The Perfect Holiday Gift!

Have you been wondering what to get a friend or business associate for New Year's? What about a Nationalities Council of Indiana calendar for 2011!

It's filled with photos of the ethnic organizations that make up the council (and stage the annual International Festival in the Indiana State Fairgrounds).

If one of them represents your ethnic heritage, great! If not, it's a reminder of the world in Indiana!

Groups featured are:
January: Barangay Club of Indiana (Filipino)
February: ATA-IN (Turkish)
March: Italian Heritage Society of Indiana
April: Indiana Partners of the Americas (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)
May: Estonian Society of Indianapolis
June: American Indian Center of Indiana (Native American)
July: Society for the Promotion of Persian Culture (Iranian)
August: Indiana State Association of Middle Eastern Teachers and Dancers
September: Indianapolis Latvian Community Center
October: Circle City Lodge of Sons of Norway
November: Czech and Slovak Society of Indiana
December: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis

(Yes, there are more than 30 other groups -- those selected for the 2011 calendar were drawn in a lottery!)

There are a few calendars left for holiday giving! Just send a check for $12 (payable to the Nationalities Council of Indiana) to NCI, PO Box 1623, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and we'll wing one out to you -- or to whomever you'd prefer it be delivered! If you enclose a gift card, we'll send that on as well.

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Festival Award Winners Announced

Here are the award winners for this year's International Festival, hosted by the Nationalities Council of Indiana.

Cultural Booths of NCI Group Members are judged in the following four categories:

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture. 2010 theme: Food for Thought - Tradition, Culture and Cuisine.
2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information about the culture.
3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.

First and second place winners for theme:
Society for Promotion of Persian Culture and Swedish American Order of VASA

First and second place winners for educational value:
Sons of Norway and German Heritage Society

First and second place winners for creativity:
Korean American Women’s Association and Hungarian Club of Indianapolis

First and second place winners for quality:
Camp Mabuhay (Filipino) and Swiss Club of Central Indiana

In addition, the Best Overall Cultural Booth, recipient of “The Betty” trophy for 2010:
Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for quality and authenticity of ethnic food, appearance and sanitary conditions and overall assessment.
First Place: Indonesian Association of Indianapolis
Second Place: German American Klub

Finally (but not insignificantly), the NCI's Volunteer Service award (also known as “The Steve” trophy) is presented to the individual(s) who have demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and have actively worked toward their achievement. This year, for the first time, three volunteers were honored:
Josef Laposa and Frances Russell (pictured), and Charles Lindgren (deceased).

Mark your calendars for next year's festival, to be held 17-20 November.

(Photo courtesy of Ming Russell)

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The Award Winners are Announced

Awards for the just-completed 2009 International Festival have been announced. First and second place awards are given to Nationalities Council of Indiana member-groups in each of five categories: theme, educational value, creativity, quality and food. In addition, the best overall culture booth received the grand prize trophy, nicknamed "The Betty".

Winners are as follows:

Creativity: 1st - Confucius Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; 2nd - India Association of Indianapolis.
Educational value: 1st - Indiana Association of Chinese Americans; 2nd - Italian Heritage Society of Indiana.
Quality: 1st - Sons of Norway; 2nd - Scottish Society of Indianapolis.
Theme: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.
Food: 1st - Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; 2nd - German American Klub.
Best Overall Cultural Booth Trophy: Indiana German Heritage Society (pictured).

This year's Volunteer Service award (nicknamed "The Steve") went to Dan and Sophia Anderson.

The outside judges for the awards came from IUPUI.

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Taiwanese Cultural Troupe to Perform in Indy

Ro Han Mem" performs at 7 p.m. 5 May in Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University, Indianapolis, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Indiana-Taiwan Sister State agreement, the 31st anniversary of the Indianapolis-Taipei Sister City relationship and Taiwanese Heritage Week.

The cultural troupe is presented by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Butler and the Taiwanese-American Association of Indianapolis.

Sponsors are the State of Indiana, the City of Indianapolis, Telamon Corporation and the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Chicago.

Admission is free, but tickets are required -- pick them up in person at the Clowes Hall Box Office (limit: two per person). For more information, go online.

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International Festival 2008 is History

It's all over for 2008 -- and the award winners have been announced for Indy's International Festival.

First and second place awards are given to cultural booths of Nationalities Council of Indiana Group members. In addition, the best overall culture booth wins "The Betty" trophy for 2008.

1. THEME: Include in cultural booth historical, geographical, culinary, social or educational aspects of the particular culture.
First: Russian-Speaking Students at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis; second: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis.

2. EDUCATIONAL VALUE: Provide relevant information to visitors about the culture.
First: International Tibet Independence Movement; second: Barangay Club of Indiana.

3. CREATIVITY: Demonstrate an effective and enjoyable method to attract visitors.
First: Scottish Society of Indianapolis; second: Indonesian Community of Indianapolis

4. QUALITY: Overall excellence. Examples would be people in native costumes and friendly approach to visitors.
First: Indiana Okinawa Kenjinkai; second: Swiss Club Of Central Indiana.

The Betty was awarded to Society for Promotion of Persian Culture (see photo).

Food Booths of NCI Group Members are evaluated for 1) quality and authenticity of food and 2) appearance and sanitary conditions of the booth.
First: Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis; second, German American Klub,

Volunteer Service award (“The Steve”) is presented to the individual who has demonstrated commitment to the goals of NCI and has actively worked toward their achievement. It was awarded to Susan McKee.

馬偕博士

新桃源掌中劇團 (New Tau-Yuan Puppet Troupe) presents a performance of 馬偕博士 (“The Black-Bearded Barbarian: Rev. George Leslie Mackay”) at 4 p.m. Sunday (28 September) in the fourth floor auditorium of the North Meridian Center of Ivy Tech Community College, 50 West Fall Creek Parkway North Drive, Indianapolis.

The performance is spoken in Hoklo (the troupe's from Taiwan), but there will be English subtitles. Admission is free!

It's sponsored by The Asian Student Intercultural Association of Ivy Tech Community College and the Taiwanese American Association of Indianapolis. For more information, contact John V. Conklin, 317:921-4972.

Taipei DanceWorks Ensemble Comes to Indy

A spectacular performance is planned for 14 May to celebrate a double anniversary. The Taipei DanceWorks Ensemble presents Taiwanese folk and tap dance at 7 p.m. in the Shelton Auditorium of Christian Theological Seminary, 1000 West 42nd Street, Indianapolis.

This event celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Indianapolis-Taipei Sister City Relationship and Taiwanese Heritage Week. Co-sponsors are the City of Indianapolis, Telamon Corporation, Taiwanese-American Association of Indianapolis and the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Chicago.

Admission is free, although it would be helpful to the planners if you'd RSVP to Dr. Chinghai Kao.

Hung-Sheng Lion Dance Theater to Perform

A spectacular presentation of Taiwanese Lion Dance, drums, acrobats and more begins at 2 p.m. Sunday (6 May) in the Shelton Auditorium of Christian Theological Seminary, 1000 West 42nd Street, Indianapolis.

Performers are part of the Hung-Sheng Lion Dance Theater.

The presentation, sponsored by the Taiwanese-American Association of Indianapolis, is in celebration of Taiwanese Heritage Week, and honors the Indiana-Taiwan Sister State and Indianapolis-Taipei Sister City relationships. Additional sponsorship from Telamon Corp., and the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Culture office in Chicago.

The Taiwanese-American Association of Indianapolis is a member of the Nationalities Council of Indiana.