University of Arkansas at Fort Smith festival highlights different cultures

story and photos by Linda Kaufenberg

How do you visit 25 countries in a couple of hours?

The best way would have been to attend the International Festival for a “Walk Through Our World.” Hundreds of men, women and children of all ages sampled food, watched dance and music performances and learned about the cultures of many countries as they walked around Stubblefield Center at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

The number of countries represented at the international festival sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith will expand from 13 in 2008 to 25 in 2009. The countries featured include Mexico, South Korea, Nepal, Bulgaria, New Zealand, China, Brazil, Laos/Hmong, England, Thailand, Sweden, El Salvador, Ireland, Croatia, Japan, India, Cuba, Uganda, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Vietnam, United States, Estonia and Puerto Rico.

Performers included Dragon Dancers, Fort Smith Suzuki Students, Irish Dancers, UAFS Hmong Dancers, UAFS Brass Band, Folklorico Dancers, flamenco dancers, and the Don Bailey Jazz Combo.

According to Festival Chair Janice Beran, wife of UAFS Chancellor Paul Beran, the festival began last year with only 13 booths

“This is the first year we have had it in Stubblefield Center,” Janice Beran said. “Takeo Suzuki, executive director of International Studies, came up with the idea showcasing students and faculty from different countries. All the entertainment is local.”

The American booth was a project of Tom Wing’s students. They researched American foods and put together a brochure to hand out along with the food. Did you know that chili was invented by cowboys on the trail? They first made chili by combining meat, chilies, fat and salt in blocks to cook over campfires. Chili went national in 1893 at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

Additional festival committee members were Jeri Fields, Michael King, Peggy Weidman, Peter Cullum, Stephanie London, Susan Devero, Brock Holland and Sherry Card.