e-culture: Fall of Saigon, Asian Pacific American Heritage, I-Fest Continues, More
April 29, 2005


IN THIS ISSUE

Fall of Saigon 30 Year Anniversary
Houston International Festival Continues
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Underway
More Houston Events and Forums


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Fall of Saigon 30 Year Anniversary

A remembrance of the fall of Saigon will take place on Friday, April 29, from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at the Hong Kong City Mall on Bellaire. Call 713-589-4722 for details.

http://www.congdonghouston.org

Learn more about the Vietnamese in Houston:
http://www.houstonculture.org/cultures/viet.html

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Houston International Festival Continues

In its first weekend back in the downtown area, the Houston International Festival offered a wonderful experience with its focus on India, educational exhibits, and a wide variety of performers. Zap Mama gave the most captivating performance for her fans and gained many new ones. (Several calls came to the KTRU World Music Show on Monday night requesting songs and asking about Zap Mama's Euro-African music.)

The Center Stage offered the biggest surprise with an awe-inspiring percussion and dance group that was not announced on the schedule, Manipuri Dance Academy from India. They presented high-flying choreographed drumming and martial arts demonstrations that remain true to ancient traditions.

The second weekend looks to be as good. Here are some recommendations:

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali from Pakistan will be the main feature in the Texas-Latin Zone (that's just the way things are in Texas). This sufi devotional percussion ensemble that follows in the tradition, and family lineage, of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan will present a unique and rare cultural experience. (Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali's CD Life and Soul was runner up in an extremely close decision in our own 2004 International music honors.)

Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali will be preceded by Brave Combo and followed by the Iguanas and Fito Olivares y Su Grupo, making the festival's most eclectic lineup in recent memory.

The Center Stage will feature Bollywood dancing and songs, which are extremely popular in India and among Indian Americans. The India Zone also features educational exhibits on several states of India and diverse religions of the subcontinent, including Jains and Sikhs.

The Cajun/Blues/Zydeco Stage will feature Pete Mayes and the Texas Houserockers on Saturday at 3:00pm, and J. Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreeds on Sunday at 5:00pm, with other great regional artists on stage throughout both days.

The International Kids Stage also features great local arts groups performing international traditions, including the Zhuravi Ukrainian Dancers of Houston at 3:00pm Saturday, followed by the Japanese drum ensemble Kaminari Taiko at 4:00pm.

The Houston Showcase will begin again Saturday at 1:00pm with the funky-jazz Drop Trio. And the Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriter Stage will feature Houstonian Kimberly M'Carver at 1:00pm on Sunday.

The Latin Cultural Stage features folkloric dancing with Venezuela en Danzas Saturday and Ballet Folklorico Azteca Sunday.

More excellent world music will be featured in the Texas-Latin Zone in Tranquility Park on Sunday with Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca at 4:15pm, followed by the legendary reggae artists Toots and the Maytals at 6:15pm.

Tickets are $10 (unfortunately discount tickets are only available well in advance of the festival). The weather looks to be great again this weekend, with only a 10 percent chance of rain Saturday and 20 percent Sunday, so try to get out and enjoy the Houston International Festival.


Houston International Festival, April 23, 24, 30, and May 1
http://www.ifest.org

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Underway

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month will get underway on Sunday at Miller Outdoor Theater, and will feature the following events and more throughout May:

Asian Delights at the Miller Outdoor Theater
Featuring performances of music and cultural dance including Tinikling from the Philippines and Japanese Taiko drums.

May 1, 12:00pm - 6:00pm
Miller Outdoor Theater
100 Concert Drive
Houston, TX 77030

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Asian Pacific American Art Exhibit Opening at the Art Institute of Houston

May 4, 5:30pm
Steve R. Gregg Gallery
1900 Yorktown St, Ste 100
Houston, TX 77056

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5th Annual Houston Dragon Boat Festival

May 7, 8:30am - 4:30pm
1000 Commerce St.
Allen's Landing, downtown

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Asian Pacific Culinary Night at the Art Institute of Houston
A host chef trains a class of culinary students to produce multi-course Asian meals.

May 12, 6:30pm
1900 Yorktown St, Ste 100
Houston, TX 77056

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Asian Pacific American Film Screenings
APAHA in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts and Asian Cinevision will host monthly film screenings at the Brown Auditorium.

May 14, 2005
1001 Bissonnet St
Houston, TX 77005

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Association 13th Anniversary Gala
APAHA celebrates the accomplishments of Houston's Asian and Pacific Americans.

May 20, 2005
Hilton Post Oak Hotel
2001 Post Oak Blvd
Houston, TX 77056

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration at the Houston's Children's Museum
Featuring cultural presentations, performances and activities like Vietnamese lantern making, Polynesian lai making and Indian tribal dances.

