Art Competition 6 planned the day as a mix of Hip-Hop promote its program of free loan culture and outdoor-recreation- of camping equipment to urban New & Renewing Members 7 themed activities. families. The agency’s Human 2008 EHC Executive Board Resources Department, repre- During the afternoon, participants Join Us! 8 attended a variety of workshops. The Continued on page 6, Hip-Nic P AGE 2 E T HN I C H ERITAGE C OUNCIL — M A Y 2 0 08 N EWSLETTER World Irish Dance Championships By Mike Nagan Greta, Solana and Willow Gothard , and Luc Owen Barrington , an Anchorage native cur- Benoit of Comerford also danced. rently studying Irish dance with the Comerford In order to dance at the World Championships, School in Seattle, is the new Senior Men’s World these dancers had to place at the top of their Irish Dance Champion . Owen won the title at respective age groups at the Western US the World Championships in Belfast, Northern Championships, or Oireachtas, last November. Ireland, March 23-30, 2008. They all are champions, and they represented Other Seattle dancers from the Comerford Seattle and the Pacific Northwest very well in School and Tara Academy also competed at the Belfast. World Championships. Connor Nagan of Comerford was the other Seattle medalist, plac- Photo right: Owen Barrington is the new Senior ing 8th in the Men’s Championship. Julia Gats Men's World Champion and Camille Gix of the Tara Academy , and Local Delegation to Visit Rijeka in May 2008 By Maria Kesovija (the traces of the Roman castrum are Since 1992, the United States Agency found downtown) along both banks of for International Development, Keith B. Orton, Ph.D., Chief Interna- the Rje čina River, and a safe port was USAID, has been present in Croatia. tional Specialist, OIR, City of Seattle, developed around the deep Bay of What is USAID? recently announced the selection of Kvarner.” USAID is the principal U.S. agency delegation to visit Croatia: (team extending assistance to countries im- leader) Clare Petrich, Port of Tacoma “Rijeka has a clear vision of its future plementing economic and democratic Commissioner, TDA Board Member; development, whose sharp outlines reforms to escape poverty and/or re- Michael Campbell, President of appear in the best possible way in the cover from disaster. USAID operates Northwest Marine Trade Association; structure of the most significant city in over 100 countries around the Maria Kesovija, Assistant Director, development project, the Rijeka Gate- world and manages a budget of ap- Ethnic Heritage Council; Don Meyer, way, through which the Port and the proximately $9.5 billion. In the East Executive Director, Foss Waterway City will hit completely new opportu- European region, USAID is fully en- Development Authority; Patricia nities for further development. A new gaged in seven countries and it has Spakes, Chancellor, University of waterfront is also a part of the Rijeka graduated six other countries over Washington Tacoma; Carol Wolfe, Gateway Project. We are keen on find- the last five years. City of Tacoma Community and Eco- ing out about other port cities experi- nomic Development Department. ence in establishing a water- Why a USAID program in Croatia? The delegation, chosen by USAID and front.” (Port of Tacoma Commis- USAID has been operating in Croatia the City of Rijeka, will travel to Croa- sioner Clare Petrich excitedly looks since 1992. During this time more tia in May. This trip is the first step forward to sharing stories of growth than $320 million in assistance has toward a potential twinning relation- and advancement at the Port of Ta- been delivered to Croatia. USAID/ coma.) Croatia implements a comprehensive ship with Rijeka. transition program that includes eco- The cities of Rijeka and Tacoma ap- Mayor of Rijeka, Vojko Obrsnel, in a nomic and fiscal reform, strengthen- pear to have many commonalities! letter to Mrs. Rebecca Latorraca, Mis- ing democratic institutions, and train- The delegation is thrilled to set off sion Director, USAID Croatia, states: ing activities. Croatia's successful on this adventure, a fact finding trip, transition is integral to achieving the “As Rijeka is a port city, the most sig- to discover and explore the ties U.S. core policy goal of stability in nificant of Croatia and one of top ten which can make a strong connection Southeast Europe and serves other ports in Europe, we would be very between the two cities. happy to establish a contact with a important American interests such as port city in the States, in order to With solid ties amongst our local fighting terrorism and trafficking in share our experience.” (Tacoma is Croatian-American communities, persons. honored to take this role!) strengthening each year with the USAID/Croatia's current portfolio is continuation of the annual Croatia approximately $69 million. In FY “In spite of its relatively small size Fest at Seattle Center, there looks (150,000 inhabitants, 43 km²), Rijeka 2006 Croatia's program budget was certainly to be a strong future for a nearly $14 million. USAID intends to is a cosmopolitan city tightly related beneficial and fruitful relationship to the water through its name complete its assistance program in with Rijeka. I am honored to be a Croatia in 2008. USAID/Croatia has ("rijeka" means "river"), by its location participant in this venture and I look along the coast of the Adriatic, the a staff of 29 people: six U.S. staff and forward to viewing my hometown of 23 Croatian staff. Mediterranean; and by all its most Seattle, through the eyes of a visitor important economical activities. The http://croatia.usaid.gov/ and sharing. ■ aboutusaid.htm; city was established in Roman times http://www.usaid.gov/ M A Y 2 0 08 E T HN I C H ERITAGE C OUNCIL — P A GE 3 N EWSLETTER Spirit of Liberty Awardees This award is presented annually, July 4th, to a naturalized citizen Who has made a significant contribution to the community while successfully maintaining his/her culture and heritage.