Friday October 12, 2001

Organizers hope to attract broader audiences, expand cultural horizons

Clubs aimed at sharing Asian and Pacific cultures with the student body will sponsor a fair tomorrow evening intended to promote diversity within the university.

"All the clubs involved will have an Asian Pacific feel to them," said Erwin Wong, who serves on the board of directors for Asian Pacific American Student Affairs. "We hope to provide a feel for the diversity within the Asian American culture, and not just Kung-Fu and fast cars, because it's more diverse than that."

The fourth annual event, also known as Fall Frenzy, takes place from 6 p.m. to midnight tomorrow at the UA Hillel Foundation, 1245 E. Second St.

"The event has a cultural and social feel to it and is a chance for people to meet clubs on a more interactive basis," he said. "Each club will have its own unique workshop about its culture."

Jaime Yoshimura, president of the Hawaii Club, said the club will teach basic hula steps to students who approach its booth.

"(Hula) is a huge part of Hawaiian culture," she said.

Wong said the club fair is an opportunity for students who cannot regularly attend club meetings to see what different clubs are about.

Yukari Kawamoto, president of the Japanese Association, said the club will conduct origami workshops to teach the art of folding paper.

She said the club is mostly comprised of international students and people learning Japanese but that she hopes it will attract a broader audience.

"The event is a way to let students get to know the clubs and hopefully get to recruit some more members," she said.

Sanjay Parikh, administrative vice president of the Asian American Cultural Association, said the organization will demonstrate basic meditation and relaxation methods. The workshop will be conducted outdoors to provide a more natural setting.

"It is a chance to share the different aspects of Asian culture," he said. "We hope to attract more students along with sharing the meditation process."

Wong said APASA will provide free food that evening, but some clubs will also offer their own cultural foods and drinks.

"We hope to have a good crowd and anticipate a pretty large turnout," he said.

Fall Frenzy is open to the entire UA community. Admission is free.