 "Photo: Ruth Ann Keener")
The Department of Comparative Studies showcased the performing arts of faculty and students during their ethnic studies winter reception in the Multicultural Center in the Ohio Union last night.
The event also served as a book fair for the most recent publications by professors in the participating fields.
The comparative ethnic and American studies program at Ohio State focuses on American Indian, Asian American and Latino and Latina cultures.
Linda Schoen, interim ethnic studies coordinator and assistant executive dean of the College of Arts and Science, gave an address on the continuing growth and development of ethnic studies at Ohio State.
It is stimulating to see the bridges being built across the three main programs, Schoen said.
She also gave praise to various other programs for their support, singling out the Department of Comparative Studies and the Department of African-American and African Studies.
The night's entertainment started with a poetry reading by Brian Murphy, a graduate student in the ethnic studies program. Murphy presented four poems to the crowd, titled "I Hate Poets," "The Amazing Mulatto," "These People" and "Under the Fallujan Sun."
"The Amazing Mulatto," is a three part poem that deals with the social and personal struggles a person of multiple ethnicities must face.
Mulatto comes from the word mule, the cross-bread between a horse and a donkey. A mule is sterile and many people thought that if you crossed ethnicities the offspring would become sterile, Murphy said. "That's not true, just ask my brother and his four kids," Murphy said.
Murphy was followed by Chan Park, an associate professor for the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature. Chan performed a P'ansori, a form of storytelling in which the narrative is sung while the beat is kept by a drum. She performed a classical piece about a young woman who leaves her home so that she may pray to become pregnant with a male child.
The final act of the night was performed by James Akins, an associate professor in the School of Music. Akins, who is also the principal tuba player for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, gave a demonstration in the art of Native American flute playing.
Akins, who started the first Native American flute class in the country at Ohio State, performed two songs for the crowd.
"(The Native American flute) is a nice way to find your expression," Akins said.
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