Tribe, Your Arts and Culture Source: Spring 2012 Issue by New Flavor Media, LLC

FREE Spring 2012 Issue

Arts, Culture, Ethnic Dining & Shopping.

SPRING 2012

Dear reader, As Tribe moves onto its second issue, we go digital. Our web readership is growing and use of our iPad edition is on an upward trajectory. For our Premier issue, we received critical praise from many in the arts and culture community. The kind words fueled our resolve to go deeper and wider and to keep to our core mission. Tribe is a space for great artists from all walks of life. We want to bring you interesting stories of diversity and make each article a piece of intellectual sustenance. In this issue, Tribe showcases three Rhode Island painters. Their stories will captivate your imagination and their art will beguile your eye. We celebrate Women’s History Month with an interview with Donna Mitchell, poet and sage, with roots to the Wampanoag Tribal Nation of Fall River. Her story personifies this year’s Women’s History Month’s themes of “education” and “empowerment.” We also visit Patrick Griffin, president of the Providence Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. He explains how this much beloved cultural festivity has become a signature event to Rhode Island. From there, we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and visit the Laotian Community Center of RI. We also explore the history of Cinco de Mayo and explain a misunderstood holiday. We pay a visit to Loominous, a one of a kind rug emporium in Providence and drum up a conversation with percussionist and recent winner of the Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowship, Sidy Maïga. We conclude with a poem by Khym Carmichael and feature whimsical illustrations by Providence-based artist Carolina Arentsen throughout this issue. I believe the diverse landscape within Tribe matches the multicultural reality of our region. Enjoy our spring issue and I look forward to your letters and comments. You may reach Tribe via our web contact page. Tony Aguilar Publisher

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tony Aguilar SENIOR EDITOR Soren Sorensen EDITORS Peter Edwards Joseph Morra ART DIRECTOR Kaycee Morin GRAPHIC DESIGN Jade Sturms CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Genette Nowak Jason Perez-Dormitzer Soren Sorensen FEATURE WRITER Khym Carmichael FEATURE ARTISTS Carolina Arentsen, Illustrator Scott M. Smith, Photographer PUBLIC RELATIONS Ruth Davis RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Kim Polson CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Tony Aguilar New Flavor Media, LLC 151 Broadway, Suite 200 Providence, RI 02903 401.578.2952 TribeRI.com

Cover: M3: Mya the Mischief Maker. Image provided by Eric Telfort. The original content in Tribe, including but not limited to text, photos and graphic elements, is the sole property of New Flavor Media, LLC. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. The views expressed in Tribe are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of New Flavor Media, LLC. For advertising partnership information, please contact us for our Media Kit which contains information on demographics, ad sizes, rates, print run (if any) and areas of distribution. Tribe reserves the right to refuse and edit any editorial content. Efforts have been made to verify information contained in Tribe, both in print and online. Tribe does not assume responsibility for errors, omissions or damages that may result from use or misuse of information contained herein. All brand name, product, company name and registered trademarks are the intellectual property of their respective owners. Tribe © 2012 New Flavor Media, LLC. All rights Reserved. Photo Credits: Page 13, 14, 18: Thinkstock/Hemera. Page 18: iStock.

SPRING 2012

CONTENTS

ARTS 5 Art Outside the Mainstream and Main Street “Finally” 12 A Poem by Khym Carmichael

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CULTURE

Women’s History Month: An Educational and Empowering Wampanoag Story

Two Saint Patricks Have Their Day

A Story Behind Every Movement: Celebrating

Demystifying Cinco de Mayo

SHOPPING A Silk Road Stop in Providence

Sidy’s Beat

DINING Restaurant Guide

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

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MUSIC

SPRING 2012 | CONTRIBUTORS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Genette Nowak Genette Nowak spent seven years weaving the tunnels of New York City in order to unearth her creative process. She ranted and raved in a music column, reported on MercedesBenz Fashion Week, interned at Zink Magazine, taught innercity and ESL students in Chinatown, but most importantly, she received her MFA in fiction from The New School. Her nonfiction, “An Artist’s Journey,” has been published in the Connecticut Review and her short story “Oil Spills” appeared in Carrier Pigeon. Currently she teaches at Western Connecticut State University, and spends her free time communing with Nature and succumbing to her writing.

Jason Perez-Dormitzer Based in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, Jason Perez-Dormitzer has been a journalist and editor since 1995. His award-winning work has appeared in American Banker, Taunton Daily Gazette, The Standard-Times, Brown Medicine and the Providence Business Journal, among others. He holds a B.A. in journalism from Rutgers University.

Soren Sorensen After earning a music degree at Berklee College in Boston, Soren Sorensen began working as a documentary film and television composer. During the past decade, Sorensen’s original music has been heard all over the world on ABC, CNN International, the History Channel, the Sundance Channel and the Travel Channel. Showtime is currently airing Redlight, a film to which Sorensen contributed original music, that was selected for the 2009 Cairo International Film Festival, the 2009 Woostock Film Festival, the 2010 Movies That Matter Film Festival and the 2010 UNICEF Film Festival. He currently earns a living as a writer in Providence, Rhode Island.

TribeRI.com

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The Key to the WorldS. Embracing DifferenceS.

La llave de loS mundoS. Acoger laS diferenciaS.

Celebrate the value of diversity and the power of language through literature. The Key to the Worlds. Embracing Differences. La llave de los mundos. Acoger las diferencias is the new bilingual children’s book brought to you by Project Crisol, a Providence-based educational collaborative, committed to establishing a new literary trend that celebrates the value of diversity and the power of language. Authors Nuria Alonso Garcia and Mandee Adams craft stories of cross-cultural relevance to which children of any background can relate. Illustrator Jessie Lee Perry frames these tales with her innovative approach to drawing, guiding young readers through worlds that differ from their own. The narration and illustrations blend organically into a universe where reality and fantasy coexist harmoniously. The book is published by New Flavor Media.

To learn about Project Crisol and to buy the book online, visit projectcrisol.com.

Art

Outside the Mainstream and Main Street

by Soren Sorensen

A t some point during his years at Rhode Island School of Design, Eric Telfort was warned,

“Many are called, few are chosen,” or words to that effect, by one of his teachers. Painting canvases in the 21st century doesn’t exactly come with job security, benefits and a pension. The financial demands of life after college sometimes force art to take a backseat to the nine-to-five grind. Telfort’s teacher wasn’t being discouraging. It’s just a fact that countless young men and women who study art at the undergraduate level will never actually earn a sustainable living as artists. Telfort paraphrased his teacher’s words: “Out of all of you in this classroom right now, three of you might make it. The rest of you are going to get married, have lives and forget about art. Some of you are going to hate this experience and never paint again. Some of you will graduate and art will become a hobby.” Artists who do not earn enough money to build a career around painting alone often go into education. Of teaching, Telfort said, “People will say you failed at being commercially great so, yeah, go to teaching. It’s a backup plan.” For Telfort though, art and teaching are inseparable, two sides of the same coin. Even as a boy in Miami, growing up “in the projects,” he said with a smile and an ironic raised fist, Telfort had a knack for interpreting schoolwork for his classmates. Absorbing lessons and communicating them in a more straightforward

way than his authority figures may well have been the first step in Telfort’s artistic awakening. “In a way, it was a competitive game. In terms of my instructors,” the 28-year-old told Tribe, “I’ve always wanted to show them up. I think like a teacher.” He added, “But I don’t think I’ve ever had an instructor I didn’t learn something from.” Telfort now serves as the program director at Mount Hope Learning Center in Providence, Rhode Island. “We provide afterschool homework assistance and arts-based enrichment to Martin Luther King Elementary School students, kindergarten through fifth grade.” The son of Haitian immigrants who divorced when he was young, Telfort thinks his own underprivileged upbringing gives him a unique bond with the community he serves. “You’ve got to love these kids in order to help them,” he said. “You’ve got to accept the fact that they’re in a place that you probably were in. I’m not too far removed from the school experience. I know what it feels like to have to show up every day and make something of yourself because there’s this social pressure for you to go to school and become something great.” Professional pressure has replaced the social pressure of Telfort’s childhood. Demands on his time—a job about which he is obviously passionate—necessarily limit the hours he can spend painting. “At the moment I’m building a body of work. I look at my paintings like hand-written letters. I talk about my life in my

