"Maslenitsa"
2013
Russian/Eastern European "Pancake Festival" Returns
to Huntsville!
HUNTSVILLE, ALA: It's not often that those in
North Alabama/Southern Middle Tennessee region have a taste of
Eastern European culture, but at least one day a year, they can
visit the UAHuntsville campus to immerse themselves in an Eastern
Orthodox Lenten celebration, sample traditional foods, enjoy
authentic regional folksongs and folkdances, and experience
firsthand the culture of the Russians, Ukrainians, Moldovans,
Kazaks, and more. It's a great way to savor the richness and
diversity of our Eastern European heritage.
In 2012, the International Society of Huntsville (ISH), the
UAHuntsville Library, and community representatives from Russia,
Moldova, and Ukraine launched their first-ever salute to the
Eastern Orthodox celebration known as MASLENITSA by sponsoring a
brunch?in 2013, it returns, but in a greatly expanded form:
MASLENITSA?A Russian/Eastern European "Pancake
Festival" will run from 9:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. on
Saturday, 16 March in the Charger Brew Café/First Floor area of
the M. Louis Salmon Library. The library's parking lot is
located at 4600 Holmes Avenue, NW (between Jordan Lane and
Sparkman Drive, west of Ben Graves Drive) on the UAHuntsville
campus. Admission to the event is $5 for the general public;
admission is free to UAHuntsville students (with Charger ID) and
for children under twelve. Please note the MASLENITSA meal
itself will be $5.00 per plate for "text-decoration: underline;">all attendees.
By definition, MASLENITSA is a family event?and the ISH festival
will be no exception. Moreover, it's open to the public. Though
associated with Lent, it is not a solemn occasion; rather, it is
a merry celebration, purportedly Russia's oldest surviving
holiday, embraced by the Orthodox Church sometime in the
16th Century, years after its inception. Says
Russian Survey: "According to the pagan beliefs, this
is the time when Jarilo, the Sun god, melts the snow awaking
Mother Nature with the powers of spring."
Also known as Cheesefare Week, Butter Week, or Pancake Week,
MASLENITSA takes place during the seven days prior to Great Lent;
its name is rooted in the Russian word for butter or oil,
"Maslo." Though it will remind one of Carnival,
Fasching, or Mardi Gras, MASLENITSA is associated with Eastern
Orthodox, rather than Roman, Catholicism. Orthodox Lent begins
on a Monday, instead of Wednesday, and this year, MASLENITSA runs
from 11 - 17 March, leading to the timing of the Saturday
festival.
The key symbol of MASLENITSA, one might even say the mascot, is
the buckwheat-based "blini" (think "blintz"). Blini, with their
round, golden warmth, hearken back to the sun and are thus
harbingers of spring. Closer to crêpes than to everyday
flapjacks as most Americans know them, blini may be eaten
straight, with extra ingredients incorporated in the batter,
while plain versions are topped, or filled and rolled, with
various "condiments."
Blini garnishes will be provided at the Toppings Table and will
range from honey, sour cream, sugar, and condensed milk to maple
syrup, jam, jelly, and homemade cottage cheese. Food service
will begin at 9:30 a.m.
In addition to blini, this year's bill of fare boasts Olivier
Salad (a popular Eastern European specialty), pelmeni (a.k.a.
"Russian Ravioli"), and East European desserts such as
medovnik, or honey cake. Beverages include hot/cold
black or green tea, coffee, water, and kvass, a
fermented, low-alcohol product that is treated as a soft drink.
Sugar or jam will be available at the Toppings Table for the hot
drinks.
But MASLENITSA boasts more than its expanded menu. This year's
festival will ratchet up the fun with a vendors' area, an
exciting roster of "new-to-Huntsville" performers, and several
free children's activities:
Satiate your Slavic desires with the delicious fare from European
Market Anastasia (e.g. Korkunov and Alyonka chocolates,
fresh-baked breads, pysanky supplies), then pore over
the local and imported wares of area craftspeople and
merchants…and a traveling Bake Sale of sorts.
Individually priced baked goods will include the following and
more: pierniki (Polish, Lebkuchen-like Spice Cookies);
rozky (Slovakian Crescent Cookies); vatrushki
(Russian "Danishes"); "http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/Cinnamon-Cookies-Recipe.htm"
target="_blank">ciasteczka cynamonowe (Polish
"Cinnamon Stars"); and kolacky/kolachie, a flaky "loaf"
filled with anything from prunes to poppy seeds. All
participants will accept cash or checks.
Performers Val Bratu (Romanian Keyboardist; Russian folksongs)
and his Lido Band; Alla "Alika" Melnik and Naum Koyfman
(Ukrainian Bayan players; Russian, Ukrainian, and other
folksongs); and "Chervona Kalyna" (Natalliya Russo's Ukrainian
Dance Group; traditional folkdances) will take us on a tuneful
tour through the Old Country. For those unfamiliar with the
instruments, bayans are the East European take on the button
accordion; for those unfamiliar with the words, you need not
speak a language to dance to it!
Kids and adults can enjoy balloon art, puppet shows, Russian
Karaoke, Kokoshnik ("Russian Crowns") workshops, hair
braiding, face painting, Russian language quizzes and games, and
various hands-on art classes. Russian cartoons will run
continuously in the N1 Section of the library,
in the older wing just past the café.
Participants will be able to boost their worldly knowledge by
visiting Room 111, where they can view
video/PowerPoint educational displays on the nations constituting
the former USSR. They include: Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania); Eastern Europe (Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine); Southern
Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia); Russia; and Central Asia
(Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan).
