The annual Tapestrama Cultural Festival returned to the Carlton Comprehensive High School Cafetorium on Saturday and Sunday.
The event has celebrated food, dance, and song from various cultures and customs every year for over 40 years. Prince Albert Multicultural Council executive director Micelle Hassler said nearly 500 people passed through the doors on Saturday.
“That’s actually a really good number on a first date, but because it’s a come and go event there’s a there’s a number of hours that will be filled up and then it comes by waves.” Hassler said.
She explained that staff noticed that people came and stayed for several hours, which is excellent for a casual event.
“It’s so nice to be able to see and learn and immerse themselves into all of the other variety of cultures,” Hassler said. “If you just stay for 30 minutes or one hour, you will only see one or two cultures, but if you stay for longer than that then you’ll get to see the various cultures.”
The event featured a diverse group of performers including the Wanuskewin Heritage Dance Troupe and Chinese Dance School of Saskatchewan on Saturday. It also included local performers the Creeland Dancers and Ashden School of Irish Dance.
“We cannot showcase them all, but we try to be very diverse, as much as we can and we have very good support from all over Saskatchewan,” Hassler explained. “All the wonderful cultural groups all over Saskatchewan have known PAMC and Tapestrama, and so the support from the cultural groups, who are very willing to come and perform for Tapestrama, is wonderful.”
Hassler said they try and bring in as many different cultural performers as they can.
The Chinese Dance School of Saskatchewan performed on Saturday at the Tapestrama Cultural Festival at the Carlton Comprehensive High School Cafetorium.
The Sounds of Afghanistan performed on Saturday at the Tapestrama Cultural Festival at the Carlton Comprehensive High School Cafetorium
“There are a lot of performers that would like to come every year, but also we the Tapestrama also wants to showcase new culture as much as we can every year as well too,” she said.
“We have new groups this year and so hopefully that culture will bring in more people.”
She said that having free admission to see the cultural performances was an advantage.
One unique aspect is that each group tells about their culture or performance before each part.
“The majority of the group has a cultural introduction before dances, and it’s for the audience to learn more about the dance and the song in a deeper meaning rather than just watching them dance and sing,” Hassler said.
Hassler thanked all of the supporters for coming out each year in whatever way they could.
“I think we would like to thank you for the support of our Community. (There is) always support every year from the Prince Albert Community and all our funders and sponsors. We are very, very grateful.
“We are very honored as PAMC to continue to deliver Tapestrama for more than 40 years now and we would love to continue it and, but we need the support.”
The event was one of many that are part of Culture Days in Prince Albert.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
