Brigham Young University will celebrate diverse cultural heritages during the Celebration of Culture program, sponsored by the Multicultural Student Services Office, featuring the Fiesta, Lu’au and Pow Wow performances and a concert by BYU’s own Living Legends March 21-28.
Fiesta
The“Celebration of Culture events will kick off with Fiesta Saturday, March 21, in the Wilkinson Student Center. A dinner will be served from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for $9. Tickets for the performance at 7 p.m. in the WSC Ballroom are $7. Fiesta’s theme, “¿Qué Cuentas?: What’s Your Story?,” will guide the event as each dance shares the traditions and history of Latin America with the audience. Fiesta draws an audience from Utah and surrounding states to watch more than 200 students perform in traditional dances representing 15 countries. The show will be followed by a Latin dance in the WSC Garden Court from 9:30 to 10:45 p.m. for $5.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the WSC Information Desk, or by telephone at 801-422-4313 with an additional $5 charge per phone order. Fiesta has sold out for the past three years, so it is recommended that those interested in attending buy tickets early.
Lu’au
“Ke Kinohi Loa: Origins of the Pacific” is the theme for this year’s Lu’au celebration. On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24-25, students will perform traditional Polynesian dances. Each country’s presentation will focus on aspects of island culture and life which are embodied in Polynesian mythology by gods and goddesses.
The program will begin at 7 p.m. in the WSC Ballroom, preceded by a catered lu’au dinner at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the show are $7, or $5 with a student ID. Tickets for dinner and the show are $17, or $15 with a student ID. Tickets can be purchased in person at the WSC Information Desk, or by telephone at 801-422-4313 with an additional $5 charge per phone order.
Living Legends
BYU’s Living Legends will perform “Seasons,” their signature display of Polynesian, Latin American and Native American music and dance Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center.
Tickets are $11, or $8 with BYU or student ID, and can be purchased online at www.byuarts.com, by phone at (801) 422-4322 or in person at the Harris Fine Arts Center Ticket Office.
Pow Wow
The Celebration of Culture will culminate with the 28th annual Cedartree Pow Wow, “Honor and Traditions: Continuing a Legacy,” Friday and Saturday, March 27-28. All are invited to enjoy Native American song and dance, taste fry bread and Native American tacos and explore cultural vendor booths. The Cedartree Pow Wow was established in 1981 in honor of well-respected Cheyenne/Arapaho Indian and fancy war dancer Harold A. Cedartree.
Grand entry will begin Friday, March 27, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, March 28, at 1 and 6 p.m. in the WSC Ballroom. The cost is $6 or $5 with student ID. The event is free to children 8 years old and under and senior citizens. The vendor and cultural booths in the WSC Garden Court during Pow Wow are free to the public.
The Celebration of Culture program is designed to unify all of the cultural celebration programs sponsored by Multicultural Student Services. The organization promotes collaboration among programs and encourages student to learn about and share different cultures.
For more information, visit multicultural.byu.edu, or contact Andrea Kinghorn at (801) 422-8097.
Writer: Angela Fischer