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paintings. When someone purchases one of my paintings, they have a piece of my life with them.” Spreading the word about his work, and the work itself, to a wider audience is never far from Telfort’s thoughts. A 2010 exhibition in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city is just, according to Telfort, the tip of the iceberg. Though the techniques, palettes and perspectives of Telfort’s work perhaps owe a debt to painters who worked hundreds of years before him, the subject matter is all about the twentieth century of Telfort’s upbringing. His thorough training—a bachelor’s degree from RISD and a master’s from New York Academy of Art—doesn’t preclude subtle nods to popular culture. One unfinished work in his office on Providence’s East Side features Telfort, his head wrapped up in fabric. He is seated and bent over some papers lying on the floor in front of him. A laundry basket is affixed to his back and a broom has been pushed stick-first through it so that it protrudes at a forty-five degree angle up and away from his bent torso. This, according to Telfort, is a reenactment of an episode from his childhood. In the makeshift costume, comprised only of ordinary household items, Telfort is transform into one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Its literal representation, a plastic action figure, is cast aside in the corner of the canvas. Portraying himself and his adult siblings

hile Eric Telfort concerns himself with crafting a substantial body of work, painter and photographer Dr. Mahendar Paul must be wondering how close he is to running out of space in his Cranston home to store his. “I am a very prolific painter,” Paul told Tribe

in roles they played together as children allows Telfort to relive moments from his childhood, a period in his life, he told Tribe, that wasn’t all bad. “We were just totally naïve to the fact that we were that broke and poor. Even in what some would consider to be a sad upbringing, there was a lot of laughter and creativity,” he said. “Even that privileged person knows about dressing up like a Ninja Turtle or a Ghostbuster.” He added, “We are all the same. We all have had, to some degree, the same experiences and the same situations.” Regardless of the obvious pleasure Telfort derives from the nostalgia of comic books and science fiction, people have interpreted his work in interesting and troublesome ways because he is Black, because he is Hatian—not that it bothers Telfort even a little bit. “I know I’m bringing to light these complex issues of Black identity,” he said. Of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pose he added, “I got ripped apart for it because my teachers were like, ‘Are you painting yourself as some kind of terrorist? You need to understand what your work means today.’” Criticism like this excites Telfort driving him even further in the direction of exploring the different meanings visual depictions of ordinary American childhood play like “cowboys and Indians” can take on when adults dress up and engage in the very same games.

understatedly of his twenty years as an artist. “I finished ten paintings in the last two weeks.” Asked why he doesn’t sell his work, Paul smiled, looked up at the ceiling pensively and replied, “I don’t know. I think one of the reasons is that I don’t want to be bothered. See, it doesn’t make

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sense for me to spend hours and hours finding clients. I just usually give them to my friends.” He continued, “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I have maybe two thousand paintings here,” Paul said but then amended his statement. “Two thousand may be an exaggeration. There may be more like fifteen hundred.” A retired veterinarian, Paul came to painting much later in life than Telfort and continues to take classes at Providence Art Club. Having grown up in India, art wasn’t an available course of study. Nothing could have been further removed from reality in the India of Paul’s upbringing than a career in painting. “In India, where I was born—I’m from Punjab—there were only two professions. Either you become a doctor or you become an engineer. That’s it.” The desire of parents for their children to enter stable, lucrative lines of work is certainly not unique to India but Paul said art was simply unthinkable. A look through Paul’s photographs tells the story of a worldly and well-traveled artist. He was recently in Mongolia and Tibet. Rare images of tribal regions of India, stacked in frames from a recent show, line one wall of Paul’s basement. The shelved walls of his home studio are positively jammed with paintings. Stacked on top of one another, only the white edges of the canvases are visible, some spattered with the reds and oranges of their unseen subjects. Though Paul mostly paints and photographs (and even sculpts) the human form, he’s been working on landscapes more often lately. Five

SHernandez elf-taught Providence painter Francisco came to the United States from the

Dominican Republic and, like Mahendar Paul, is now retired. While many of Paul’s images— paintings and photographs alike—are a result

recently completed highway scenes depict a Providence sunset from a driver’s prospective. The moment—specifically the light—just struck Paul, enough so that he pulled the car over and asked his wife to drive so he could take some photographs to paint from. “Look at the light. Isn’t that amazing? When you actually see it then you are excited.” Paul gets fixated on moments of simple beauty, paints them and moves on, rarely revisiting or altering the image once it’s complete. These sunsets may well be destined for the shelves if he doesn’t run out of room. He seems to have replaced the work ethic of his years as a veterinarian with incalculable artistic productivity. Paul’s home, where he lives with his wife, is beautiful, uncluttered and decorated abundantly with rugs, furniture and sculpture from their travels. Several of Paul’s paintings grace the walls of his home, works usually featuring one or two figures, many scenes from India. One is of a seated old man in Tibet with his head down and his body almost impossibly crumpled. Other than the side of his face, his hands are the only visible evidence of his flesh. The rest of his body is wrapped in fabric. “In Tibet, and in India, older people can sit all day, not even moving. Look at the hands, how arthritic those hands are, those fingers. Older people, they have nothing else to do. They just sit there basking in the sun all day.” Luckily for those who get to spend some time with Mahendar Paul and his work, idle hands are not something he ever worries about.

of his frequent travels, Hernandez’s most recent subject came from his wallet and, by extension, another notable Rhode Island painter. The George Washington portrait Hernandez is working on is based on the famous image on the

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To see Eric Telfort’s work, visit The Bannister Society Exhibition at University of Rhode Island’s Main Gallery scheduled to take place March 5 through April 7, 2012.

Dr. Mehandar Paul in his home studio in Cranston, RI

Francisco Hernandez in his home studio in Providence, RI

dollar bill, modeled after a portrait by Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828). Part of the inspiration for the piece came from a visit to the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. “I’m painting Washington because he’s one of the founders of the country. I was very inspired by his story.” Hernandez pays literal homage in the work to dignity, hope and liberty. The words, each scrawled out chaotically, overlapping behind Washington, form the background of the composition. Hernandez came to the United States in 1987 but started to paint in the Dominican Republic at the age of 14. The separation of the vibrant colors in Hernandez’s acrylic compositions suggest a more controlled, perhaps pointillismderived version of the drips and splatters made famous by Jackson Pollack (1912-1956) but with vibrant neon and psychedelic combinations. Fitting the famously firm Washington into this world must make for an interesting challenge. Of some recent subject matter, two stirring images of WaterFire, one which until recently hung in Congressman David Cicilline’s office, and several horses, Hernandez is unclear as to their relation to one another. “I don’t know,” he told Tribe. “I have a lot of curiosity and I try to express my interior life.” He pulled out a photo album containing photographs of earlier works, some of which contain more overtly political themes. One image, appropriately enough to this election year, Hernandez painted in the 1990s during Newt Gingrich’s reign as Speaker of the House, features a stampeding elephant. “I painted that when I heard about the Contract with America.” Looking through this photo album with Hernandez, it’s hard to imagine that the painter of the dazzling color and controlled chaos of his current work is the same artist who used to paint more similarly perhaps to Mahendar Paul or Eric Telfort. Hernandez thinks that seeing and reading about Pollack’s work years ago was a big part of his evolution as an artist. “He painted from the inside out,” Hernandez said of Pollack’s painterly expression of his inner life. Hernandez captures figures, objects and locations from the real world with abstract techniques. A clever writer might do well to describe Hernandez’s technique as “literally figurative,” though “figuratively literal” might end up achieving the same effect. We’ll let you decide for yourself.

