Still in 1967

(I invite comments from people who were in Winnipeg during the early years. I am sure they have some clippings and pictures that would add to the history of our community.)

Here is a gem from Spring 1967.

This newspaper clipping is dated May 20, 1967 and announces the Festival of India, a display of fashions from India, handicrafts, dance and music, and sale of Indian foods and dolls dressed in Indian outfits. It was organized by “a group of women from India” as a Canadian Confederation centennial project and co-sponsored by the Winnipeg branch of Altrusa International.

It was held on Thursday the 25^th of May at St. Mary’s Academy concert hall, and the proceeds of the ticket ($1.00) sale were to go for famine relief and other Altrusa projects in India.

The person modelling the Maharashtrian sari is Manju Darsi, Rev. Raman’s niece who had just arrived. The childern are Priti Bhatia and her brother Guru, while in the other picture, Jiti Bhatia in a Rajasthani outfit holds a handcrafted vase. And the third picture is of Ganga Dakshinamurti on her veena. Ganga was associated with Altrusa Club.

As one can see, few though in numbers, the community did not lack talent or resources to showcase the best of India to the larger Winnipeg community.

It is possible that I emceed the Fashion Show, though I cannot vouch for it. I did a lot of script-writing and emceeing in those early days.

For one of the shows, I recall being asked to write the script and being told a white person would read it – I said I would tolerate it that time since the other person had already been asked but that we should stand tall and choose emcees from our own community instead of looking for a white speaker. Our accents may be different but that is who we are, and as long as we spoke clearly, accents should not matter. I think the organizer of that event, I forget which event it was, saw the logic of my argument and asked me to be emcee for that event. She must have known the other person well enough I guess to disengage her after inviting her!!