Nationality Rooms Newsletter
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Nationality Rooms Newsletter Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs at the University of Pittsburgh http://www.nationalityrooms.pitt.edu/news-events Volume Spring 2016 THE KOREAN HERITAGE ROOM Dedicated November 15, 2015 THE KOREAN HERITAGE ROOM E. Maxine Bruhns The Korean Heritage Room is inspired by Myeongnyundang, meaning the Hall of Enlightenment, the main lecture hall of Sungkyunkwan, the Royal Academy. It was built in 1398 during King Taejo’s reign of the Joseon (Korea) Dynasty in the capital city of Seoul. The Academy was Korea’s foremost institution of higher learning and produced many elite scholars. The building remains a prominent historic monument and reflects the beauty and harmony of the lines provided by traditional pine beams, pillars and countless rafters. All building materials, procured and crafted in Korea, were assembled in Pittsburgh by four Korean carpenters and painters whose specialty is tradi- tional Korean architecture. No nails were used in this Room, only wooden pins. In the center peak of the ceiling, two carved wooden phoenixes face the Female Phoenix, Pearl of Wisdom, Male Phoenix pearl of wisdom. On the south wall three documents explain the Letters and Principles of the Korean Alphabet. King Sejong invented this alphabet in 1446 and it became Korea’s official written language. The desks are made of oak and the chair frames are cast aluminum. In the 14th Century the teach- er and students sat on cushions. To the right of the chalkboard are two niches. The upper niche houses the ”Picture Book” of the Crown Prince’s matriculation written in 1817. The lower niche displays the “Four Friends of Learning”: brush, ink, paper and ink-stone. While the Room focuses on the ancient Korean architectural concept, the audiovisual aids include state-of-the-art devices including an interactive LCD monitor as well as free-standing desks and chairs to maximize the comfort and convenience for usage of laptops or notebooks. Display Case Bay Window Screen 2 EDITOR: E. Maxine Bruhns ASSISTANT EDITOR: Maryann H. Sivak REPORTERS: Michael Walter, Cristina Lagnese Anita Gallagher Donna Yurko Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs 1209 Cathedral of Learning University of Pittsburgh Our NEWSLETTER is now available online at the following Pittsburgh, PA 15260 address: Phone: 412.624.6150 http://www.nationalityrooms.pitt.edu/news-events FAX: 412.624.4214 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR E. Maxine Bruhns We must move our CL 1209 office to the 14th floor while the University demol- ishes 1209. Unfortunately CL 1228 and our kitchen will be demolished and re- vised to house the Slavic Studies Department. We will return to 1209 in September. Much of our kitchen, stoves, freezer, etc., will be sold with the pro- ceeds returned to the unit which purchased them. The Good News is: We are celebrating NRIEP’s 90th year. 1926-2016. Mayor Peduto has invited the Nationality Rooms to help celebrate Pittsburgh’s Bicentennial this year. We will join the city’s Bicentennial parade on July 9, 2016. th E. Maxine Bruhns The Nationality Rooms are the 7 most popular tourist attraction in Pitts- burgh. Paid visitors to the Rooms in 2015 totaled more than 25,000. NRIEP has awarded a record 47 Summer Study Abroad Scholarships. The awards total $172,500. The awardees plan to study and conduct research in: Austria, Argentina, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Ita- ly, Japan, Nigeria, New Zealand, Lithuania, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine. We now have 30 Nationality and Heritage Rooms, having dedicated the Korean Heritage Room on No- vember 15, 2015. Rooms in planning: Finnish, Philippine, Iranian and Moroccan. We hope you will bear with us as we adapt to the many changes in our work spaces. 3 MESSAGE FROM THE COUNCIL Nationality Rooms, 28 working classrooms and two Jennie-Lynn Knox, Chair display rooms: the Early American Room and the Syr- ia-Lebanon Room. Happy 90th Birthday Nationali- ty Rooms!!! Happy 200th Birthday City of Pittsburgh!!! AFRICAN HERITAGE ROOM COMMITTEE What a year for us in the Pitts- Lora Ann Bray, Chair burgh Community!!! The African Heritage Classroom Committee (AHCC) is pleased to announce that it has awarded two scholar- Founded in 1758, Pittsburgh ships for study abroad in Summer 2016. was incorporated as a city by the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- Ruba Idris is an undergraduate in the College of Gen- Jennie-Lynn Knox vania on March 18, 1816, Pitts- eral Studies (Health Services). She will use her African burgh then set about forming its municipal government, Heritage Room Committee Scholarship in memory of and selected its first Mayor, Ebenezer Denny, who took Nancy H. Lee to participate in the CIEE program in the oath of office on July 9, 1816. To commemorate Iringa, Tanzania. Hannah Eko a graduate student in