Photography of artists and images: Kaycee Morin/Tribe

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Women’s History Month: An Educational and Empowering Wampanoag Story by Jason Perez-Dormitzer

In 1907, the last piece of land belonging to the

Wampanoag Tribal Nation, property adjacent to the northeast side of Watuppa Lake in Fall River, Massachusetts, was to become part of the reservoir that currently flows north of Interstate 195. This might well have been the end of the Wampanoag people of Fall River if it hadn’t been for Fannie Perry. She was the third wife of Dr. William Pequot Pellawango Perry, a Native American healer who is the great-greatgreat-great grandfather of Donna Mitchell. A century ago the city of Fall River pushed Fannie Perry to vacate this land, part of the ancestral home of her people. There were pictures in the local newspapers at the time of Fannie standing defiantly on her front porch protecting her home. “Living in a time of land-taking, she stood proud and strong to protect her land, home and children from being another statistic in the doings of those whose mission was to control and conquer,” said Donna Mitchell who currently lives to this day on half of the original land trust. Fanny Perry, without any help from other Native families who had left this land more than 100 years ago, was its sole defender. “This story amplifies the strong mind, body and will of the women who married into Perry Clan. She lived life practicing the customs and culture in the traditions of indigenous people.” In 1911, the Perry Clan was relocated into a vacant home that was moved by oxen to where it stands today. The land is one-half of the more than 190 acres put in trust by the Indian fighter Benjamin Church under the guardianship and trust of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the fourteen families of the Troy/Fall River

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Wampanoag Peoples. The old Perry structure was the result of years of fighting to retain Native American lands of Fall River given to Fannie Perry so she could raise her four children. The home and land have been passed down to subsequent generations of Perry women who have served as their custodians. As is often the case, matriarchal families like the Perry Clan take on the responsibility of protecting these lands to guarantee its stewardship remains with Dr. Perry’s rightful heirs. Mitchell explained that the next generation of Perry women have already been chosen to continue to live in the home so the land never leaves the family. Today, according to Mitchell, it is the last Native American land in Fall River. When Tribe visited the Perry homestead, it was filled with the sound of a wooden flute and melodies composed by a Mashpee Wampanoag woman mimicking the ancient styles of her ancestors. Sage from Arizona was warmed in a small tin bowl releasing a fragrance that’s unmistakably of the Earth. Feathers feature prominently in the home’s décor—some for dancing, some for speaking and some, like an eagle feather, were given to her as gifts. There are also several paintings—one of a woman from Mitchell’s dreams and another of a ghostlike white angel protecting the land. Hanging on the walls near the front door and several book-lined shelves, are browning portraits of William and Fannie, each wearing steely gazes. The portraits are covered in bowl-shaped glass and hang in circular antique frames. For Mitchell, who is of Wampanoag, Cherokee and African descent, these items are

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sacred. They are symbols of her connection with the Wampanoag people and it is her responsibility not only as a Wampanoag but also as a woman upholding the values and traditions of her people. Women are tasked with passing down wisdom, life lessons, trade skills and crafts like basket weaving to the next generation. Preservation of Mitchell’s heritage takes the form of poetry and art. It is with these practices that Mitchell communicates the spirituality of the Wampanoag people. Mitchell describes the land as a gift from the “Creator,” a gift that contains everything required for human survival: sustenance, lessons of morality and materials needed to live. The Wampanoag people and all indigenous peoples, according to Mitchell, use the name “Mother Earth” to describe the land upon which they live. Female energy is the key to the continuation of life. “Most things come from the mother,” Mitchell said. “Life happens in the womb. Mother Earth is our womb, and night is when the seed gets nourished and finds its way above the ground.” Mitchell, also known as Minoweh Ikidowin (“Cloud in the Wind” in Algonquin), told Tribe that spirituality, a shared trait of all indigenous people of the United States, is the focus of her poetry. Specifically, words are her way of explaining how she understands nature and her relation to it. “Indigenous people not only observe what’s around us. We are reflections of what we see.” The creator puts everything on Mother Earth to teach us, according to Mitchell, not the other way around. She believes that people are elements—not unlike the chemical

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elements of the periodic table—put on Earth to protect the dynamics that exist in nature. Dr. Joyce Rain Anderson, an assistant professor of English at Bridgewater State University and the school’s U.S. Ethnic Studies Coordinator, said Native American women are survivors and this features in “everything we do.” Anderson told Tribe, “We feel a responsibility to hold things together, for our ancestors and for the next generation.” Anderson describes how wampum, the deep purple coloration inside a quahog shell, is used by Wampanoag artisans to create jewelry and ceremonial belts. It is a sacred medium and a gift of nature, not only for its beauty but also in the food inside each shell. Traditionally, being “gifted” a piece of wampum was a symbol, the dual nature of the shell and its connection with the Earth. Anderson said that connection to tradition always surfaces in the work of modern day indigenous artisans, whether in peace or under duress. She expressed to Tribe how the Blackfeet women of Montana used flowers to create a symbol known as a trianglein rather than using customary beads. It was their way of defying the missionaries who discouraged use of the symbol. “This ‘survivance’ [survival and resistance] strategy is one example of how native peoples dealt with colonizing forces.” When times are not tense, Anderson said, artisans are free to express the reflections of Native American beliefs. “Work is often circular, showing a cycle of life or the interrelationship of all things, telling a story,” she said. Among the pieces Anderson described was a hand-woven bag, created by Wampanoag artisan Kerri Helme Boardley, which tells the story of Wampanoag whaler Amos Smalley

Photos: Kaycee Morin/Tribe

harpooning a white whale. Penny Gamble-Williams is an artist of mixed heritage consisting of Chappaquiddick Wampanoag, Alabama Creek, African and European ancestry. She uses acrylics, oil crayons and charcoal in her work. Gamble-Williams also creates collages using sticks, shells, leaves, sand, deerskin and other materials. While her background is reflected in her work, she told Tribe that her Native American heritage and connection to nature bond her art to her spirituality. Growing up, she spent time in city environments as well as in rural settings in Cape Cod and the Narragansett Bay area. “The energy of the land and the beauty of these places,” she said, “always had an influence on my creativity.” Art has always been used to keep the beliefs of the Wampanoag and all Native Americans alive and thriving. Donna Mitchell is among those that go beyond creating this art. She teaches others of the Native American experience as part of the We The Peoples project. Organized through the Massachusetts Archeological Society’s Robbins Museum in Middleboro, the project’s goal is to inform and guide elementary and secondary school teachers on ways to teach the history of the American Indian from the perspective of indigenous peoples. This includes talking about the nurturing aspects of the large peach tree outside her dining room window and discussing how tradition shows itself every day among modern-day asphalt and automobiles. “When I see a squirrel heading toward the front of my car, I see it as a message from my ancestors. They’re telling me it’s better to get there alive, so slow down,” she said smiling.

Images above courtesy of Donna Mitchell.

Finally

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First an instance from my lips Then through nimble fingertips A poem I write to sum it up For you and me Yes, I linger too. Upon these keys Words flow with ease And I appease the torture that resides upon my brow. This torture of which I speak Not from a mouth weak nor torn I relate to you, dear reader, the quest From which I cannot wrest myself. (If I could, these words you would not ingest) This torture, to find that thread that lies Behind my eyes of blue as yet untrue That pulls my hand to yours and yours to mine in trust, For I know you feel the tug This quest that lies so near to my breast Whence finally caressed Illuminates the world with light So bright that night would fear its turn at play. This tug, this pull, this yearning for a tie Not belittled by lengthy diatribe Is the same, a name we dare not speak, lest we are spotted. It is not revered to love without a goal. To search and long for love Just love, how childish, how low. And yet, We wait, you and I And hope, you and I For only this A wisp, a kiss of lavender and orange For lips that have bade their time in emptiness. I lay upon your dry mouth a luscious kiss Of truth no jury could dismiss. It is mine to bestow, to deliver to you Love, true love My love, it is only that. At last, I regress into the dress made of muslin That hangs from my bones deeply blessed. At last, I deliver true love And pray you swallow This hollow gift.

