VARDAMAN-- Nearly 150 people of different cultures in Northeast Mississippi gathered last Friday at the Front Porch in Vardaman for a night of Cultural Expression.
The event, hosted by the Catholic Charities Family Life Center in Vardaman, was an opportunity for the various immigrant communities in Northeast Mississippi to share their cultural gifts with the Calhoun County and area communities.
“It was a rich cultural experience for me,” Rev. Lannis May of Bruce First United Methodist Church said. “They connected with the people who live here.”
This is the first time for this program to be hosted in Vardaman, said Family Life Center director Danna Johnson, a Honduran native. The event was decorated by Nancy Sanchez, from the Migrant Support Center of Catholic Charities of Jackson
There were demonstrations, food, dancing and music from the various countries represented, including Mexico, Hounduras, Guatemala, Colombia, and Puerto Rico.
Lisa May, of Vardaman, opened the program with “Amazing Grace.” Sandra Lucius, a native of Vardaman, who works with Topashaw Farms, gave a presentation of Southern and Vardaman culture.
“I think this is something to build on,” said Northeast Mississippi Catholic Charities Board President Robert Stewart.
Among the feature presentations was the Hispanic dance prayer group “Matachinos,” made up of dancers from Vardaman and Houston.
The Night of Cultural Expression was part of the National Migration Week, which was themed “Creating a Culture of Encounter” this year.
