Haitian Traditions and Culture: A Day of Celebration at WheatonArts

MILLVILLE — WheatonArts will celebrate Haitian traditions and culture on Nov. 10 with a special presentation, hands-on demonstration and concert. The day’s activities are being presented in conjunction with the exhibit, “Remembering Ginen: Haitian Vodou Bottles, Flags and Vèvè,” currently seen in the Museum of American Glass. This exhibit is one of a series of major presentations of Vodou arts at arts and cultural institutions around the world that aim to overcome the misconceptions and misinterpretations of the Haitian arts and culture and to inspire understanding and appreciation of Haitian creativity and artistic expressions.
Program schedule:
■ Lecture Presentation: Spirits in Sequins: Vodou Flags of Haiti. Special presentation by Nancy Josephson, author of “Spirits in Sequins: Vodou Flags of Haiti.” Noon to 1 p.m. in the Education/Folklife Center. Josephson will share her experiences with this unique art form. She will focus on flag making techniques while interpreting the cultural beliefs at the core of the flag designs and a folk lore expressed in the outstanding works of the Haitian artists.
■ Hands-On Demonstration: Haitian Vèvè Designs with Kesler Pierre. 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Event Center. The artist will demonstrate and explain the creation of Vodou vèvè designs, while introducing the participants to the rich cultural context, from which they draw their meanings. He will interpret the story of the vèvè designs as symbolic representations of individual lwa (spirits), who are a part of the Vodou pantheon and will explain the meaning of the Vèvè as a sacred sign drawn on the floor either at the foot of the altar or around the center pole in a Vodou temple. Particpants will learn how the shape of the vèvè reflects the character of the lwa for whom it is traced and will create their own vèvè designs. They will also learn how to understand both the meaning and the artistry of the vèvè in the context of other Vodou arts, which are on display in the Museum of American Glass at the time this demonstration takes place. Additional visual works will be provided by the artist. (www.keslerpierre.com)
■ Concert featuring La Troupe Makandal of New York. Remembering Ginen: Traditional Music and Dance of Haiti. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Event Center. La Troupe Makandal will present a suite created from the dances, songs and drumming styles brought to Haiti from West Africa and the Congo region. The program will tell the stories of the various peoples who survived enslavement, struggled for and won independence, and established the modern state of Haiti. Makandal’s work also derives from Vodou, an Afro-Haitian spiritual practice that honors and serves the ancestors and the forces of nature. The Troupe’s program will also include an interactive music and dance workshop for the audience
The exhibit, presentation, hands-on demonstration and the concert are included in the price of admission to WheatonArts on Nov. 10. Special half price admission: Adults $5.00, Senior Adults $4.50 and Students $3.50. Children five and under are free. For additional information about the Museum of American Glass and/or WheatonArts call 800-998-4552 or 856-825-6800 or visit wheatonarts.org.
WheatonArts is open Tues. through Sun., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open Labor Day. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
WheatonArts strives to ensure the accessibility of its exhibitions, events and programs to all persons with disabilities. Provide two weeks’ notice for additional needs. Patrons with hearing and speech disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS) 800-852-7899 or by dialing 711.
Funding has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the New Jersey Cultural Trust, and the Cumberland County Urban Enterprise Zone. WheatonArts receives general operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission, Division of Cultural Affairs in the New Jersey Department of State and is supported in part by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.