Date/Time: Saturday 8-16-2008 Time: 11:00 - 8:00
Location: Western Sculpture Park
Street Adr: Marion Street
City: Saint Paul
State: Minnesota
Zip: 55103
Celebrate Hmong art, music and culture at CHAT’s 7th Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival: HMONGLAND! Enjoy Visual Arts.
CHAT's 7th Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival: HMONGLAND
The Festival is a celebration of culture for all ages and has become a tradition of sorts for the neighborhood and for the growing Hmong community in the Twin Cities. Last year, there was an estimated 3,000 people that attended. We only anticipate even more people this year.
“Where do the Hmong come from?”, “Do the Hmong have a country of their own?” These are questions that are commonly asked of Hmong people. And, although the curiosity in these questions has a legitimate innocence to it, this notion of whether or not there is a Hmongland raises questions regarding how Hmong people are perceived both by Hmong and non-Hmong people. How does a population without a recognized country identify itself? How do residents of a displaced community respond to definition inside and outside of the community? These questions force an inward exploration of identity and worth for many Hmong and a world of wonderment for many non-Hmong.
CHAT asks artists to consider these questions and to share how they imagine what HMONGLAND would be like. The community is invited to witness HMONGLAND through the following festival areas:
* A Visual Gallery—showcasing a collection of artwork created by Hmong artists.
* The Main Stage—hosting a full days worth of traditional and contemporary musicians and performers, including the 3rd Annual Singer/ Songwriter Competition, In Session.
* Art Saves Us Tent—featuring visual and performance pieces from the teens in our after-school program.
* DabNeeg«»Dawning Theatre Tent—putting ideas about Hmongland onto the stage in an original theatrical performance piece.
* Community Art Project—displaying flags that are designed by a variety of community members to share their interpretations of Hmongland in a powerful visual exhibit.
* Cakes by Fhoua Tent—holding the 2nd Annual Cake Decorating Contest.
* Games, Food, Vendors and Resources—something for everyone! There will be games and prizes for all ages, food booths to satisfy cravings, useful resources and art vendors with original merchandise that can’t be found in stores.
Together, these elements create an atmosphere of community, sharing of tradition and culture and celebration.