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The third annual Turkic Cultures and Children’s Festival took place at the city's Herman Square on Nov 7th and 8th,
2009, gave Houstonians/Texans a chance to experience a celebration of
lands thousands of miles away and offering a peek into the historically
rich Turkish, Balkan, Mediterranean and Central Asian cultures.
This two-day event featured a
variety of activities that represented the heritage of countries
including Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan,
Kyrgyzstan and Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Greece and Pakistan as
the guest countries of this year. Participants had the opportunity to
experience different flavors, sounds and smells that invaded the square
in the form of fresh Turkish delicacies, Ottoman-era marching bands and
world-famous Turkish coffee.
The Turkic Fest offered
Houstonians/Texans a unique opportunity to experience an infusion of
rich culture over ten countries without leaving the city. The guests
were able to see, smell, taste and fully envelop themselves in each
element of these countries, which have thousands of years of history
and have been home to hundreds of civilizations.
Entertainment included time-honored
folk dancing and live concerts from performers including a mehter, or
Ottoman janissary band. Mehter bands were founded several centuries ago
and has played a significant role in shaping music and tradition in
Europe and Asia. Mehter was the source of inspiration for many European
musicians, including Mozart, whose “Rondo Alla Turca” was inspired by
mehter. The yearly mehter performance at the festival is a rare treat
for atte
ndees, who are able to witness one of the world's oldest musical traditions brought to life.
The festival also featured a vast
array of handcrafted artwork and souvenirs, most of which are not
typically available outside of Europe and Asia. Exhibitions included
hand-woven textiles, handcrafted tiles and ceramics, detailed stone and
wood carvings, ebru (water marbling) and hand-drawn calligraphy.
Guests did savor some of the
extraordinary cuisine the region had to offer, including traditional
recipes that date back more than 1,000 years. Turkey is known for
producing some of the finest coffee and tea available, and guests at
the festival have had the opportunity to try these world-famous
beverages.
An interactive portion of the
festival included two cultural tents replicating an Ottoman imperial
tent and a Kyrgyz tent. Festival goers have had the opportunity to sit
inside and took pictures
Original Article:
http://turquoisecouncil.org/newsmedia/53/turkic-fest-has-greatly-celebrated
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