AsiaFest Section

From The Asian Reporter, V18, #21 (May 27, 2008), page 1 & 20.

By Maileen Hamto

From a multicultural break dance showcase to a performance by the Portland Chinese Yo-Yo Team and an Okinawan martial-arts exhibition by the Westside Martial Arts Academy, the fifth annual AsiaFest impressed audiences with the variety and diversity of cultures among the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora.

Held at the Oregon Convention Center, AsiaFest featured a daylong lineup of traditional music and dance from Japan, the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Hawai’i, Cambodia, India, and elsewhere. Exhibitors included a number of local Asian community groups such as the Asian Health & Service Center, the Oregon Buddhist Temple, the Oregon Falun Dafa Association, and China Passion Cultural Services. Businesses and civic groups eager to reach out to the Asian community were represented. The food court featured a tasty selection of authentic Asian and Pacific Islander cuisine. Festival-goers were also able to experience bubble tea and Hawaiian shaved ice.

Pan-Asian performances showcased the rich diversity of cultures, religions, and traditions of countries in Asia. The Maharlika Dance Troupe performed several dances that reflect the strong influence of Spanish colonization on the Philippine archipelago. Natyarpana Dance Company displayed the grace and elegance of Bharatnatyam, one of the most celebrated forms of dance in Southern India. Dancers from Kaleinani o ke Kukui, representing Hawai’i, transported the audience to an island home as they performed a number of hula and Tahitian dances.

The Foot Soldiers Break Dance Troupe brought the house down with funky beats and eclectic b-boy styles. Portland Taiko was the headliner of the event, bringing the dynamic energy of the Big Drum to the AsiaFest stage. Co-artistic director Michelle Fujii and a number of veteran Portland Taiko drummers were on hand to wow the crowd.

AsiaFest is celebrated in Portland during Asian Heritage Month in May. Families with young children are a main draw to the event every year. Now a tradition at AsiaFest, the trivia challenge had children (and adults) visiting booths in the exhibitors’ area to find answers to questions about the size of Thailand, the names of Japan’s four main islands, and more. Once questionnaires were completed, participants spun the prize wheel to claim their reward.

Volunteer Asmita Jain, a graduate student at Portland State University, spent the afternoon helping out at the Kids’ Fun Center, which featured arts and crafts and face painting. A first-time volunteer, Jain worked with the children on a dragon-coloring activity. "As Asians, we tend to know about our cultures. Typically, non-Asians don’t have a familiarity with how diverse Asian cultures really are. This is really a good way for the community to learn about different Asian cultures," said Jain.

This year’s AsiaFest drew exhibitors and participants from across the region. Shannon Matthews with Spirit Mountain Casino played dealer at the blackjack table, a first for AsiaFest. Although cards were dealt, no real gambling occurred. "The dealer kept pulling a card from the deck until I beat him," said one attendee, who won a gift certificate good for a free night stay at the Spirit Mountain Casino Resort.

"I appreciate being able to see many different groups in the Asian community represented in this event," said Richard Plummer, who hails from Lincoln City. He and his wife Carolyn manned the Lincoln City Visitors’ Association booth, which offered information about entertainment options along the Oregon Coast.

The event was sponsored by The Asian Reporter, the City of Portland, Spirit Mountain Casino, the Portland Chinese Times, State Farm Insurance, and TriMet. An estimated 2,500 people visited this year’s AsiaFest, a Portland Rose Festival-sanctioned event. Many attendees experienced the event for the first time.

"The kids really enjoyed spinning the prize wheel. They won toys," said Lori Saephanh of Aloha, who attended AsiaFest with her family, which included five nieces and nephews that range in age from six months to 13 years old. Lori said she read about AsiaFest in The Asian Reporter and decided to bring the family for a day’s worth of entertainment.

"We’re definitely coming back again next year."

To learn more about AsiaFest and The Asian Reporter Foundation, visit <www.ARFoundation.net>.