Feast of Asian culture is promised at Harbour Bar in Bray this Sunday
THE ASIAN-IRISH cultural festival will take place in the Harbour Bar in Bray on Sunday, June 10, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The festival celebrates the diversity, multiculturalism and integration between Irish, Asian and all communities in Bray and further afield.
The fourth year of the event features rapper Oisín Mac performing as Gaeilge, traditional Japanese dancing from Odorikko, sean nós dancing, Erna Supardi O’Connell leading the Indonesian contingent, with bellydancing the newest artform to be added to the bill!
Demonstrations of Aikido and Katori-Shinto-Ryu will introduce the uninitiated to Martial Arts, and Maureen Roberts will be giving a St. Brigid’s Cross making workshop.
The fashion minded will enjoy the showcasing of traditional dress from China, the Phillipines and Japan. There will also be a special demonstration on how to wear a Yukata (a Japanese casual kimono-like garment worn during the summer). Glór na nGael are involved in promoting the Irish language in this ‘Bliain na Gaeilge’ and audiences can look forward to dynamic language exchange workshops, which include Chinese and Irish! Old favourites Seoidín will be on hand to offer their (trad Irish) musical prowess!
Every year the organisers strive to forge new links and this year they will welcome Korea, India and Vietnam to the festival: where Kpop, traditional dance and cuisine will be the order of the day.
Food stalls will offer Asian and Irish fare. Organisers Susan Jackson and Rie Maruyama said that integration and multiculturalism are at the heart of the festival and the event has been going from strength to strength each year.
Fleadh Cheoil medal winner Rie who hails from Japan, but considers Ireland her spiritual home, has been giving free tin whistle lessons in the Harbour Bar for the last two years and since then, students from as far away as Brazil have flocked to classes to soak up a little bit of Irish culture, while spreading their own.
Susan, who was born and bred in Ireland, is a film and television producer specialising in community media. She works behind the scenes to foster links with festival participants old and new, as well as spreading the word about the event.
Susan and Rie say they are still adding to the bill. To find out more, email asianirishculture@gmail.com.