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"Food is the link between all cultures," said Solomon Akwaka, a Hamline student from Ghana. "It is important to have a taste of each culture to see that we are the same."

For some, the international foods bazaar was their first opportunity to try food from different parts of the globe. As the line for samples wrapped around the ballroom, participants were busy serving their creations and testing food from other countries. 

World Fest, a week-long celebration of international culture, gives all students on campus the chance to celebrate their differences, whether they are Asian-American, African-American, or students with any other diverse background, said Miho Patani, World Fest's student coordinator.

World Fest hopes to increase awareness of the diverse cultures present on campus, said Carlos Sneed, director of Multicultural and International Student Affairs (MISA). This celebration of diversity is a yearly occurrence at Hamline and has taken place in different forms for the past ten years.

The festival used to be in February, Sneed said, but it was changed to October to avoid a conflict with activities for Black History month and to take advantage of warmer weather.

"The beginning of the year is nicer for outdoor events, and it has a ripple effect, getting more participation from students during the rest of the year," he said.

The celebration has been called World Fest since 1998, and recently began focusing on continents, Sneed said. Last year the focus was on Africa, and this year on Asia.

Patani said Asia was the focus this year because of the many international students from Asia and the Asian-Americans at Hamline.

Another highlight of World Fest week was a presentation by modern Taiko drummers.

Taiko means "big drum" in Japanese, and the modern form of Taiko drumming, where one player beats out an accompaniment rhythm and other drummers solo with different rhythms, began in North America in the '50s.

The week also featured an international tea and coffee hour, and a workshop focusing on the interactions between students from China, Japan, and Korea. 

Though World Fest typically ends the celebration with a world dance, this year week wrapped up with the talent and fashion show. The show was sponsored by the International Student Organization and presented traditional costumes from South Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, and even the Midwest.  

The model representing the Midwest pranced out in a Green Bay Packer jersey and a matching-cheese headpiece.

Others students' garb were more traditional outfits with bright colors and jewelry, traditionally hand-sewn with velvet and silk.

The talent portion of the event included a Cambodian coconut courtship dance and the song "Mein Flanderland" composed by Thorsten Smeets, a Hamline student from Germany.

For Patani, her first time coordinating World Fest was a great experience. Next year, she said, World Fest will focus on another area of the globe. Currently the MISA office is planning a social for international graduate students on at the end of this month.

Reed Aronow, a Hamline student at the international foods bazaar, saw the meaning of World Fest week in the food. Sauces from South America were mixing with rice dishes from Bangladesh and Japan, symbolizing the unique diversity on campus through the worldly mix of food loaded on his plate. Perhaps Hamline can be seen as a worldly mix of students who happily share and embrace the cultures on campus, he said.

Upcoming 2004-05 celebration months (data provided by the MISA office):
November: Hmong Month Celebration/ Hmong New Year
February: Black History Month
March: Asian Heritage Month