The Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center regularly engages with the community as part of our commitment to fulfilling our responsibilities as a federally funded Title VI National Resource Center. This outreach includes sharing cultural and language knowledge with K-12 students, educators, their families, and beyond.
Each year, the Bloomington community hosts a festival that celebrates interconnected global communities where performers and artisans can showcase the unique profiles of their own cultures in an engaging environment. The Lotus Education & Arts Foundation, a locally-based non-profit organization that regularly hosts educational events and festivals throughout the year, continued its tradition of hosting a spring festival at Fairview Elementary School. The Lotus Blossoms World Bazaar offers a unique twist on the Foundation’s mission of providing opportunities for the community to engage in and experience diverse cultures through the arts by inviting local and international performers of all backgrounds and media to perform for attendees. This year, on March 22 and 23rd, several student organizations contributed musical performances, dance renditions, and exhibits of instruments and traditional clothing pertaining to their own world regions. Graduate Outreach Assistants and IU student volunteers prepared interactive materials for students enjoy, such as Chuvash good luck dolls, coloring books with Chuvash embroidery patterns, and traditional Finnish Easter branches to mark the beginning of spring. The IAUNRC has been a long-standing participant and supporter of the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation’s events in and around Bloomington, and we look forward to future collaborations.
Image description: Children make traditional Finnish Easter branches with the help of IAUNRC volunteers. Image courtesy of the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation.
On Friday, March 29th, the IAUNRC team was happy to join the Brown County Public Library in Nashville, Indiana, for their second annual World’s Fair. After joining the inaugural event last spring, we were thrilled to join the Brown County Library in bringing international culture to local children and their families. After previously sharing Kyrgyz traditional felt patterns, this year, the IAUNRC brought Finnish Easter branches. Along with creating these fun international crafts, the IAUNRC team also shares general information and fun facts about Finland. We hope to continue joining the Brown County Public Library team for these events in the future.
For many local schools in the Bloomington area, the start of the spring season brings a host of vibrant festivals to celebrate student and community engagement. This April, Fairview Elementary School organized a student carnival, with activities and games ranging from face painting to ring toss. The IAUNRC took its place among the game booths to give students an interactive experience while learning more about traditional clothing and customs of peoples throughout Eurasia. Students were able to try on Kyrgyz Kalpak hats, Tatar head caps, and all manner of ceremonial headwear while marking the occasion with family and group photos adorned with Instagram-able captions in respective languages. Many of the students began asking questions about when specific ceremonial headwear is worn, and what regions certain hats come from. The IAUNRC is pleased to have contributed to fun and engaging community events like the Fairview Carnival and looks forward to more events in the future.