Poem by Khym Carmichael ÂŠ 2012 Printed with permission.

Photograph courtesy of Scott M. Smith ÂŠ 2012

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Saint Patricks Have Their Day S

Patrick Griffin, Providence Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee president. Photo: courtesy of Richard McCaffrey. Opposite Page: Vintage stamp of Saint Patrick treading on the snakes.

by Soren Sorensen

aint Patrick’s Day is an internationally recognized annual religious and cultural holiday. It’s not a public holiday like Christmas and Thanksgiving in the United States—don’t take March 17th off and expect to be paid unless you live in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador (the easternmost province of Canada) or Montserrat. Saint Patrick’s Day is a tribute to—you guessed it—Saint Patrick (c. AD 387-461), the most famous of Ireland’s patron saints, and an acknowledgment of Christianity’s arrival in Ireland sometime before the fifth century. March 17th is most memorable to the casual Saint Patrick’s Day participant for the wearing of green. What you might not know is that blue was the color originally associated with Saint Patrick. Over the hundreds of intervening years—since as early as the 17th century perhaps—green toppled blue as the color of Saint Patrick’s Day and of Ireland in general. It is said that Saint Patrick used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, as a metaphor for the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Drawing a line from this religious symbolism to Shamrock Shakes, green beer and merchandise that implores passersby to “Kiss Me, I’m Irish!” is not an easy task. To sort it all out, Tribe sat down with Patrick Griffin, president of the Providence Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and owner of Patrick’s Pub, which celebrates its 20h anniversary in March. We’re told Patrick’s pours the best pint of Guinness in the area. “Believe it or not, there’s

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an art to it,” Griffin said in a wide-ranging conversation about all things Saint Patrick’s Day. “Personally,” Griffin said, “it’s a day to celebrate my heritage. I moved to this country in 1984 and straightaway there was this connection I had with Irish Americans. It really struck me. I’ve been here for twenty-seven years and I’ve almost lived here as long as I lived in Ireland. Saint Patrick’s Day is just a great day to get out there and celebrate Irish heritage. It’s a celebration of Irish history, Irish people in America and Irish people all over the world.” When Griffin moved to the States in 1984, Providence didn’t have a Saint Patrick’s Day parade. “I lived in Boston,” he remembered, “and when I came down to Providence and opened this business up in 1992, there was no parade. There had been a parade in the past but it had lapsed.” Griffin didn’t waste any time. In 1993, having spoken to too many customers disappointed that a capital city of a state with such a large Irish community had no parade, Griffin and a small group of friends and colleagues jumped into action. “About a half dozen of us put this thing together. Now admittedly,” Griffin said with a smile, “the first few years we held the parade, I’d say if you blinked, you might have missed it. It was that small.” As time went on, however, Griffin assembled a network of powerful and influential Ocean State allies—he is, after all, a pub owner. As a result, it’s been easier for him to keep the parade alive, where others repeatedly failed throughout Rhode Island’s history. The Providence Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is now the second largest in Rhode Island, if not the largest. “If it’s not the biggest, it’s definitely second to Newport,” Griffin said proudly and added, “and that’s not to demean any one of the other parades because they’re all great.” This year, the Providence event took place on Saturday March 10, 2012 and featured a military group, not unlike an American National Guard regiment, from Griffin’s hometown, Athlone in the county of Roscommon. “I think it’s only the second time they’ve ever marched on foreign soil in uniform. The commander is a friend of mine from high school and we had about 25 or 30 of them in the parade.” From the sounds of it, Patrick’s Pub was the place to be on parade day in Providence. “We had traditional Irish music in here all day long and we had step dancers, including my daughter,”

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Griffin said. The myriad responsibilities and related minutiae associated with organizing an event like this do not seem to have diminished Griffin’s enthusiasm or emotional attachment to the day. Of the music’s effect on him he said, “When I hear the bagpipers play songs like ‘Danny Boy,’ or any of those old songs, when I start marching and hearing all the bands and looking at the crowd, I just say to myself, ‘thank God I’ve done it again and we’ve kept it going another year.’ Now my kids are involved in the parade and they’re going to remember this long after I’m gone. It’s not only about the older people. It’s about the kids.” Comparing the day to a miniature Mardi Gras, Griffin was careful to point out that, even packed with parade goers, Providence is a safe place for the whole family. “Knock on wood,” he said striking the table with a knuckle, “we’ve never had a problem—never ever had a problem.” Griffin emphasized the diversity of the parade and suggested that Saint Patrick’s Day is for everyone, not just the Irish. “With all the trouble and conflict going on in the world,” Griffin said, “this is one day we’re all together. We are all having fun and you’ll see thousands of people lining Smith Street all the way down to the State House. Whether you’re Irish or not, it’s a fun day.” Each year the parade’s grand marshal chooses charities for the committee to highlight and support. This year, Judge Francis J. Darigan has chosen Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, a group that fights homelessness among veterans and Whitmarsh House, an organization committed to providing resources and advocacy to youth, adults with developmental disabilities and families to foster their development as productive and contributing members of the community. “We raffle off a week-long vacation at a cottage in Ireland. All the money that we make that night—and it usually comes to around $4,000—is given to charity.” To go with your perfectly poured Patrick’s Pub pint, why not try some corned beef— “slow cooked and falling apart in your mouth,” according to Griffin—and cabbage? Just remember, said Griffin, “In Ireland, corned beef is not a common thing at all. We have bacon that is similar to Canadian bacon or ham. I think when the Irish started coming to the U.S., corned beef was the closest thing they could get to it,” and the rest, as they say, is history.

15 SPRING 2012 | CULTURE

A Story Behind Every Movement:

Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by Jason Perez-Dormitzer

T he Kinnaly is an ancient Laotian dance about mythical sisters living in the legendary Himmapan

Forest. These “daughters of the sky” escape their father’s celestial playground to take part in human pleasures, such as bathing in a river. The dancers enact this visit to the river by gliding in unison with every bent knee, flat foot and hand gesture designed to deliver a particular message. It’s done to the traditional songs that mimic the tonal inflections of the language as well as the high-pitched sounds of the instruments. “There’s a story behind every movement,” said Silaphone Nhongvongsouthy, executive director of the Laotian Community Center (LCC) of Rhode Island and a former dancer. “It’s the beauty of a 1,000-year-old culture. It touched me and helped make me into the person I am.” One of several in the repertoire of, the Laotian Dance Troupe of Rhode Island, the Kinnaly is performed throughout the state. The group’s goal, and that of the LCC itself, is to spread the history and culture of the Laotian people before it disappears into the American mainstream. Since the LCC was formed in 2000 it has worked to reinforce Laotian culture and give the local Laotian population a sense of identity with which to teach their culture to others. “If the youth doesn’t know about our culture, it won’t be important to them to carry it on,” Nhongvongsouthy said. Another important aspect of the LCC is to preserve the music of Laos, accomplished by introducing instruments such as the “saw,” also known as a Laotian violin. The two-string instrument rests on the player’s lap with the strings pointing skyward. It sounds similar to a violin but with a more hollow, understated tone. Another instrument of focus at the LCC is the kaen, a bamboo mouth organ that sounds similar to a harmonica. The LCC is also a breeding ground for artistic expression including drawing, watercolor, crafts and oil painting. The LCC also recently had its first annual talent show, which included departures from traditional offerings. Laotian youth had a chance to express more modern aspects of everyday culture. The winners were a crew of break-dancers known as 4loor0h1ne, (sounds like “401”) who began performing together in the summer of 2011. This was their first talent show competition and it was won with a routine put together at the last minute according to its leader, Susallin Chhean. The crew, which

