by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Cultures, tradition and a stunning example of thriving diversity bloomed like a thousand spring flowers at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell April 23 during an “International Community Festival.”
The event, organized by Dr. Zurya Anjum of Sartell, was intended as a celebration of the wide range of cultural backgrounds of people who live in Sartell. By all accounts it was a grand success, so well attended by church parishioners and others, that at times there was little room to move from booth to booth. Several people remarked about how interesting, fun and tasty the event turned out to be.
In the huge church lobby, there were 18 booths with cultural artifacts, information and snack foods representing 18 countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Germany, Haiti, India, Jordan, South Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Scotland, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The lobby was jam-packed with visitors who sampled foods as they visited with the representatives of the many nations, all of whom live in Sartell or nearby cities. There were immigrants who have lived in the area for generations, such as Germans, Norwegians, Swedes; and there were the newer immigrants from countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Haiti and Vietnam.
The snack foods alone spoke of great diversity: delicious shortbread cookies from Sweden, succulent sambosas (fried-dough pockets filled with slightly spicy vegetables) from Somalia, rolled-up lefse (thin potato pancakes) from Norway, turnip-rice cakes with a dipping sauce from Taiwan – to name just some.
The lobby was bursting with vibrant shapes and colors: the radiant colors of traditional costumes, the many hues of artifacts on display, the bright red plaids of a Scottish bagpiper, the intricate patterns of woven materials.
Dr. Zurya Anjum, who organized the celebration, is a psychiatrist who has lived in Sartell for many years. She said she was very pleased with the turnout and the warm reception people expressed about the event. She was also pleased her 85-year-old father was able to be there to enjoy the social mixing. Mohammad Iqbal, who lives in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, has visited his daughter many times since she has lived in Sartell since 2000. Iqbal, for most of his life, was a member of the Pakistani military until he retired 25 years ago. He said he is very proud his three daughter, including Zurya, all became successful doctors.
Bagpiper Ben Richason stands in front of the Scotland booth with granddaughter Annabelle Tautges-Richason (left) and her friend, Molly Simmons. Richason’s daughter, a geography teacher at Sartell High School, greeted visitors at the Scotland booth at the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell.
Father and daughter stand side by side at the Pakistan booth at the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell. The event was organized by Dr. Zurya Anjum (right), a long-time resident of Sartell. Her father, Mohammad Iqbal (left) lives in Rawalpindi, Pakistan but visits Zurya quite often. Iqbal, who is 85, retired 25 years ago after a lifetime of serving with the Pakistani military.
Jonah Ambroiser of Sartell patiently waits to get his flower painting from Saiqa Azam, who is wearing traditional Pakistani clothing.
This is a close-up of the flower painting on the wrist of Jonah Ambroiser of Sartell as painted by Saiqa Azam at the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell.
Tohow Siyad of St. Cloud offers visitors sambosas at the Somali booth at the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell. Sambosas are fried- dough triangles filled with slightly spicy vegetables.
At the Taiwan booth, visitors stop to try the turnip-rice bites offered by I-Jung Lee of Sartell.
Cadence Aspling of Clearwater admires the examples of trays and plates that have been decorated by rosemalng, the famous Norwegian decorative art form. The Norway booth was set up by Jack and Suzanne Tofty of Sartell, both of Norwegian descent. Suzanne did the rosemaling on the plates.
Buddies Elliot Dingman of Sartell (left) and Andrew Hackenmueller of St. Joseph stand in front of the Sweden booth at the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell. Elliot offered visitors two kinds of Swedish-style cookies, one kind made by her and her family.
A woman of Indian heritage named Kanthi, who lives in St. Augusta, smiles as children share snacks at her India booth at the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell.
Sarah Jabar and her children Ezzah, 6, and Emand, 18 months, stop to visit the Pakistan booth at the the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell.
Arub Akram and Marwah Asif, both of Sartell, welcome visitors to the Pakistan booth at the the International Community Festival April 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Sartell. Both born in New York City, the girls’ parents all hailed from Pakistan.