May 22, 11:00am - 5;00pm
1500 Binz
Houston, TX 77004


Contact the Asia Pacific American Heritage Association:
http://www.apaha.org

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Upcoming Houston Events

Please tell others about these Houston activities and recognize the hard work the organizers put into them. And stay tuned to the calendar for more upcoming events:
http://www.houstonculture.org/events

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Fourth Cultural Encounter
Presented by DANMAR Dance Studio

This extravaganza features "Honoring the United States of America" and the musical "Gypsies from India to Spain"

Friday, May 27, 7:45pm
Stafford Center
2610 South Main
Stafford, Texas
281-392-1150

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Classical Indian Music Concert

For many years our dear friends Srinivas and David have been performing at the Artery when they are not on tour. This Friday, Srinivas' teacher will perform a concert. Atmaram is in Houston for the International Festival. This is a rare and special occasion:

Sitar master Pandit Atmaram Sharma, with tabla master David Courtney, will be joined by Srinivas Koumounduri, Bob Goldman and Gus Busby.

Friday, April 29, 8:00pm
Donations accepted for musicians
The Artery
5401 Jackson at Prospect
http://www.arteryhouston.org

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Know Justice, Know Peace
A conference about justice for the Palestinians in resolving final status issues

Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1

Friday, 7:00pm: "One State vs. Two States Solution." Formal dinner with Dr. Azmi Bishara, Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset. Sheraton Suites Hotel.

Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm: Plenary Dialogue: Identifying Final Status Needs of the Palestinians. Plenary discussions led by Dr. Bishara. Workshops with Emil Sahliyeh, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas; Jeff Blankfort, former editor of the Middle East Labor Bulletin; Robert Jensen, journalism professor at UT-Austin; Ora Wise, Israeli-American peace activist; Mohammed Abed, Palestinian-American peace activist; and Josh Ruebner, co-founder of Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel and former analyst in Middle East Affairs at the Congressional Research Service. Hilton Southwest Hotel.

Saturday, 7:00pm-11:00pm: Brief speech by Dr. Azmi Bishara, poem/spoken words by Ora Wise, Palestinian Folklore Entertainment, live songs, Palestinian dabkeh/dance, and more. Arab-American Cultural & Community Center.

Sunday, 9:00am-Noon: Building Congressional Support for a Just Settlement for Palestinians, a panel discussion with Paul Findley, former U.S. Congressman and author of łThey Dare to Speak Out.˛ Hilton Southwest Hotel. Sponsors to date are Al-Awda, Pax Christi, Arab-American Anti-discrimination Committee, Palestine Affairs Council, Houston Coalition for Justice Not War, Arab Voices, Latinos por la Paz, and Free Press Houston.

Cost: Friday evening dinner, $100 (proceeds finance the conference); Saturday only, $25; Saturday evening cultural celebration $5-$10 requested donation; Sunday only, $15; full conference without dinner, $40; with dinner, $125.

Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1
713-528-0677
http://www.knowjusticeknowpeace.net

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Celebrating Our Cultural Heritage
Community Residency Program in Brazoria County's cities of West Columbia, Brazoria, and Angleton

Featuring local artists:
-Singer Loretta Washington
-Artist Greg Roberson
-Creative storyteller, playwright, and poet Pat Fisher

Final Celebration: Saturday, April 30
Columbia High School Cafetorium at 521 S. 16th St.
West Columbia, Texas
http://www.texasfolklife.org/brazoria.html

This is the culmination of the week-long residency in Brazoria County, which celebrates African American culture. We invite the community to join us for a full day of performances, storytelling, cultural activities, sing-alongs, workshops, and art exhibits.

During the week of April 25-30, these artists have joined together in the creation of a performance piece that combines art, singing, and dramatic storytelling around the tradition of Negro Spirituals, placing a unique expression of spiritual singing in the rich context of local history. Through discussions and mini-performances, the artists will underscore the importance of the Spirituals tradition in Brazoria County and demonstrate the enduring influences that this tradition has had on African American cultural expression and community values in Texas.

This residency celebrates African American culture, art, and musical traditions. The artists will perform such familiar songs as "Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child," "Steal Away," and "Wade in the Water" in period costumes that vividly conjure the historical contexts in which these songs were originally sung. Through their performance they will explore the meaning and symbolism behind these songs, the slave origins of these Spirituals, and the lessons of individual creativity, spirituality, endurance, and community unity embedded in their significance.

For the schedule of events April 25-30:
http://www.texasfolklife.org/brazoriaevents.html

The Community Residency Programs aim to raise the visibility of the extraordinary local talent that exists in rural communities throughout Texas and to educate the public about Texas folk traditions. Community Residencies are organized through Texas Folklife Resources and made possible in part with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and members of Texas Folklife Resources.

Texas Folklife Resources is a statewide non-profit cultural organization that serves both Texas folk artists and their audiences by helping to present and promote a diverse and living artistic heritage for all Texans.

The Residency event in Brazoria is presented by the Tell-A-Friend Heritage Group and also receives support from Houston Endowment and the Columbia Brazoria Independent School District. The Tell-A-Friend Heritage Group is a local organization dedicated to the presentation, education, and preservation of local traditions in Brazoria County.

http://www.columbia-brazoria.isd.tenet.edu

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The Spectacular Semester
Curated by Darrin Martin and Torsten Zenas Burns

This touring program of shorts reframes historical, visceral and psychological techniques in workshop and training scenarios, both hypothetical and reality-based. Philosophical soap opera training, nursery vet school, and theoretical security preparation are among some of the tropes overlooked by conventional education and addressed by artists Torsten Zenas Burns and Darrin Martin, T. Arthur Cottam, Dara Greenwald, Jackie Goss, Kristin Lucas, Mike O'Malley, Bernard Roddy, and Aaron Valdez.

