On Saturday, May 11, nearly 500 people attended the 5th Annual A Taste of Culture. This immersive multi-cultural experience featured Cultural Representatives from 17 different countries. Each country’s table was a little different - some had samples, others had photos and artifacts. The thing they all had in common though, was the openness of each representative to share his or her culture with Flint residents. Several of the representatives were dressed in traditional attire and had the opportunity to describe the clothing. The diverse array of clothing was displayed in a fashion show where representatives shared the names of the pieces and any special meaning that they had.
Participants learned dancing from Brazil, Ethiopia, India and Palestine and were able to watch demonstrations of martial arts from Japan and Capoiera, a Brazilian fight dance with origins from Africa. In addition, Irish and Scottish music was played on bagpipes! Kenna, a representative from Ethiopia said, “I've participated for 3 years now and it keeps getting bigger and better each year!”
The food is always a highlight of the event, because there are so many dishes to try from all over the world. Everyone was able to taste international cuisine from local restaurants. Dishes from Grill of India, Kabob City, Chubby Duck, Sweet Peaces, Italia Gardens and others lined a total of five 8-foot tables - that’s 40 feet of food! Guests had an amazing time and one remarked, “This was a fun event. I like that there was something going on the whole time and the food was great!”
“It is great to see people eager to learn new things from cultures different from their own,” said Dena Johnson, CFI Program Manager. This cultural exchange is just one of many events hosted by Communities First, Inc. to get people talking and promote tolerance and understanding.