got its start at a park near Reservoir Avenue in Providence, includes a Laotian member, Chris Vongkhangkeo. “We feel honored that the Laotian Community Center was willing to bring the hip-hop culture and blend it into their culture and tradition. It was a chance to innovate and learn new things from each other.” To watch a six-minute sample performance of the group, click here. We know you’ll be amazed at their youthful exuberance and their display of pure joy in their dance routine. Nhongvongsouthy said there is always room for artistic skill at the LCC. “There is room to grow in Laotian art. Maybe someday the tradition will evolve into a different from of expression.” The president of the Lao Association of RI, James Phommasith, agrees. He came to the United States alone from a refugee camp in Thailand in 1981 after escaping communism. “This is important to me. I want people to know where they are coming from, to know their past.” In addition to traditional dances, the LCC focuses on several areas of Laotian culture. Among those is language preservation. Many of the children born to newcomers from Laos understand the language as it is often spoken at home. Thus, the LCC has introduced classes to offer students the opportunity to gain proper conversational skills as well as the ability to read and write the language. Phommasith’s journey began before Laos became a communist country. When he was about 20, he was training to become an officer in the Laotian military. The country was taken over and Phommasith was moved to a seminary in the

Break-dance group “4loor0h1ne” Photos courtesy of Betsy McLaughlin

CULTURE | SPRING 2012

suburbs of the capital, Vientiane. He escaped to Thailand, where he remained as a refugee for years before coming to the United States in 1981. According to the State Department, 250,000 residents of Laos were resettled into countries including the United States. “About 99 percent of the Laotian community in the United States came from refugee camps,” Phommasith said, adding that the Laotian immigrants were scattered throughout their new country. “It was hard to regroup year after year. We often organized through the religious communities.” Phommasith, like so many others, searched for a way to adapt and reconnect to his Buddhist roots. His search, and those of many of his countrymen, led to the LCC’s formation in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Today, the LCC has grown into a complex that includes the Center itself, a home for the three Buddhist monks and a separate temple. Leading to the Center is a road of Asian character that distinguishes it from its farmland neighbors. Golden lions sit perched along the driveway, representing strength, regality and power. According to Laotian tradition, the lion is the protector of Buddha and the gateway between the living and the dead. The pillars the lions stand upon contain the ashes of Laotians who have passed away. Visitors to the LCC are required to remove their shoes. The clean-carpeted floors of the entryway lead to a stage displaying a vast number of Buddha statues—some simple and small, others grand, golden and larger than life. They rest among a number of other items, some relics from Laos and numerous stupas, which represent the enlightened mind of Buddha. Each contains five elements: a cone shape representing fire, a square base representing earth, a round dome representing water, a canopy representing air and the volume of the stupa symbolizing space. Outside of the Center is a small temple, which has its own collection of statues as well as incense, where visitors can pray to Buddha.

LCC members in traditional dress.

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For Phommasith, these journeys—from Laos to the United States, from disconnection to reconnection to the traditions of his homeland— have become very important. “Mostly, we want to try to remember where we came from, to connect to with the people of our country,” he told Tribe. “We want Laotians to be able to visit their grandparents and cousins and still speak the same language.” Like Phommasith, Silaphone Nhongvongsouthy is a product of the traditions taught at the LCC. She recently returned with her mother to Savannakhetm, the village in Laos where she was born, about an eight-hour drive from the capital. Although she had to acquaint herself with myriad customs, it was a place she recognized from her time in Smithfield. The visit helped her understand the struggle of her parents and others who entered the United States as refugees. It helped her see her roots and develop not only a sense of identity and appreciation, but also pride. Today, she finds joy in teaching others about the traditions of the Laotian people. “If I didn’t know about our culture, it wouldn’t be important to carry on that culture,” she said. “For me to contribute back to the community, it makes me feel better about things. And I believe in karma. Although I don’t see things coming back to me immediately, I’m pretty sure it will happen.” Nhongvongsouthy will be running a workshop at the Smith Hill branch of the Providence Community Library as part of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May. She will lead a class on making crafts out of rice paper. Nhongvongsouthy will also be a panelist on Thursday, March 15 from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm at the Warwick Museum of Art as part of their Celebrating RI Women in the Arts event. For more information, please visit rilaocenter.org.

Tony Aguilar from Tribe, Silaphone Nhongvongsouthy and James V. Phommasith from LCC and Elena Patiño from RISCA at LCC’s first Youth Talent Show.

SPRING 2012 | CULTURE

by Jason Perez-Dormitzer

hat do an active female member of Rhode Island’s Hispanic community and an elderly gentleman who spends his days supervising his Mexican market have in common? An annoyance at what Cinco de Mayo has become in America: a holiday that has replaced tradition with margaritas. Marta Martínez, director of communications and fund development for Progreso Latino, would like to set the record straight. Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexico’s independence. Mexico gained independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. Martínez feels compelled to educate the masses on Cinco de Mayo’s story and cultural meaning because, as she told Tribe, “a lot of people don’t know the fascinating historical aspect of it. It’s not commemorated there the way it is here. A lot of people think it is like the Fourth of July, and that is not the case.” The holiday is a point of pride for Mexicans. Cinco de Mayo honors a significant victory that took place in a little village known as Puebla. At the end of 1861 the French army, under the rule of Napoleon III, landed a fleet in Veracruz with the mission to conquer and establish an empire in Mexico with French interests. As thousands of French troops moved towards Mexico City, villagers spread the word in alarm. Before the French were able to reach their destined city, General Ignacio Zaragoza pulled his army together. Martínez explained, “They didn’t have much of an army so they went to the townspeople. It is reminiscent of Paul Revere. Zaragoza put a call out and got all the people together. Men and women grabbed sticks and stones, whatever they could, and met this large and powerful army, and they fought. And they won.” Martínez continued, “The reason it was such a victory is because it was a tiny ragtag army that defeated this powerful force.” Martínez is rooted to this historic victory because her father is from Puebla and he raised her to be proud and aware of her heritage. “The victory of Mexico that I grew up with was the pride that the Mexicans had in defeating this army.” Originally, Cinco de Mayo was only celebrated in Puebla and while it has become a somewhat national holiday, the biggest celebrations remain in Puebla. On the fifth day of

CULTURE | SPRING 2012

May in Puebla, schools close and locals gather in the center of town just before midnight on May 4, not unlike a throng awaiting the approaching New Year. As the clock strikes midnight, the governor appears declaring, “Viva Mexico!” The crowd repeats back, “Viva Mexico!” This call and response marks the beginning of Cinco de Mayo. Enrique Sanchez, owner of Sanchez Mexican Market, was more than happy to tell of his younger years in Puebla. He rocked away in his rocking chair, scratching at his head, searching for a memory, for it has been a while. After several minutes he rocked forward and shouted in Spanish, “Recuerdo, ahora recuerdo,” and then in English, “I remember. Now I remember.” When he was a child they would dress as soldiers to reenact the Battle of Puebla. “The community gathered at the hill in Puebla to show honor because that’s where they started the guerilla war, that’s where we ambushed the French,” he chuckled, proud of the unexpected victory. “They shot fireworks to look like bombs and cannons for the kids to hear.” His grin grew as he remembered a place he hasn’t been in roughly fifty years. He remembered the mariachi bands, the “typicas” dance and fresh mole sauce. But how did such a triumphant celebration turn into such a hangover? Marta Martínez has an idea. “I think what happened in America is that it became a made-up holiday because they were looking for a way to celebrate Latin American culture. Cinco de Mayo was picked because the Battle of Puebla is so important to the Mexican people.” Martínez has done a lot of research on this matter and that seems to be the consensus.

