e-culture: Happy Halloween, Remembering Mujeras, Visible's Calavarita
October 31, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE All Hallow's Eve Remembering Mujeres Visible's Calaverita A Gypsy Celebration Great Adventures Upcoming Events

The origins of Halloween date back thousands of years. The modern holiday has been influenced by many cultures over the centuries, from the Romans' Pomona Day, to the Celtic festival of Samhain, and the Christian holidays of All Saints' and All Souls' Days.

Read more about the origins of Halloween:
http://www.houstonculture.org/cr/halloween.html

Read about the tradition of carving Jack o' Lanterns:
http://www.houstonculture.org/cr/pumpkin.html


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Remembering Mujeres

Houston artist Lisa Hernandez will create an altar dedicated to the memory of the young women who have vanished along the border communities of El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. Participants are asked to bring slightly worn girl's or women's shoes to place at the Remembering Mujeres altar. The shoes will be donated to La Rosa Family Services, a domestic violence shelter serving Houston's Latino community. Musical accompaniment for this public art installation will be provided by Joyce Day.

Remembering Mujeres
Presented by the Latinas Arts Council at the MFAH
2:00 - 5:00pm, Sunday, November 2, 2003
1001 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005
Free, (713) 639-7300, www.mfah.org


More Day of the Dead observances in Houston

Check here for updates and additional information:
http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/houston.html

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Casa Ramirez Folk Art
October 24 - November 14, 2003
239 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
(713) 880-2420

Casa Ramirez annually presents an exhibit of traditional altars for El Dia de los Muertos and Mexican folk art for this important season. There will be a blessing of the altars by Monsiegnor Adam McClosky on Saturday, November 1 at 10:00am.


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MECA Day of the Dead Festival: Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future
11:00am - 6:00pm, November 1 and 2, 2003
1900 Kane Street, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 802-9370, www.meca-houston.org

"Day of the Dead" festivities will feature traditional celebrations from Latin America, with an altar exhibit competition, auction, foods from Latin American countries, and vendors selling authentic Latin American Dia de los Muertos arts and crafts.


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Lawndale Art Center
October 25 - November 22, 2003 (Lecture on November 2)
4912 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002
(713) 528-5858, www.lawndaleartcenter.org

In this annual event, Lawndale invites Texas artists to create their own interpretation of the traditional tin devotional painting practice in Mexico known as the retablo. Every year the works created for this event range from the very traditional to the more abstract.


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Super Happy Funland
7:00pm, Sunday, November 2, 2003
2610 Ashland (between Shepherd and Yale in the Heights)
$5 donation, www.latinosporlapaz.org

Latinos por la Paz present an evening of music, poetry and art in commemoration of the people who have died in the war in Iraq. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Voices in the Wilderness for relief efforts in Iraq.


Learn more about the Day of the Dead
http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/main.html


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Visible's Calaverita

Visible magazine, the magazine that celebrates Hispanic, Iberian and Latin American art, celebrated its one year anniversary this past week with the release of the third issue.

The reception, held at the Sicardi Gallery, was attended by the Consulate General of Mexico, Eduardo Ibarrola, as well as many local artists and writers.

Because it is rare for new magazines to make it past the first year, publishers Rose Mary Salum and Monika Hallqvuist offered a calaverita, a traditional Day of the Dead poem.

Pasaron los dias y los mesas
Y Visible ya cumple un ano
Alegra esta la calaverita
Porque de la muerte Visible se ha salvado


Days and months have passed
And Visible already turns one year
The Calaverita is very happy
Because from death, Visible has been spared

We ran short of issues last time the museum-quality magazine was released, so if you were among those who didn't get one, please let us know.



Get more information on line:
www.visiblemagazine.com


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A Gypsy Celebration

Don't forget to listen to the World Music Show, Monday nights form 7-9pm, on KTRU 91.7, followed by the Americana Show. This Monday, November 3, we will feature a celebration of the Gypsy music from Eastern Europe.

http://www.houstonculture.org/world


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Great Adventures

We have a full slate of educational adventures lined up for 2003-2004. Get on board for one of these great experiences.

http://www.houstonculture.org/travel


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Upcoming Events

Ghazal: The Silk Road from Persia to India
Co-Sponsored by Indo-American Association (IAA), Society of Iranian American Women for Education (SIAWE), & World Music Institute
November 1, 8:00 pm
Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for Performing Arts
$20-$50 per ticket
IAA 281-648-0422 or SIAWE 713-532-6666

Language, traditions and spiritualism have been bonding factors between India and Persia for hundreds of years. Today, we celebrate the synthesis of these two great cultures in the form of exquisite music and vocals featuring both the "Raga" of India and "Datzah" of Iran. These two melodic forms reflect a riches in musical heritages and, when performed with improvisational interludes, make every performance fascinating. Asia Society members receive a 10% discount.


China Week at Texas A&M University
November 2nd - November 8th Click on the link for specific times
Texas A& M University campus, College Station
Free of Charge
713-439-0051
http://worldroom.tamu.edu/China_week_info.htm

Texas A&M showcases China in a weeklong celebration that includes Asia Society-sponsored events like Lion Dancers performances, Shaolin Monk kung fu demonstrations, story telling, Chinese films, and pipa music. The university also features art showings, food carvings and more for the week centered around a conference entitled "China-U.S. relations: Past, Present and Future." A Teachers¹ Workshop on "China: Past, Present and Legend" will be held Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the International Center in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. For Texas educators, grades 6-12. Click on the link for instructions to register.


Thank you for supporting Houston Institute for Culture.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org


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