e-culture EXTRA!: Timely Events, Cakewalk, Fiesta Navideña, Afghanistan
December 14, 2001


IN THE CURRENT ISSUE

PAGE ONE Cultural Advocate of the Year The Gift of Music The Gift of Photography The Festivals of Lights Afghanistan's Northern Alliance The Land of Enchantment The Story Unfolds

PAGE TWO Election Guide Winning and Losing The Newest Tradition All We Want for Christmas... The Traffic Report Weekend Getaways Gung Hey Fat Choy

In the recent months and days, we have seen extensive destruction of culture and human relations. It has been difficult for us to address these things nationally and internationally, though somewhat easier on a local level. We have found ourselves involved on all levels and it has kept us excessively busy.

Prior to September 11, we were concerned with increasing support and participation for the hundreds of smaller, more isolated organizations in our city and region. Since the events of September 11, we have faced a far more complex situation -- one that has challenged us to think about the actual ability and means for a cultural organization, or arts teacher, or artist, or independent business, to serve a purpose today.

The next newsletter addresses a few of these issues, and we will continue to do so in the future.

Though the newsletter has been delayed for a few days, we wanted to bring these timely events to your attention.

Remember to support local artists and attend cultural and educational programs.



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Holiday Bazaar and Cakewalk

Your friends at Aurora Picture Show invite you to our annual
HOLIDAY BAZAAR & CAKEWALK
Saturday, December 15, 2001, 10:00am - 4:00pm
at MIXTURE CONTEMPORARY ART
1709 Westheimer (next door to Brasil)

Cakewalk throughout the day ($2 per person)
Raffle prices drawn at 4pm

All items are handcrafted by members of our congregation!
Handmade soap, Holiday cards, Handcrafted felt purses, Crocheted items, Bates Motel/Overlook towels, Embroidered cocktail napkins, DVD's, CD's & videos from A/V Geeks, Hand-painted shadow boxes, Augmented Barbie dolls, Soft sculpture, Jewelry, Candles, Pottery, Clocks, Tarahumara Indian Baskets, More - PLUS many delicious food items!

Raffle tickets $5
Prizes include: Artwork by Mark Allen, Artwork by Trenton Doyle Hancock, "Creating the Organic BUZZ - Houston" Gift Basket by MJ Hancock & Whole Foods Market, Tickets to Opera in the Heights; Gift Certificates from Academy Sports & Outdoors, Contemporary Arts Museum Gift Shop, October Gallery, Rice Media Center, Menil Bookstore, Copy.Com, Travel Arts/Planet Honeymoon!

Raffle tickets are available in advance. Please call Aurora Picture Show at 713-868-2101. Bazaar Coordinator: Claire Chauvin. Bazaar Committee: Andrea Grover, Tina Kotrla, Kelly Pike, Magda Sayeg.

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Fiesta Navideña

Celebrate the sights and sounds of the season during Fiesta Navideña at the Children's Museum. Kids can also celebrate Las Posadas and explore CMH's winter holiday exhibit Festivals of Light.

The Children's Museum of Houston is teaming up with the Alley Theatre and Arte Público Press for Fiesta Navideña, a special multi-cultural family holiday event, complete with an Alley Theatre TheatreHigh production, storytelling, music, dancing, refreshments and more, Thursday, December 13, Saturday, December 15 and Sunday, December 16. Plus, kids can explore the Festivals of Light exhibit at The Children's Museum of Houston which spotlights eight religious and ceremonial winter holidays, including Las Posadas, and how light is used to enhance the season.

Kids of all ages can enjoy a theatrical adaptation of the book, The Gift of the Poinsettia, a traditional tale about Las Posadas and the poinsettia, written by Pat Mora and Charles Ramirez Berg, performed by TheatreHigh, the Alley Theatre's troupe of high school age performers. In addition, Arte Público Press is bringing children's and young adult author Diane Gonzales Bertrand, as well as writer, journalist, singer and songwriter Evangelina Vigil-Piñón to share tales and anecdotes of some of their favorite holiday memories. A selection of Bertrand and Vigil-Piñón's books will be on sale at the Children's Museum Gift Shop, with the authors available to sign copies.