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The celebration first started in the Southwest, and it was not a drinking holiday. It was a dignified event for Hispanic Americans. Children learned the historical perspective and families staged reenactments in a small way. Sensationalism took over in the 1980s. “It’s annoying,” Martínez told Tribe. “My father gets annoyed at the fact that it has become what it has become. And you can’t do anything about it, so we ignore it and celebrate Cinco de Mayo as we should.” Martínez finds it hard to do much here because there isn’t a very large Mexican population. She celebrates at home by putting out her flag, cooking a traditional meal and taking any chance she gets to tell people what Cinco de Mayo is all about. Enrique Sanchez shares the sentiment. Rocking backwards in his chair, he threw his hands in the air and said, “I wish there was no more Cinco de Mayo because people don’t celebrate it in a real way.” The media has hyped Cinco de Mayo up so much simply as a big party that it seems like nobody knows the meaning anymore. The annoyance doesn’t come so much from people wanting to go out and have a good time but from a lack of understanding. So now, next time you say “salud” and clink your margarita, you can share with your friends what it is you’re toasting!

A Silk Road Stop By Genette Nowak

t’s quite difficult to walk down Main Street in Providence and not take note of the massive silk rug hanging in the window of Loominous— it’s a pleasing distraction to any passerby. The storefront is rich but simple, dark but light. The inside is a silk and woolen maze through an art form that dates back to around 400 B.C. Bob Sarlak and his business partners, Behroux Sarlak and Shahrooz Feizabadi, Sarlak’s brother and brother-in-law respectively, recently found a new home for their desire, the art of weaving, one door down from their previous location. Loominous, formerly known as Lotus, moved into the massive 7,000 square-foot space eight months ago and brought the building back to its original glory. The building is 134 years old, constructed of solid hardwood floors, red brick walls and elegantly carved wooden shutters and doors. The original construction is the perfect backdrop to display beauty that has flourished thanks to countless hours of knotting. “We are small,” Sarlak told Tribe, “but we concentrate on making good quality pieces.” In an age where mass production and cost efficiency rules, Sarlak is proud to explain how their product is created: by inspiration, not greed. Loominous rugs are woven in many corners of the world—France, Turkey, Armenia and Iran— but lately they have been produced in India. “We have a crew that is made up of very talented people from different backgrounds, and they vary on technique and design. The designs are a collaborative effort.” Sarlak went on to explain how his melting pot of artists allows some of the rugs to be more traditional, others more modern and some fantastically elaborate. Sarlak does not weave but he understands the demanding method. It’s quite difficult and requires a lot of time. It starts with purchasing

Photos: Kaycee Morin/Tribe

the wool—but not just any wool. A wool’s quality often depends upon its origin. Bob explains, “Some people think wool is just wool but it comes from different sheep and depends on when they are sheared. It has to be done once a year so the wool, the fibers, can become strong. If wool is cut too often it isn’t of good quality. It also has to do with climate. It must be a good climate. Colder climates and higher elevations make for better wool because the colder it is the more fur the sheep have.” The type of wool Loominous uses is referred to as virgin wool, which is not processed Once the most pure and luxurious wool is chosen it is dyed with agents to produce intense colors. After quality material has been obtained, the process moves into the hands of the artists. Before the crew sits down side by side at the loom, a painter or an illustrator maps out a design, though this is not always the case. If the design is simple or tribal, the weavers will improvise. “You have to have people that are very good at what they do so they do not make mistakes. These people are professional and have been weaving as a craft for years. For some of them it is a tradition that has been passed down in their family. Our weavers are very artistic,” boasted Sarlak. Making the knots is not that difficult but it is time consuming considering pattern and the fact that the knots are done one-by-one. Bob walked into the back room to show a tribal rug, considered tribal because it is simpler and with sporadic shapes. The 32 foot by 51 foot rug of blue hues is the centerpiece of the room and so incredible it probably shouldn’t be walked on. “See,” Sarlak said as he opened the tall shutter to let the sunlight in, “the weavers put the characters in themselves. See the hearts?” He bent down and touched the fibers. “We pick out a color combination, and they put themselves into it. You

in Providence

SHOPPING | SPRING 2012

see these characters? Some of them are birds, which are for luck. If they see a figure they like, they put it in. Sometimes they make flowers or birds. Basically, whatever they see around them that they like.” This specific rug took roughly four months to knot. Knotting is performed using several techniques that vary based on the effect they are trying to achieve. One thing is for sure: the more knots, the more intricate the color of a design. When weaving silk, the knots are even smaller, creating an even softer material. Silk is extraordinarily delicate to the touch and challenging to work with, like weaving a fluffy cloud through your fingers. Sarlak was raised in central Iran where the weaving industry is huge and has a reputation for producing quality rugs. When he was a child he and his brother would play with their toy cars on these works of art. They would pretend certain lines were roads, and they would “drive” around. Nostalgically he mentioned how comfortable the rugs were to just stretch out on. “These rugs are good for children because of their color. It

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acts as stimulation.” For Sarlak and his brother, outside of running a business, they are trying to carry on a tradition. Amid the immense works of art draping the walls, the mountains of rugs laid flat and the bundles of ones rolled up, there are other treasures such as antique furniture adorned with gold trim and crafted out of solid oak. They are the perfect complement to these creative rugs. Loominous has been getting its fair share of foot traffic and the owners quite enjoy it when people come in to ogle at the masterpieces. Designers often go to Sarlak for statement pieces. They also sell to other international dealers. It’s an expensive business because they have to buy the wool, pay the weaver, pay for transportation and pay for customs. With all that under consideration they still find many customers who want individualized rugs, heirlooms that will last more than a lifetime. People appreciate what Loominous purveys, and Loominous is proud of what they sell and the heritage they are upholding.

SPRING 2012 | MUSIC

Sidy’s Beat M

By Genette Nowak

aster of the djembe and dundun drums, Sidy Maïga had just returned from a pilgrimage to his hometown, Bamako, Mali in Western Africa. It appeared as if he barely had a minute to settle back into Eastern Standard Time. His suitcases were still unpacked and forgotten in a corner. His drums were still bundled—what was the point in taking them out when he had a gig in just a few hours? With his right hand he pecked away at his laptop, and with his left arm he coddled his 6-month-old son, Adama. Even with all these distractions, Maïga was still able to welcome Tribe into his home for a little conversation and enlightenment. Kind and reserved, Maïga sat on his family room couch eager to detail his recent adventure to the jewel in the crown of West Africa, and of his extraordinary achievements this past year. On May 14, 2011 Maïga released his debut album, Malidén, which continues to receive high praise from the music industry and is regularly featured on Malian radio. For four years he has produced the beloved Afrika Nyaga Drum & Dance Festival in Pawtucket. The festival is partly sponsored by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), and in 2011 Maïga won the winner of their Folk Arts Fellowship in music composition. As if that weren’t enough recognition for his commitment to the arts and the community, Maïga was just named a winner of the esteemed Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Fellowship. Holding back giddiness, he said, “I’m very happy and looking forward to doing this work.” His modesty is beautiful. The MacColl Johnson Fellowship, one of the largest of its kind in the country, grants $25,000 to dedicated and deserving artists, allowing them the time and resources to hone their craft. The fellowship celebrates visual and performing arts and this year Maïga won the prize for musical composition. This remarkable recognition will enable him to continue to grow as an educator and performer, two of his favorite roles. After all, becoming a virtuoso percussionist has been a priority since he banged on tin cans as a toddler. Maïga laughed as he recalled a time when he “slacked off.” As a preteen he made it his business to become consumed by the drums. That meant sacrificing school and replacing homework with

