A festival rich in tradition

Vases holding powder pink, light orange and white flowers sat on the tables that filled the Great Hall of the Student Union.

Lining the walls and filling the stage, balloons that matched the flowers floated, bringing an aura of festivity to the room.

Next to the stage stood an illuminated white arch with flowers wrapped around it. Under the arch sat a three-tiered white cake decorated with intricate flowers and pearls.

The room screamed fiesta.

More than 250 students and community members sampled a taste of Latin culture Saturday evening as they participated in a traditional festivity: a quinceañera.

As the Carolina Hispanic Association celebrated its 15th year Saturday with its 14th annual Noche Latina, the aroma of yellow rice, shredded beef and chicken and rice pudding floated with Latin music through the air.

By 7 p.m. empty plates sat in front of full students.

“It’s one of Carolina Hispanic Association’s biggest events of the year,” said Carla Quinones, the Masala representative for CHispA. “It is a great event to create awareness about our culture.”

Chrystal Baker, a senior communications major, sat at one of the tables with four of her friends and pointed at her clean plate. With a laugh, she said, “It was good.

“It was a lot of things I’ve never had before, and I enjoyed it all.”

Many audience members at the event looked forward to the show after dinner.

“I can’t wait to see the dancing and all the other performances,” said freshman CHispA member Mia Gonzalez. “I am really looking forward to Que Rico.”

During the Que Rico performance, one of many throughout the evening, young woman in black stiletto heels danced across the stage, moving their hips effortlessly to the beat of the music.

Joining them, seven young men dressed in UNC paraphernalia dipped and twisted the girls and matched each of their saucy movements.

When the dancing finished, the crowd erupted in screams, whistles and applause.

CHispA President Fernando Soto sat in the back of the room in his green and yellow T-shirt that read “Latinos do it best,” selling the flowers that were previously on the tables.

He said proceeds from the flowers, as well as those from ticket sales, will go to two UNC mission groups: Mujeres, which works to target awareness of Latino social concerns; and Solidaridad, whose members travel to Honduras to work in hospitals.

As the evening came to an end, members of CHispA said they hope students not only were exposed to Latin culture but that they also saw how cultural diversity is growing on campus. Latinos currently make up about 2.5 percent of the UNC population.

Stephani Sanjuan, a freshman member of CHispA, said she hoped the event would break down cultural stereotypes.

“The truth is, we have very different kinds from very different cultures and very different styles, and I want people to see that,” she said.

“I want to make sure that the whole University and our community have the chance to experience our culture, because Hispanics are a growing minority in the community and people should be exposed to it.”

 

Contact University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.