PLEASE NOTE, attendees are requested to RSVP IN
ADVANCE at "mailto:rsvp@internationalsocietyofhuntsville.org" target=
"_blank">rsvp@internationalsocietyofhuntsville.org in order
to ensure everyone can be served! The deadline is 14 March.
Once there, attendees may pay at the door with cash or check.
Further info is available by contacting Olga Osdacii at "tel:%28256%29%20585-8354" target="_blank">(256) 585-8354 /
"_blank">olgaosadcii@gmail.com or Maria Kimpe at "tel:%28979%29%20324-4834" target="_blank">(979) 324-4834.
NASDROVIA!
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF HUNTSVILLE
In 2007, the International Society of Huntsville was formed with
the following mission: "To promote the International Community
of North Alabama through cultural, educational, and social
programming." You can follow ISH on Facebook or visit "http://internationalsocietyofhuntsville.org/" target=
"_blank">http://internationalsocietyofhuntsville.org.
It is the goal of the Society to establish a permanent
International Festival for the City of Huntsville along the scale
of those in Birmingham and Mobile. North Alabama is the cradle
of Alabama's confluence of foreign-born citizens that contribute
to the region's diversity and its wealth of world views and
experiences that in turn give rise to varied ideas, perspectives,
knowledge, and skills-social ingredients that make North Alabama
prosperous while enhancing the area's Quality of Life.
Contact: Olga Osadcii; Maslenitsa Chair/ISH
Moldova Representative: target="_blank">(256) 585-8354; "mailto:olgaosadcii@gmail.com" target=
"_blank">olgaosadcii@gmail.com
Maria Kimpe; ISH Russia Representative: "tel:%28979%29%20324-4834" target="_blank">(979) 324-4834
##
Vendor News
This year's festival will ratchet up the fun with a vendors'
area, an exciting roster of "new-to-Huntsville" performers, and
several free children's activities.
Satiate your Slavic desires with the delicious fare from European
Market Anastasia (e.g. Korkunov and Alyonka chocolates,
fresh-baked breads, pysanky supplies), then pore over
the local and imported wares of area craftspeople and
merchants…and a Slavic bake sale of sorts.
Individually priced baked goods will include the following and
more: pierniki (Polish, Lebkuchen-like Spice Cookies);
rozky (Slovakian Crescent Cookies); vatrushki
(Russian "Danishes"); "http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/Cinnamon-Cookies-Recipe.htm"
target="_blank">ciasteczka cynamonowe (Polish
"Cinnamon Stars"); and kolacky/kolachie, a flaky "loaf"
filled with anything from prunes to poppy seeds. All
participants will accept cash or checks.
========
Cultural Program
9.30 Opening Ceremonies
10.00 - 10.40 Val Bratu/Lido Band
(East-European Folk Music); Huntsville
10.40 - 11.00 Quiz & Games
11.00 - 11.30 "Best Russian Outfit" Contest
11.30 - 11.45 "Karaoke-style" Russian Songs
11.45 - 12.00 Awards: Children's Drawing Contest
12.00 - 12.30 Alla "Alika" Melnik (Bayan Playing/Ukrainian
& Russian Songs); Atlanta
12.30 - 1.00 "Chervona Kalyna" (Natalliya Russo's Slavic
Dance Group); Vestavia
1.30 - 2.00 Naum Koyfman (Bayan Playing/Ukrainian &
Russian Songs); Atlanta
2.00 - 2.30 Quiz & Games
2.30 - 3.15 Val Bratu/Lido Band
(East-European Folk Music); Huntsville
3.15 - 3.30 "Karaoke-style" Russian Songs
3.30 - 4.00 Russian Dance Music
4.00 - 4.20 Awards: Best Drawing
4.30 - 5.00 Closing Ceremonies
Menu
Food Will Be Served From
9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
- · Russian-style Pancakes (Crêpes, or
Blini)
- · Traditional Blini Toppings (e.g. Honey, Jelly,
Sour Cream, Homemade Cottage Cheese, Condensed Milk)
- · Russian "Olivier Salad" & Pelmini ("Russian
Ravioli")
- · Medovnik ("Honey Cake") and Other Russian Desserts
- · Hot Tea/Coffee/Water/Kvass (Honey, etc., Available
for Tea)
Cost: $ 5 (Cash or Check)
ALL DAY: Presentations on Russia and 15
Former Soviet Republics (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Turkmenistan,
Azerbaijan, etc.)?Room 111
Children's & Adults' Activities
9.00 - 10.30 Kokoshnik ("Russian Crowns" Workshop)
with Tanya Roadruck, Elena Kidd, & Yanka Georgieva
10.30 - 11.30 Art Class (Crayons) with Tatyana Hankinson &
Inna Ryzhkova
11.45 - 12.00 Awards Ceremony: Best Drawings-Main Stage
12.00 - 1.00 Art Class (Russian "Good Luck" Doll Workshop)
with Olga Friedman & Natalia Guest
1:00 - 2.00 Balloon Art with Olga Clonts
2.00 - 3.00 Kokoshnik ("Russian Crowns" Workshop)
with Tanya Roadruck, Elena Kidd, & Yanka Georgieva
3.00 - 4.00 Art Class (Clay) with Tatyana Hankinson
4.00 - 4.20 Awards Ceremony: Best Drawings-Main Stage
Russian Cartoons Will Play in the N1 Area (Just Past
the Café) During the Following Art Classes!
11.00 - 12.00 and 2.00 - 3.00 Russian Hair Braiding with
Elena Garrison
9.30 - 10.30 and 2.00 - 3.00 Face Painting with Inna
Ryzhkova
10.00 - 11.00 and 1.00 - 2.00 Russian Language Quizzes &
Games with Elena Lee
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