the this occurrence, a parade and celebration will be held School of Arts & Sciences (English – Fine Arts Pro- on Saturday, July 9 in downtown Pittsburgh. NRIEP gram in Writing). She will use her African Heritage Committees will participate in the Parade. Room Committee in memory of Mrs. Lillian Griffin Allen to research the Orisha study of Oya, Oshun, and Throughout Pittsburgh’s first two centuries, the resi- Yemoja in Ile-Ife/Oyo State, Nigeria. Both winners are dents continually displayed an unshakeable work ethic excellent examples of the quality of students attending and the will to “make it work.” Despite the difficulties the University of Pittsburgh. AHCC plans to have its faced - from the hilly terrain to market-driven changes - Annual Meeting and a Fall Reception featuring our Pittsburghers have always managed to meet the chal- scholarship winners. lenges. The AHCC continues its collaboration with Dr. Edda During 2016, we will honor Pittsburgh’s rich history Fields- Black, Associate Professor of History at Carne- and the people whose efforts shaped our city: The gie Mellon University (CMU), on her “The Requiem Scots, the Irish, the Polish, the Germans, the Italians, for Rice” Initiative. To date The Requiem for Rice the English, the Hungarians, the Czechs, the Slovaks, events have included dialogues and presentations at the Ukrainians …. Just to name a few. How amazing Pitt, at CMU, and at Charleston College. All have been to be a part of this great event in our rich history and to available through live streaming and can still be viewed celebrate the past, present, and future. at www.requiemforrice.com. An important upcoming As the community celebrates, we at the University of event will include talks here in Pittsburgh by filmmaker Pittsburgh are celebrating 90 years since the founding Julie Dash (Daughters of the Dust, 1991, 1hr 53min). of the Nationality Rooms Program. In 1926, in order to On April 5, Ms. Dash will be at the Homewood Library involve the community in construction of the Cathedral to discuss Gullah culture and her film that chronicles a of Learning, Chancellor John Gabbert Bowman re- Gullah family’s migration North. The Rice Project, quested that Ruth Crawford Mitchell invite Pittsburgh’s Sembene Film Festival, and the AHCC, are sponsoring ethnic communities to create classrooms “that would this event. All Community Members are welcome to show the good things they brought to America”. Under attend. Mrs. Mitchell’s direction, 18 Rooms were created on the first floor of the Cathedral and one on the third floor. Mrs. Mitchell’s successor, E. Maxine Bruhns, CHINESE ROOM COMMITTEE became NRIEP Director, a position she has held for 51 Karen Yee, Chair years. She has overseen the completion of 11 addition- al Rooms and 47 Summer Study Abroad Scholarships The John H. Tsui Memorial Scholarship panel awarded its in 2016. As each Room was completed, the Room Summer Study Abroad Scholarships to two undergraduates (Jacky Chen and Lucy Chen) and one graduate student committee’s officers then became active members of (Sandi Ward). The Chinese Nationality Room Scholarship the Nationality Council. The Council focuses on Award is offered this year and the Room Committee is plan- providing Summer Study Abroad Scholarships for Pitt ning to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the Room with a students, along with other non-political cultural or edu- banquet/fundraising event which will be held in the fall. cational events. Today, the Cathedral is home to 30 4 CZECHOSLOVAK ROOM COMMITTEE The French Room Committee along with the Alliance Cestmir Houska, Chair Française de Pittsburgh, hosted an event on February 29th in celebration of Leap year, Année Bissextile, at Committee members participated in the Pitt Slovak Stu- Bar Marco. Numerous members of the French commu- dent Festival in the Cathedral on November 1, 2015. nity were present, including Jean-Pierre Collet, former Both Slovak and Czech items from the Room Commit- Honorary Consul of France, Jean-Dominique Le tee’s costume collection were displayed. Special thanks Garrec, Honorary consul of France, Cécile Desandre- to Pat Fitzsimmons. Navarre, language professor at the University of Pitts- In November we had the opportunity to promote “Ma burgh and E. Maxine Bruhns, Director, Nationality Rooms. Vlast” (My homeland) a set of symphonic poems com- posed by Bedrich Smetana. The Pittsburgh Symphony We are excited to announce two fundraising events for Orchestra conducted by Czech Maestro Jiri Belohlavek 2016. On July 14, we will host a Bastille Day Celebra- performed this timeless masterpiece in Heinz Hall on tion, in conjunction with the Alliance Française and November 13th and 15th. Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The event will take The first Gingerbread Cookie Workshop held on No- place at the Pittsburgh Golf Club and will feature mu- vember 14 was quite a success. Our December 5th sic, dancing and a silent auction.