Multicultural potluck, program held

Photo by Susan Holland John Two-Hawks, a Lakota Sioux from Eureka Springs, posed with the selection of flutes which he used in his performance at last Monday’s multicultural potluck at Gravette High School. Two-Hawks teamed with the Gravette High School and Gravette Middle School choirs to present a program in the Performing Arts Center following the annual multicultural event, “Exploring Our Heritage.”
Photo by Susan Holland John Two-Hawks, a Lakota Sioux from Eureka Springs, posed with the selection of flutes which he used in his performance at last Monday’s multicultural potluck at Gravette High School. Two-Hawks teamed with the Gravette High School and Gravette Middle School choirs to present a program in the Performing Arts Center following the annual multicultural event, “Exploring Our Heritage.”

GRAVETTE -- Attending classes with classmates from different backgrounds enables students to learn about a variety of cultures and provides an insight into what life is like in other countries. There are 85 to 95 English as a Second Language students in Gravette schools, with Spanish, Hmong and Micronesian backgrounds. Meghan Walker, ESL Coordinator and ESL middle school teacher, capitalizes further on that opportunity by holding a multicultural potluck dinner and performance each year at Gravette schools. Walker has been coordinating these events each year since 2010-11 when she began teaching at Gravette Middle School. They entertain and enlighten both students and parents about others' lifestyles.

The first potluck was held in January, 2011, then later potlucks have been held in October. In 2012-13 Walker started opening them up to the whole school district rather than just the ESL families. The first three programs were held at the middle school and the event has been held at the high school the past two years.

About 110 guests attended this year's "Exploring Our Heritage" multicultural program Oct. 20 at Gravette High School, in addition to 100 choir students who performed. The evening began with a potluck meal in the commons featuring an array of delicious foods from about a dozen countries. Those attending had been asked to bring a dish that reflected their cultural roots. Students, parents and guests from the community worked their way down the serving lines, selecting from the many choices.

There were soups, including tortilla soup; gumbo, with lots of okra and smoked sausage; and borscht (beef and beet soup) from the Ukraine. There were salads, including spaghetti salad from Italy. There were tasty main dishes, including tacos from Mexico; Polish sausage with honey mustard; fried plantains from the Philippines; Aji-de gallion, a spicy Peruvian chicken dish; venison and chili from the United States. Desserts included empanadas from El Salvador, Swedish chocolate balls, pumpkin spice balls and cream cheese bars from the U.S. and capitotada, a Mexican bread pudding traditionally served during Lent and at Christmas. The speed with which the dishes on the dessert table disappeared showed the popularity of the sweet offerings.

When everyone had eaten their fill they adjourned to the nearby Performing Arts Center for the evening's program. At 6:45 Ricardo Guerra, GHS senior, welcomed the guests and told them about a cookbook project the ESL students are conducting. A Spanish interpreter was nearby to translate his words.

Students are asking anyone interested to submit recipes reflecting their cultural roots and heritage. Recipes may be given to a secretary at any of the Gravette schools, requesting they be sent to Meghan Walker, or they can be emailed to [email protected]. These will be compiled into an "Exploring Our Heritage" cookbook. These cookbooks, designed by the high school EAST class, will be sold to raise money to send the high school and middle school ESL students on their first field trip.

Hmong students Alicia Lee, Angela Lee and Emily Vue, seniors at Gravette High School, began the program with a dance performance. Next Amy Lee, a ninth-grader at GHS, sang songs from her Hmong heritage. All the girls wore colorful costumes from their native country. Then John Two-Hawks, an Oglala Lakota Sioux from Eureka Springs, was introduced. He gave a presentation reflecting his Native American heritage, backed by the combined Gravette High School and Gravette Middle School choirs.

Two-Hawks is known as a virtuoso player of the Native American flute. He has been singing and playing the guitar since he was five years old. He has earned Grammy and Emmy nominations and had Platinum Award albums. His Native American music has been featured in Fox Searchlight movies, HBO films and programs by The History Channel.

Two-Hawks played a series of flutes, accompanied by chants and songs from the GHS and GMS choir members. The students were dressed in yellow, red, black and white and Two-Hawks explained they represented the sacred four directions, the four seasons and the four stages of human life. The life of man is a circle, he said, on which the Indians base their sacred hoop, or medicine wheel. The musical performances were interspersed with readings by students from each of the four color groups. Readings were from the writings of Chief Dan George, Black Elk, Ten Bears and Crowfoot.

The reading from Black Elk expanded on the circle theme. "The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same and both are round," he wrote. "Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle, from childhood to childhood, and so it is with everything where the sacred power moves."

Following the program numbers were announced for door prizes. Several guests won door prizes donated by local businesses.

Community on 10/29/2014