In Pictures & Video: The 7th Annual Carousel of Nations
By David F. Rooney
Revelstokians just can’t get enough of the Multi-Cultural Society’s annual Carousel of Nations. Is it the great ethnic food? The excellent music? The dancers or storytellers? What?
Well, truth be told it’s all of those things and it’s no wonder that it’s so successful; it’s like looking in a mirror to see where we, our parents and great-great grandparents came from. It’s a rare person who exhibits no interest in their family backgrounds. Kids, in particular, like knowing where they come from. And the annual Carousel of Nations reminds us all that despite our technology, our science and our learning we are ultimately just people and at our most honest we are always most interested in what makes us, our families, friends and neighbours tick.
We all owe the Revelstoke Multi-Cultural Society a round of applause for the excellent job they do in staging this popular event every year.
This year’s Carousel of Nations had a great lineup of entertainment at the Community Centre, which was jammed with people. At a guess, well over 1,000 attended this year’s celebration. And here for your viewing pleasure is a selection of photos — and two videos — from the day’s activities. I hope you enjoy them:
The Carousel of Nations attracted a huge crowd of Revelstokians whose appetite for ethnic food and cultural sharing once again proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that our community knows how to stage a multi-cultural event. A steady line of adults and children streamed past potters whose works were on sale as a benefit for the Revelstoke for Refugees Committee. Admission was by donation and per-plate food tickets were $3 a pop. David F. Rooney photoRevelstoke Museum Curator poses for photographer Keri Knapp with a pair of the delightful hand puppets for sale at the Museum & Archives table. David F. Rooney photoMembers of the Revelstoke Highlanders Pipe Band has pride of place as the first act at the Carousel of Nations. David F. Rooney photoAssistant Librarian Gabriela Draboczi helps young boy sign in for the Carousel of Nations’ interactive children’s activities held in the library this year. David F. Rooney photoBex Parkin braids yarn for a poi, the string attached to they soft fabric ball being swung by her son Yorke. Poi is a handmade toy that originated in her native New Zealand’s Maori culture. As far as I culd tell it was like the English kids’ game called Conkers, which is played with horse chestnuts. Bex was running the New Zealand table at the interactive activities centre in the public library. David F. Rooney photoDarrel Nitsche had the lowdown on Colombia’s all-important coffee industry. Darrel habrours an abiding interest in and affection for the South American country and every year he returns to Manizales, a picturesque mountain city near the Nevado de Ruiz, an enormous and dangerous volcano, during our winter months. David F. Rooney photoThe Revelstoke branch of the Okanagan Regional Library fairly vibrated with activity as children played games and made crafts during the Carousel of Nations. David F. Rooney photoDaniel Blackie’s slideshow of people, animals and the landscape from his recent trip to Africa was a huge hit with children. David F. Rooney photoDenis Severino and Myra Morrison performed Appalachian Fiddle Music for an appreciative audience. Keri Knapp photoDrummers with the Yamabiko Taiko Japanese drumming group were pretty amazing. Every beat of the drums felt as though it was vibrating right through your body. If you’d like to see and hear what they were like please activate the YouTube player below to see them in action. David F. Rooney photoThe drummers’ discipline was marvelously apparent in their highly synchronized and choreographed movements. David F. Rooney photoThis was the scene inside the Community Centre’s Multi-Purpose Room about an hour into the event. Please cick on the image to see a larger version of the photo. David F. Rooney photoPam Sanghera’s scrumptious samosas with fruit and chutney attracted a seemingly never-ending line of hungry carousel-goers. It was a good thing she had Lester Peters there to help her! David F. Rooney photoThe stage-side dining area was packed with hungry people who scoffed some pretty amazing ethnic food. Keri Knapp photoIf you’re gonna mind the waste-collection service at an event like the Carousel of Nations you had better have a sense of humour! Keri Knapp photoThis very young girl’s dancing was so infectiously amusing her dad joined her as her mom and a friend — both bearing very young babies — broke out into peals of laughter. David F. Rooney photoSound engineer Grant Leiterman finishes his last-minute equipment checks with blues guitarist Wes Mackey. David F. Rooney photoAlthough based in Vancouver Mackey, who has performed all over the world from the US to France and even Russia, has a real following here in Revelstoke where he typically performs at the Regent Hotel’s 112 Restaurant and Lounge. Please click on the photo to see a larger version of this image. If you’d like to see and hear him perform three songs please activate the YouTube player below. David F. Rooney photLisa Moore (left) and Michelle Cole introduce Cori Derikson who danced and told aboriginal folk tales for the crowd. Keri Knapp photoCori looked absolutely magical in her costume. Her performance was the last one of the evening. Keri Knapp photo