Tickets $5 unless otherwise indicated.

Saturday, April 30, 8:00pm
Aurora Picture Show
800 Aurora Street
Houston, Texas 77009
713-868-2101
http://www.aurorapictureshow.org

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"I Love My Freedom, I Love My Texas; On the Road with Mingo Saldivar Y Los Cuatro Espadas"
Presented by Texas Folklife Resources

Hector Galan will screen his film, "I Love My Freedom, I Love My Texas; On the Road with Mingo Saldivar Y Los Cuatro Espadas," an electrifying performance documentary featuring Mingo Saldivar - one of conjunto's most admired and popular accordion masters. Texas born and Texas bred, Mingo Saldivar, in a career spanning five decades, pays tribute in "I Love My Freedom, I Love My Texas", to the very land from which conjunto music was born.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005; 6:00pm
Free and open to the public.
Houston Community College Eastside Campus
First Floor Lecture Hall, Angela Morales Building
http://www.texasfolklife.org/hectorgalan.html

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Loung Ung, Lucky Child : A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left Behind

In her second memoir, Loung Ung picks up where her first, the National Book Award-winning First They Killed My Father, left off, with the author escaping a devastated Cambodia in 1980 at age 10 and flying to her new home in Vermont. Though she embraces her American life-which carries advantages ranging from having a closet of her own to getting a formal education and enjoying The Brady Bunch-she can never truly leave her Cambodian life behind. She and her eldest brother, with whom she escaped, left behind their three other siblings. This book is alternately heart-wrenching and heartwarming, as it follows the parallel lives of Loung Ung and her closest sister, Chou, during the 15 years it took for them to reunite.

Loung Ung is National Spokesperson for the "Campaign for a Landmine Free World," a program of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation. VVAF founded the International Campaign to Ban Landmines which was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

Tuesday May 3, 6:00pm, Reception; 6:30pm, Talk
$10 members, $15 for non-members
Hilton Houston Post Oak
2001 Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77056
713-439-0265
Email: txcenter@asiasoc.org

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Orphans created by the AIDS Epidemic in Central China
Presented by Asia Society Texas in collaboration with the Asian American Health Coalition

During the 1990s, blood selling became a popular way to earn supplementary income for poor peasants in Central China. Due to unsanitary blood collection practice many blood donors contracted HIV and other blood-related diseases. As more and more peasants die of AIDS, the children they leave behind will become orphans. These children may not be able to go to school due to lack of financial means. Without an education, these orphans, potentially millions of them, will be less likely to be employed when they grow up. Working on behalf of Chi Heng Foundation, the speaker has visited Central China several times over the past one and a half years, providing assistance to over 2000 children whose parents have died or are suffering from AIDS in the area.

Wednesday, May 4, 6:00pm, Reception; 6:30pm, Talk
Free and open to the public
Compass Bank, second floor Conference Room
(Corner of San Felipe and Kirby - 2001 Kirby Drive)
713-439-0051
Email: txcenter@asiasoc.org

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La Voz Femenina 4

La Voz Femenina 4, Voices Breaking Boundaries' annual team-up with Arte Publico Press, features a reading by Alicia Gaspar de Alba, author of a new mystery novel Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders. El Paso native Ivon Villa returns to her hometown to adopt the baby of a young Mexican woman to raise with her partner. Instead, she gets caught up in the conspiracy surrounding the killing and mutilation of young women along the Texas/Mexico border. Exploring queer issues, gender identity, and border culture, Gaspar de Alba offers a gripping mystery novel based on her extensive research into the real, ongoing crimes and the pervasive cover up. She is the author of various works of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. An Associate Professor of Chicana/o Studies and English at the University of California Los Angeles, Gaspar de Alba is a native of the El Paso/Juarez border.

Thursday, May 5, 6:00pm
Free admission; reception to follow
Brown Auditorium
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1001 Bissonnet at Main
713-524-7821
Email: info@voicesbreakingboundaries.org

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Showcasing the Work of Pat Mora and Ethriam Cash Brammer
Inprint's Margaret Root Brown Family Literary Event

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a spirited reading by bilingual children's authors Pat Mora, author of The Bakery Lady/La senora de la panaderia, and Ethriam Cash Brammer, author of The Rowdy, Rowdy Ranch/Alla en El Rancho Grande. The readings will be followed by the Alley's touring production of John & Juan, a hilarious salute to the shared cultural history of Texas and Mexico.

Saturday, May 7, 11:00am
Alley Theatre
615 Texas Ave.
Houston, Texas 77002
713-521-2026
Email: inprint@airmail.net


Thank you for supporting great educational and cultural activities.

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M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org


Traditions of Mexico:
http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico

Latino Music Initiative:
http://www.houstonculture.org/musica

Texas-Mexico Border Issues:
http://www.houstonculture.org/border