Weekend Review: Ethnic Divide
Ethnic Fest, the annual festival for all thing diverse was interesting to say the least. Sure, it offered stages and booths crammed with performing arts,
visual arts, crafts, dancing, information and foods from every nation on the planet. But it also showed a bit about how far Tacoma still has to go in terms of racial relations.
What was odd to me was that the audiences spread between the three main stages were largely divided along racial lines. The gospel and dance teams were viewed largely by black people. The storytelling stages were flanked by white folks. The only real diversity could be found among the acts by primarily Asian performers. It seemed that even at a festival celebrating the area’s melting pot couldn’t seem to mingle crowds other than at the corn-cob-on-a-stick booth.
Tacoma Musical Playhouse continued its staging “All Shook Up,” a tribute to all things Elvis as well last weekend. This all-Elvis musical was written by Joe DiPietro, the guy who brought the world “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” and “Memphis” and continues its run this weekend. It’s a fun show that gets toes tapping in the aisles.
5 comments
J Jesse July 27, 2010
When I was there I didn’t notice any divisions among audiences.
I did notice that there weren’t many fun things for kids to do or see booth-wise. All the booths seemed to have an agenda. The crafts, arts, and clothing booths seemed to be mainly African.
A AJ July 27, 2010
Wow! Negative much? All these different groups were all in the same park on the same day for the same reason? Wouldn’t family members and supporters of a group preforming on any particular stage be at that stage? Is it safe to assume those ethnic groups’ family and supporter are the same ethnicity? The music is plenty loud enough that one would not have to be right in front of the stage to enjoy the preformance.
A Altered Chords July 27, 2010
Next year the promoters in parnership with the police should force the white people to view and have fun at the gospel and dance areas and force the black people to smile and laugh at the storytelling stages.
C crenshaw sepulveda July 28, 2010
Is there any chance that some of the Daniel Blue stories could be re-run in this space? Just asking.
L lostinlosangeles July 28, 2010
No Native Americans performers?? Or are they considered original instead of ethnic? Should change the name of the fest to:
“Quit pouty facing like a giant leathery newborn with Stella McCartney coming out of your ear – none of us should be here anyways – so who cares how the divided divide themselves – festivus”