The Real Gift Woven into Celebration
Written by Tim Buckley, December 2023
Underneath the glitter of holiday celebrations, what ISN’T immediately apparent can be more significant than what commands our attention. Underneath a sky filled with boisterous fireworks, for example, July 4th celebrates one of the world’s most enduring – and fragile – democracies. The battle for precious freedom against tyranny continues being fought around the world. Many of those who fight for it don’t live to see it bear fruit.
At Christmas, to use another example, the meaning of Christ’s birth 2,023 years ago has more value than the things we buy for others, and the gifts we find under our Christmas tree. The same can be said for other landmark events, on other dates, for those practicing different faith traditions. No matter the culture or language - spirit is at least as much, if not more important than the material world. The Multicultural Festival in December was designed with that spirit in plain sight.
Hosted by the Highland Neighborhood Family Council, the highlight of the evening, and a key to the deeper significance of the celebration, was an hour of graceful dancing and singing produced by the Enlace Cross Cultural Community Development Project. Sure, there was a ton of fun: visiting with friends and meeting new neighbors, sharing a fantastic dinner for more than 300 people, lovingly prepared by volunteers, and the popular photo station with three different seasonal backdrops, where families gathered for an instant print to frame and decorate. But in this case, the name of the event said it all: it was a celebration of our city’s different cultures and values we share.
Amador Aguilar, pictured right, at the 2023 Fun Fridays in Northgate Park
Amador Aguilar, Enlace founder and director, explained the WHY of the evening’s different parts. The elaborate dresses and dances tell a story of an ancient culture’s everlasting sense of hope and resilience. The songs also tell a deeper story about love and trust, which lies at the very heart of community development and the survival of culture. And food represents both the capacity to grow what we need, but to share it with those who have less. This is what matters most.
“Many people don’t realize that arts and culture are CENTRAL elements of community development,” Amador said. He chose the name Enlace specifically because the name states its intention: to lace together, to connect. The nonprofit organization was started to encourage creative expression that helps to keep alive the history and meaning of Mexican culture, and to create opportunities to share that creativity with a variety of other cultures. But it is also a means to educate each new generation, to build their confidence and help them become leaders in their community.
Born in Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s poorest states and one of its most culturally rich, Amador was part of a family devoted to artistic expression. He said the idea for the Multicultural Festival came from Oaxaca’s annual Guelaguetza festival, a tradition dating back 500 years, celebrating the state’s eight regions and the diverse art, food, heritage, and music of 16 diverse ethnic groups.
“Oaxaca was a cash poor region, so the way we survived was by helping one another - with crop planting and harvest, with construction and education,” Amador said. “Guelaguetza means to make an offering or a gift,” he added, “and the July celebration was a time to give thanks for the harvest.” Women make elaborate skirts decorated with complex embroidery and multicolored ribbons in a style that represent each different community, but often includes floral patterns and animals native to the region. In many cases, the jewelry and even the sandals worn are made by locals, an indication of their self-sufficiency.
After a massive earthquake in 1931, in which about 70 percent of the buildings in the Oaxaca area were destroyed, the Guelaguetza became a way to revive the economy by drawing international attention to the vast array of arts, crafts, cuisine and expressions of culture available there. In a similar fashion, Amador has used cultural events for decades in Oregon, as a way to express culture, to connect people in a spirit of giving, and to provide a means for developing leadership and economic health.
Besides teaching guitar and dance lessons, Enlace also offers computer classes, driver education training and other things. For the Multicultural Festival, Amador’s wife (Veronica Aguilar) and his mother (Rose Arellanes) helped the dancers with their dresses and hair styling. They also made dozens of mini piñatas for the children.
The spirit and the methods Amador uses are similar to ones embedded in the Building Community Resilience work of CBEL and its partners. That’s why it made sense for the Highland Neighborhood Family Council to partner with Enlace Cross Cultural Community Development Project for its first annual festival. The events encourage participation and celebration. But underneath, the level of support and collaboration is stimulating the growth of community, the sharing of our knowledge and skills, and a deeper appreciation of diversity and inclusion. “The partnership between Enlace, the neighborhood family councils, and CBEL creates a more thorough approach to community development,” Amador said. “With Enlace’s focus on arts and cultural, the neighborhoods focus on education and civic engagement, and CBEL providing technical assistance through its Impact Initiatives, the city will quickly see the value of such a comprehensive approach.”
Members of the Hallman, Highland, and Kennedy NFCs work together to provide homemade traditional pozole, pizza, and nachos for guests