Diverse groups honor traditions
From left, Maureen Sourivong, 16, and Linda Namthavong, 15, both of Worcester, prepare for a fashion show dressed in traditional Laotian mountain costumes. (T&G Staff Photos / STEVE LANAVA)
Malisa Chanthavangso, 6, of Sturbridge, a member of the Laotian Community Center of Worcester, performs a traditional Laotian folk dance yesterday at the sixth annual Asian Festival.
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Crystal Zhao, 8, of Worcester, left, is served vegan Asian food items from Jane Gao and Joanne Ngo, right, of the Buddha Hut Restaurant of Worcester. The Asian Festival featured food and traditional dances from Bhutan, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and India.
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External links
• VIDEO: Sights and sounds of the Asian Festival
• VIDEO: Sights and sounds of the Asian Festival
WORCESTER — With his mother and brother, Run Toun fled a war-wrought Cambodia 26 years ago and moved to Worcester. Unlike other Cambodians who came here, Mr. Toun didn’t change his first name (pronounced “Roon”) to something more American.
“They asked me, ‘Why don’t you change your name?’ ” he said. “I love my name. I don’t want to change it.”
He feels the same way about the rest of his culture. Mr. Toun was at the Asian Festival at the Italian-American Cultural Center on Mulberry Street yesterday, showing Cambodian objects he brought from his home. Plenty of non-Asian visitors stopped to look, but the displays were really for someone else.
“We try to teach the children everything we can,” said Mr. Toun, who has two daughters, 9 and 13. “They’re Cambodian, but they’re young, they’re born here. They don’t know.”
Ten countries were represented at the festival: Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Korea, Japan, Laos, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
“When people talk about Asian, they think Chinese. We want people to know we are very diverse,” said Thuha Le, executive director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts.
Local residents who hail from Asian countries served traditional food and displayed art and artifacts at the festival; others danced and played instruments in colorful costumes on stage. More than 3,000 people attended.
Organizers hold the festival, now in its sixth year, so Asian children born in the United States can learn where their parents come from.
“That’s our purpose,” Ms. Le said. “If we’re not doing this, the kids won’t know. It brings the generations together.”
Sophit Chansignavong sat behind a table full of Thai objects she keeps in her home, including dolls of a man and woman dancing and a woodwind instrument called a kaen, which her husband plays. She held the long thin pipes to her face and demonstrated.
“Because America is a melting country, everyone who comes here becomes American,” said Ms. Chansignavong, who came to Worcester from Thailand 30 years ago.
“They asked me, ‘Why don’t you change your name?’ ” he said. “I love my name. I don’t want to change it.”
He feels the same way about the rest of his culture. Mr. Toun was at the Asian Festival at the Italian-American Cultural Center on Mulberry Street yesterday, showing Cambodian objects he brought from his home. Plenty of non-Asian visitors stopped to look, but the displays were really for someone else.
“We try to teach the children everything we can,” said Mr. Toun, who has two daughters, 9 and 13. “They’re Cambodian, but they’re young, they’re born here. They don’t know.”
Ten countries were represented at the festival: Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Korea, Japan, Laos, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
“When people talk about Asian, they think Chinese. We want people to know we are very diverse,” said Thuha Le, executive director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts.
Local residents who hail from Asian countries served traditional food and displayed art and artifacts at the festival; others danced and played instruments in colorful costumes on stage. More than 3,000 people attended.
Organizers hold the festival, now in its sixth year, so Asian children born in the United States can learn where their parents come from.
“That’s our purpose,” Ms. Le said. “If we’re not doing this, the kids won’t know. It brings the generations together.”
Sophit Chansignavong sat behind a table full of Thai objects she keeps in her home, including dolls of a man and woman dancing and a woodwind instrument called a kaen, which her husband plays. She held the long thin pipes to her face and demonstrated.
“Because America is a melting country, everyone who comes here becomes American,” said Ms. Chansignavong, who came to Worcester from Thailand 30 years ago.
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