Students participate in campus Holi festival

The Daily News

Senior sculpture major Nathan Ferrise laughs as he receives a blast of yellow chalk to his face during the Holi festival on April 19, 2013 at Noyer Complex. Holi is a Hindu celebration that honors the oncoming of spring, a time known to the Hindu people as a period of renewal. DN PHOTO RJ RICKER
Senior sculpture major Nathan Ferrise laughs as he receives a blast of yellow chalk to his face during the Holi festival on April 19, 2013 at Noyer Complex. Holi is a Hindu celebration that honors the oncoming of spring, a time known to the Hindu people as a period of renewal. DN PHOTO RJ RICKER




Colored powder blew everywhere on Friday as participants in the Holi festival celebrated the arrival of spring outside of Noyer Complex.

Victoria Roser, a sophomore nursing major, was among the participants, throwing the pink, purple, green, yellow and blue powder and dancing.

“I think because it was colder, a bunch of people didn’t show up, but it was still pretty fun,” said Roser.

The event started with bags of colored powder being distributed to the group the attended, who would throw it in the air and at each other, celebrating the Hindu festival of color. Holi celebrates the oncoming of spring, a time of year which is recognized for being joyous and symbolic of renewal.

The group gathered outside Noyer and danced to music played by the multicultural advisers. 

Certain songs were structured with specific times to throw the powder, featuring countdowns ending in, “It’s powder time!”

Freshmen animation major Lauren May said she was glad she attended.

“It was so much fun, and it was so much more than I expected. I really liked when everyone threw it up at the same time,” said May, whose nose and cheeks were flecked with blue.

Roser enjoyed the countdowns, saying it became a “moshpit of paint.”

The event was sponsored by the Residence Hall Association and the multicultural advisors, including Zafiro Joseph, a senior visual communications major.

“I’m glad that [people] were still able to turn out and were interested in the program, and I just hope that they [had] a good time and hopefully they don’t catch a cold,” Joseph said. 

The music echoing off the buildings was a blend of traditional music provided by the Indian Student Association and more modern songs, such as “Harlem Shake,” picked out by the multicultural advisers.

The ISA joined in on several songs, helping participants learn some of the traditional dances. The Belly Dance Club also did a show partway through the celebration.

Several of the celebrators saw posters for the event and were drawn in by the powder and dancing, but the cultural aspect was significant as well.

“I think it brings everyone together, especially if you don’t get much interaction with people of other cultures,” May said. “It really helps you learn more about different cultures of people who go here.”

Joseph said events like Holi are important to the college community.

“I think a lot of multicultural celebrations can come off as intimidating because they are different. I think there are a lot of similarities between the celebration we have in the United States and some that they have in other countries where it’s just a party,” she said. “Why does it matter what ethnicity you have or where you’re from? It’s a celebration, so why can’t we all do it together?”

Comments

More from The Daily






This Week's Digital Issue


Loading Recent Classifieds...