UC Davis' Whole Earth Festival - Coming Soon

I am working on a short story inspired by the UCD Whole Earth Festival, which I attended in 1996. That's how long it has taken me to turn this experience into art, and as you know, it could be several months before a satisfactory final product comes out.



They converge on Davis from all over California; some come from Oregon, others from Washington; they come here for one purpose, to celebrate the earth through art, music, and food. Exhibits showcase West African batiks, Southern African sculpture, Asian Pacific clothing and jewelry, but what fascinated me when I attended the festival were the drumming circles. Each group had at least one African person playing the drums or leading the dances, while everyone else seemed, or acted, possessed. The theatricality of it all sent a strong message about appreciating one's culture. Not all the dances are African; the idea of the festival is to showcase as much of the world's cultures as possible.

The festival happens during Mother's day weekend in May, which is a nice way to celebrate Mother Nature. But those possessions, whew!

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