percussion. It was easy for him to cut class with the drums beckoning from the other side of the playground. He said, “I’m kind of glad I did that because if I didn’t I wouldn’t be in the place I am.” Maïga said he gains power from the drums, not just as a soloist, but also in ensembles. When Sidy Maïga first came to the United States to spread the joy and culture of African beats, he settled in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, the nucleus of African drumming in New York City. “The drum scene in New York was great, but I came to Providence six years ago because I had the opportunity to play at Brown and become a resident at Black Rep (the former Providence Black Repertory Company).” Maïga continued, “At the Black Rep I played with their resident group AfroSonic and taught drumming to kids and adults. That was great because it kept things interesting.” Maïga maintains his fascination by teaching at numerous schools and institutions. To further expand his curriculum he decided to take his class across the ocean. “Every year I bring my students and friends to Mali. When I go over there I teach drum and dance. I don’t dance but I get dancers from my troupe in Mali to teach. When my students aren’t learning drum and dance they go to ceremonies. There is always something musical going on. We explore the city, we go to the museum, we go to the park, we go to clubs and other live music venues,” Maïga explained. “Yes, it’s also a great time to be with my family.” It was in 2009 that Maïga brought three students abroad for two weeks to study and absorb Malian drums. Rachel Nguyen, Maïga’s business associate, student and friend, was one of the lucky three. She began studying with him about five years ago after discovering the power of the djembe during a trip to the International AIDS Conference in South Africa. Rachel was deeply affected by the rhythm and culture and

MUSIC | SPRING 2012

decided it was time to take djembe lessons. That’s when she learned of Maïga. Since then she has accompanied him three times to Mali and has been thrilled at how his venture has grown. “While I feel it would be overstating to say it was a life-changing relationship, it really has been. Now when I go to Mali I say I’m going to visit my family.” Rachel continued, “When I first got into djembe I bought the worst one I could find because it was cheap. Then I met Sidy at Black Rep. I took a class and was shocked at how hard it was. I have rhythm. I thought, ‘I can do this,’ but then, not so much. But it was worth watching Sidy play and my persistence paid off. I understood little by little. Five years later I’m still beginning my education and it has become a huge passion. I’m blessed with being able to learn traditional African drums, the center of their culture.” Traditionally, drums are a method of communication used to retell stories or celebrate a wedding or a new chief. “A drum circle in Africa is very different from here,” said Maïga. “Every rhythm in Africa has a meaning and, as a drummer, you know what it is and what it means. Sometimes we sit in a circle and sometimes we all line up, but there is always one person leading or set to do the solo. It’s more choreographed. It’s what people know. A solo isn’t improvised. When you play solo, you play on top of music, something that goes with the rhythm.” Drum circles are common in America—at music festivals or the woodsy backyards of dreadlocked hippies—and while they may be fun, they seem to lack rhyme or reason. The palpable differences between an American drum circle and an African drum circle are motive and respect. “A drum circle in Africa is performance. You don’t just walk out of there or walk in. If you do leave you give the drum to another drummer. You don’t just walk off. When we do a drum circle we all know what we are doing, what each of us is supposed to play, exactly what we are supposed to do. You just can’t go crazy. When we start a rhythm, everybody knows that rhythm. But here, when people go to a drum circle, they don’t know. They just play whatever they want, because they want to feel free to do whatever they want. They don’t want to be told what to do. Drum circles have rules but some people don’t like rules.” More importantly, Maïga added, “To be able to do a drum circle you have to be able to play drums.” Maïga attended ceremonies and learned from older and wiser performers, clearly a philosophy to which he is a steadfast adherent. “Sidy is an exceptionally gifted teacher,” said Rachel Nguyen. Normally, he doesn’t teach bit by bit, but by mimicry. It’s grueling to learn in Mali. But Maïga has adapted a Western model to identify with his students. He doesn’t talk a lot but he’s

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good at knowing where to push his students. I’m often amazed at what he expects to get from me. I’ve come to really trust him.” Listening is not only a way of life for Maïga; it’s a way of teaching. “Patience. I teach them patience because I know what it is. I teach them you cannot have everything you want. Some people get frustrated, and I tell them it is okay not to get it at once.” Outside of lessons, Maïga has a laundry list of musicians and friends he plays with, dabbling in jazz, hip-hop, rock, R&B, blues and spoken word. He is a member of Boston’s Uhuru Afrika, described as an “Afro diasporic dance floor explosion,” and plays with Providence’s oneman-cross-genre-band, Spogga. Maïga is working on his next album and spends many hours in the studio laying down tracks with a little help from his Malian friends. In the meantime, Malidén continues to reach more and more receptive ears. “People love it here, people are loving it over there. It was crazy, they were playing my music on TV and radio every day.” During his recent trip to Mali he received a new level of recognition and press coverage. He even shot two music videos. “He’s been blown away by these two huge prizes,” said Nguyen. Maïga hopes to teach at many more colleges and schools around the world. He also hopes some of his students will become great drummers and teachers. Maïga already performs with his students but would love to see them teaching too. Drums are his pulse, and his pulse is contagious. “Drumming is tough, and you have to be tough to be able to drum. You have to make it work,” he said. “You have to prove you can make it work.”

Photos: courtesy of Sidy Maïga

SPRING 2012 | DINING

DINING | SPRING 2012

dining African

Abyssinia Ethiopian & Eritrean Comfort Food & Café 333 Wickenden Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 330-7838 • abyssinia-restaurant.com

Providence Kent Washington Bristol Newport

Village Restaurant 200 Main Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 (401) 727-8444

Cambodian

Angkor 10 Traverse Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 383-2227 • angkorrestaurant.com

Angkor Restaurant Express 100 Smith Street Providence, RI 02908

(401) 808-6886 • angkorrestaurant.com

Apsara 716 Public Street Providence, RI 02907 (401) 785-1490

Apsara Palace 783B Hope Street Providence, RI 02906

(401) 831-4722 • apsara-palace.com

Caribbean

Tina’s Jamaican Restaurant 223 Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02909

(401) 490-4625 • tinasjamaican.faithweb.com

TribeRI.com

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SPRING 2012 | DINING

Central & South American Los Andes (Peru and Bolivia) Restaurant 903 Chalkstone Avenue Providence, RI 02908

(401) 649-4911 • losandesri.com

Machu Pichu (Peruvian) 651 Admiral Street Providence, RI 02908 (401) 831-5925

Mi Guatemala Restaurant 1049 Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02909 (401) 621-9147

Chinese

Hong Meas Restaurant 332 Warren Ave East Providence, RI 02914 (401) 438-5227

China Inn Restaurant 285 Main St Pawtucket, RI 02860

(401) 723-3960 • chinainnri.com

King’s Garden 90 Rolfe Square Cranston, RI 02910

(401) 467-8916 • kingsgardenrestaurant.com

Phoenix Dragon Restaurant 256 Broadway Providence, RI 02903 (401) 831-7555

Red Ginger Restaurant 560 Killingly Street Johnston, RI 02919

(401) 861-7878 • redginger.biz

French

Chez Pascal 960 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906

(401) 421-4422 • chez-pascal.com

Greek

Athenian Deli and Restaurant 1242 Oaklawn Avenue Cranston, RI 02920 (401) 463-6025

Andrea’s Restaurant 268 Thayer Street Providence, RI 02906

(401) 331-7879 • andreasri.com

Markos Kabob and More 126 Boon Street Narragansett, RI 02882

(401) 783-9083 • markoskabob.com

Indian

Bombay Club 145 Dean Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 273-6363 • bombayclubri.com

