A dancing lion followed by a stream of hula dancers and members of the Asian-Pacific American Students Union will march from the University Bookstore down 13th Avenue to the EMU Amphitheater today to kick off this year’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month celebration.
“The lion dancers are traditionally for good luck and are used for New Year’s and other celebrations to scare away the bad,” APASU member Aaron Lee said.
The idea of designating a time to celebrate Asian and Pacific Island culture started in 1978, when former President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the first week of May to be Asian Pacific Heritage Week. In 1990, former President George Bush expanded the holiday further, designating the entire month to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
After the march, APASU will hold opening ceremonies in the amphitheater from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., which will include a speech from APASU member Mark Padoongpat and Office of Multicultural Affairs Associate Director Randy Choy. Padoongpat will be speaking about APASU’s stance on Abercrombie & Fitch’s controversial T-shirt slogans.
APASU will also have a game for students to participate in similar to the television show “Fear Factor.” APASU programs co-coordinator Jeanne Ebuen said what the students will have to do for the game will be a surprise.
“Let’s just say, it is eating something different,” she said.
Lee added that contestants would have to eat “something” culturally different from any food item found in the United States.
To continue the celebration, APASU will be hosting a fashion show at 6 p.m. on Sunday in The Buzz Coffeehouse. The show will include both casual and business clothing, as well as beachwear and pajamas.
“The fashion show has not been a part of our activities until this year,” APASU Co-Director Kao Cha said.
The fashion show will begin with Asian poetry readings from APASU members Sophanna Kuch and Jason Cummings.
Other festivities for the month will include a short martial arts demonstration from the University’s Wushu Club team. The Wushu Club will conduct a workshop on Chagquan, or long-fist, which is a popular form of fighting developed in Northern China with dynamic kicks and punches.
Women’s Studies Professor Lynn Fujiwara will also give a speech in honor of heritage month. APASU will announce the location and time of these events at a later date.
The main event for the month will be at 6 p.m. May 18 in the EMU Ballroom, and will include a performance from “Here Now,” a theater group from Los Angeles portraying issues many Asian Americans face in their daily lives, Ebuen said.
Pocketface, an alternative band from Eugene, will be performing along with a Portland Vietnamese American rapper Thai.
To end the celebration, APASU will host the Spring Mini-Olympics on May 19. Students will meet for the event at 2:00 p.m. in the Multicultural Center and participate in games such as sack racing, a tug-o-war, water balloon fights and a Slip ‘N Slide competition.
For more information about any of the upcoming events, contact the APASU office at 346-4342.