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Factoid: For more information on the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, contact Bob or Hilda Jenkins at 529-4612 or by e-mail at rejenk36@hotmail.com
A group of old men limp to the stage, clad in beige outfits and brightly colored striped vests. They are relying on the assistance of canes as they slowly make their way to the stage to perform their dance, "Los Vijitos," or, "The Old Ones."
"Mexican culture says that everybody from the kids to the older adults will participate," said Bob Jenkins, a member of the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano, who served as the announcer for the group's performance. "When everyone dances, the old ones want to dance too, but they are constrained by their feeble wobbling; so we'll have to wait a minute while they make their way up here."
The slow steps and limping of those in the "Los Vijitos" dance are not genuine. Nor is the age of the old ones performing. In fact, in addition to the striped vests they are wearing, their faces are covered with masks that imitate the countenance of an old man. What is real, however, is the sample of Mexican culture being performed in this dance, one of several performed by members of a Mexican dance group that showcased their talents Saturday afternoon at the Ethnic Festival.
The group was one of many that provided a sample of their culture during Carbondale's first Ethnic Festival. The event took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Town Square Pavilion and provided attendants with a taste of culture, music and, of course, cuisine from various countries of the world.
"This is a very diverse community," said Sara Berkbigler, executive director for the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, "especially with the SIU students, and this was a good way for them to partner with the community.
"There's something that appeals to everyone from young children to older adults. We've had a very diverse crowd of people trying things they never thought they'd like."
Berkbigler said the idea for the festival originated from a similar event she had attended in Springfield. She believed the event would not only be an excellent way to promote diversity in the Carbondale community, but also a way to earn money for the city's yearly fundraiser.
The ethnic festival served as a fundraising event the city must sponsor annually as a means of maintaining low membership fees for the Chamber of Commerce.
The festival began late Friday afternoon with East Indian dancer Nadia Ali and was followed by the music of the Southern Illinois West Indian Drumming Ensemble. According to Berkbigler, SIWADE drew in a large crowd, which was maintained by the evening's final act, a bluegrass band, Shady Mix. She estimated roughly 1,300 people had attended the fair as of Saturday afternoon.
Saturday's agenda was much fuller, with samples of German, Jamaican and Irish music on the schedule for the day.
"We try to give a little from both parts of the country," said Bob Jenkins, who founded the Ballet Folklorico Mexicano with his wife, Hilda, two years ago and has taken the presentation to various locations in the area. "The dances they do in the north are very different from the ones they do in the south.
"We want to share the culture and the beauty of the culture. These traditions tell us who we are, and we don't want to lose them."
Jenkins said that when he has more time in the program, he often poses a question to his audience: "Where do we find Hispanics in our area?"
He said he tends to find that, because of the small town of Cobden, an area with a large Hispanic population, many tend to reply with the county in which this town is located in, Union. However, as Jenkins soon informs his audience, Jackson County has four times as many Hispanics as Union.
The ethnic festival was about informing as well as interaction. The interaction they, and other participants hoped to achieve was not only between members of the community, but family as well.
Bob and Hilda Jenkins said they were hoping to recruit more individuals, particularly SIUC students into the group. They also emphasized their satisfaction with current participation in the group, which does not charge an admission fee, and is open to anyone wanting to join.
Milton McDaniel said he enjoyed all of the presentations he had seen that day, in particular, the Mexican dance, which featured his wife, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.
"It's great to see people from different cultures come out and support each other and volunteer," said McDaniel, a volunteer at the event. "There's room for improvement [with diversity] but we are working on it.
"You have to come to events like this with an open mind. If we learn about other cultures, the negativism will begin to fade."
McDaniel's 3-year-old granddaughter, Marleny, spent most of the afternoon clad in a pink sundress and light pink stockings playing with other children her age. Prior to watching presentations of various ethnic cultures with other children her age, Marleny donned a flowing red dress to dance as the youngest member of the Mexican dance ensemble, which included her mother and grandmother.
Marleny was one of only a few young entertainers in the Ethnic Festival presentations, but one of many children attending the festivities.
As Marleny and other members of the group danced on stage, a young boy, Noah Huffman, pranced in front of the stage, occasionally fiddling with the green and white papier mache guitar propped against the stage.
On the other side of the festival, in an area filled with flags and the smell of foods from various countries, almost 30 minutes after the final dance, Alexandra Desrosiers was still talking about the performance.
"I enjoyed the Mexican dance," said Alexandra, who attended the event with her mother, father and sister. "I loved all of it, and my mommy said she was going to buy me Mexican clothes."
As Alexandra continues to express her love of the Mexican dance presentation, the featured band changes, and the traditional Irish music of The Dorians sounds in the background. The quick rhythms of their instruments provide background music for dancing children, as well as the array of flags fluttering in the wind.
Inside of the booth on which the flags are positioned, Yohannes Honu and his wife, Patience, set up a display on Africa, one of the seven areas featured as a part of the interactive ethnic children's activities.
Yohannes, a graduate student in ecology at SIUC, explains to a passer-by at his booth how a small wooden drum is used as a means of clearly communicating a message in his country of Ghana.
Throughout the three-day festival, displays on Africa and other areas, traditional Irish and Celtic music and dances such as those of "the old ones" communicate a message of diversity for, as the program for the festival reads, "ages 2 to 92."
"It's a good cause and a good family-oriented activity that shows what's going on in Carbondale," volunteer Carmen Arendt said. "Sometimes you forget how diverse Carbondale really is."