Maharaja 1 Beach Street Narragansett, RI 02882

(401) 792-3999 • maharajari.com

Kabob and Curry 261 Thayer Street Providence, RI 02906

(401) 273-8844 • kabobandcurry.com

Rasoi 727 East Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860

(401) 728-5500 • rasoi-restaurant.com

Irish

Buskers 178 Thames Street Newport, RI 02840

(401) 846-5856 • buskerspub.com

Fat Belly’s Pub (Vaious Locatiions) 125 Canal Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 351-3434 • fatbellyspub.com

Le Central 483 Hope Street Bristol, RI 02809

(401) 396-9965 • lecentralbristol.net

Providence Kent Newport

Washington Bristol

DINING | SPRING 2012

Doherty’s East Avenue Irish Pub 342 East Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860

Al Forno 577 S Main Street Providence, RI 02903

Murphy’s Deli & Bar 100 Fountain Street Providence, RI 02903

Walter’s Ristorante d’Italia 286 Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02903

(401) 725-1800 • dohertyseastave.com

(401) 621-8467 • murphysdeliandbar.com

Patrick’s Pub 381 Smith Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 751-1553 • patrickspubri.com

The Fastnet Pub 1 Broadway Newport, RI 02840

(401) 845-9311 • hefastnetpub.com

Tara’s Tipperary Tavern 907 Matunuck Beach Road Matunuck, RI 02879

(401) 284-1901 • tarasfamilypub.com

Italian / Italian American Il Piccolo 1450 Atwood Avenue Providence, RI 02919 (401) 421-9843

Caffé Itri 1686 Cranston Street Cranston, RI 02920

(401) 942-1970 • caffeitri.com

Camille’s 71 Bradford Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 751-4812 • camillesonthehill.com

Andino’s 171 Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02903 (401) 453-3164 • andinositalianrestaurant.com D’Vine

145 Spruce Street in Historic Federal Hill

Providence, RI 02903

(401) 273-7070 • dvineonthehill.com

Siena 238 Atwells Avenue Providence, RI 02903

(401) 521-3311 • sienari.com

(401) 273-9760 • alforno.com

(401) 273-2652 • chefwalter.com

Japanese

Ebisu 38 Pontiac Avenue Providence, RI 02907

(401) 270-7500 • ebisuri.com

Haruki 1210 Oaklawn Avenue Cranston, RI 02920

(401) 463-8338 • harukisushi.com

Haruki East 172 Wayland Avenue Providence, RI 02906

(401) 223-0332 • harukisushi.com

Ichigo Ichie 5 Catamore Boulevard East Providence, RI 02914

(401) 435-5511 • ichigoichieus.com

Ichiban 146 Gansett Ave Cranston, RI 02910

(401) 432-7220 • ichibanri.com

Mizu Japanese Cuisine 250 E Main Road Middletown, RI 02842

(401) 846-2008 • mizujapanesecuisine.com

Wasabi Japanese Sushi Bar & Restaurant 1369 Hartford Avenue Johnston, RI 02919

(401) 751-0444 • wasabiri.com

Shogun Steak & Seafood House 59 South County Commons Plaza Wakefield, RI 02879 (401) 284-1311 • shogunri.com

Yamato Sushi 375 Putnam Pike, Unit 30 Smithfield, RI 02917

(401) 231-1888 • yamatosushi.com

6 26

SPRING 2012 | DINING

Korean

Mama Kim’s Korean BBQ Moving Truck Providence, RI

(401) 787-8977 • mamakims.us

Sun and Moon Korean Restaurant 95 Warren Avenue East Providence, RI 02914

(401) 435-0214 • sunandmoonkorean.com

Sura Restaurant 300 George Waterman Road Johnston, RI 02919 (401) 233-7888 • sura-ri.com

Mediterranean

International Pockets Café 52 East Main Road Middletown, RI 02842 (401) 847-8900

Pick Pockets Deli Newport 190 Thames Street Newport, RI 02840

(401) 619-1973 • pickpocketsnewport.com

Mexican

California Taco Shop 381 Plainfield Street Providence, RI 02909 (401) 942-3938

Chilangos 447 Manton Avenue Providence, RI 02909

(401) 383-4877 chilangosmexicanrestaurant.com

Providence Kent Newport

Washington Bristol

Mi Ranchito 1516 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909 (401) 331-6584

Taqueria Lupita 765 Dexter Street Central Falls, RI 02863

(401) 724-2650 • taquerialupitari.com

Middle Eastern

La Camelia 92 Waterman Avenue East Providence, RI 02915 (401) 434-1225

Providence Byblos 235 Meeting Street Providence, RI 02906

El Rancho Grande 311 Plainfield Street Providence, RI 02909

(401) 453-9727 • providencebyblos.com

La Lupita 1950 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02909

(401) 724-6007

(401) 275-0808 elranchogranderestaurant.com

(401) 331-2444

La Hacienda 603 Plainfield Street Providence, RI 02909 (401) 275-2385

Portuguese

Antonio’s Café 791 Smithfield Avenue Lincoln, RI 02865 Barcello’s Family Restaurant 1214 Stafford Road Tiverton, RI 02878 (401) 624-6649

O’Dinis Restaurant 579 Warren Avenue East Providence, RI 02914 (401) 438-3769

DINING | SPRING 2012

Riviera Inn Portuguese Restaurant 580 N Broadway East Providence, RI 02914

Sawaddee Thai Reataurant 93 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906

Spanish

Siam Square, Riverside 1050 Willett Avenue Riverside, RI 02915

(401) 431-9231 • rivierainnrestaurant.com

Flan y Ajo 225a Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 432-6656 • flanyajo.com

Thai

Bangkok City Thai Restaurant 21 Valley Road Middletown, RI 02842 (401) 848-2250 • bangkokcity.us

Four Seasons Restaurant 361 Reservoir Avenue Providence, RI 02907 (401) 461-5651

Noodles 102 102 Ives Street Providence, RI 02903

(401) 383-5004 • noodles102.com

Rim Nahm Thai Cuisine 2212 Broad Street Cranston, RI 02910 (401) 467-7897

Thai Cuisine 517 Thames Street Newport, RI 02840

(401) 841-8822 • thaicuisinemenu.com

(401) 831-1122 •sawaddeerestaurant.com

(401) 433-0123 • siamsquareriverside.com

Siam Square, Middletown 238 E Main Road Middletown, RI 02842

(401) 851-7988 • siamsquaremiddletown.com

Vietnamese

Minh Hai Restaurant 1096 Park Avenue Cranston, RI 02910

(401) 383-8071 • minhhairestaurant.com

Pho Horns 50 Ann Mary Street Pawtucket, RI 02918

(401) 365-6278 • phohorns.com

Sunrise Restaurant 823 W Main Road Middletown, RI 02842

(401) 848-2252 • sunriseviet.com

Seven Moons East Asian Cuisine 6900 Post Road North Kingstown, RI 02852 (401) 885-8383 • 7-moons.com

Vegetarian and Vegan

Thai Star Restaurant 1088 Chalkstone Avenue Providence, RI 02908

Garden Grille 727 East Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860

Thai Pepper 249 Main Street Wakefield, RI 02879

Wildflour Vegan Bakery & Café 727 E Avenue Pawtucket, RI 02860

(401) 421-5840 • thaistarrestaurant.com

(401) 284-4370 • thaipepperri.com

(401) 726-2826 • gardengrillecafe.com

(401) 475-4718 wildflourveganbakerycafe.com

6 28

The creative juices have started flowing for the summer issue. Among other stories, we’ll be covering a first-of-its-kind event for Rhode Island. Providence hosts many events during summer. Our list of parades, festivals and celebrations will make you want to rediscover the state. We suggest you find out more about each celebration and jump into the action. It is always great to be part of the scene but not the herd. Make Tribe’s thought-provoking multicultural stories your must-read and join us for what will be a great summer ride. “All is visible and all elusive, all is near and can’t be touched.” ~Octavio Paz