No fiesta is complete without music, singing and dancing. There will be traditional mariachis, as well as a special performance of Pancho Claus, a bilingual musical adaptation of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, by the Talento Bilingue de Houston Band, featuring lively jazz and energetic hip hop dancers. Plus, dancers from the Fly Dance Company will be performing Jingle Fly, a spirited contemporary dance with a Christmas twist.

All of the festivities begin during the Las Posadas Free Family Night, Thursday, December 13 at 6 p.m., and continue throughout the Las Posadas WonderWeekend, Saturday & Sunday, December 14 and15 at 1:30 p.m. at The Children's Museum of Houston. Admission to the Children's Museum is free on Thursday, December 13, from 5 - 8 p.m., and $5 on Saturday, December 15, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 16 from Noon - 5 p.m. Children under two and Museum Members are admitted free of charge. The following is a breakdown of each day's Fiesta Navideña activities:

Saturday, December 15 at 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. - Mariachis in the Festivals of Light exhibit
2 p.m. - Jingle Fly by the Fly Dance Company
2:15 p.m. - Christmas memories storytelling by Evangelina Vigil-Piñón
2:30 p.m. - The Gift of the Poinsettia by the Alley Theatre's TheatreHigh
2:50 p.m. - Reception of traditional holiday treats including pan dulce and chocolate

Sunday, December 16 at 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. - Mariachis in the Festivals of Light exhibit
2 p.m. - Dance group - TBA
2:15 p.m. - Christmas memories storytelling by Evangelina Vigil-Piñón
2:30 p.m. - The Gift of the Poinsettia by the Alley Theatre's TheatreHigh
2:50 p.m. - Reception of traditional holiday treats including pan dulce and chocolate


In addition to the Fiesta Navideña celebration, kids can also celebrate Las Posadas by designing a manger scene collage, creating a paper bag piñata, making their very own poinsettia flower and creating a traditional luminaria, which is a special light used during the Las Posadas processions.

Children can experience the spiritual and cultural traditions of Mexico through the Las Posadas Festivals of Light celebrations, one of eight holidays featured in the Festivals of Light exhibit at The Children's Museum of Houston. During Las Posadas, a Mexican celebration beginning December 16 through December 24, Mexican villagers set out luminaries and form a procession through the streets in honor of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. Each night's walk ends with a celebration in a different home. The last night falls on Christmas Eve, which is called La Noche Buena, the Good Night. The procession that evening ends at the church, where the people attend midnight mass.

The Children's Museum is located at 1500 Binz in the Museum District. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

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Focus on Afghanistan's Northern Alliance

Asia Society Texas presents a briefing and discussion by Mohammad Eshaq, a Washington, D.C.-based representative of the Northern Alliance.

Tuesday, December 18, 5:30pm
Westin Galleria, West Alabama Room, 3rd Floor


At the time of this writing, the four Afghan factions at the United Nations-sponsored talks in Bonn have settled final details of a framework accord creating the transitional governing body and an independent council to convene a national assembly of tribal elders, or loya jirga, within six months. "It's not going to be easy," said U.N. spokesman Ahmad Fawzi. "It's going to take some hard choices."

Mohammad Eshaq, a representative of the Northern Alliance in Washington DC, will discuss the origins of the Alliance, their policies, and their vision for Afghanistan's political and economic future. Mr. Eshaq, a native of the Panjshir Valley who studied engineering at Kabul University, was a political advisor to the late Commander Ahmad Shah Masood. He served in the Mujahideen government in Kabul from 1992 to 1994.

The charge is $10 for Asia Society members, $20 for non-members. For information, call 713-439-0051.

To receive regular notices of Asia Society programs and lectures in the "Building Bridges of Understanding" series, or other events, please send your email address to txcenter@asiasoc.org or visit Asia Society on line at:
http://www.asiasociety.org

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For Your Information

Be sure to check out the last e-culture newsletter for more information on holiday events in our region:

http://www.houstonculture.org/archive/e011130.html


Most current event information can be found using our "For Immediate Release" link on the Home Page:

http://www.houstonculture.org/temp


Stay tuned for the complete December e-culture newsletter, which will be delivered over the weekend.

Mark

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M A R K   L A C Y / mark@cultural-crossroads.com


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