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Residents unite for Multicultural Day
Marlboro event features displays and performances
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer
The various cultures that make up Marlboro embraced one another during a Multicultural Day at Marlboro High School. The successful event was the culmination of five months of planning by volunteers on Marlboro's Community Events Committee.

JEFF GRANIT staff Members of the Ying Tao fitness group from the Huaxia Chinese School display their flexibility during a performance of a Chinese yoga dance during an event at Marlboro High School that featured exhibits from many different cultures.

Representatives from Israeli, Egyptian, Greek, Islamic, Chinese, Italian, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian and Russian heritage groups displayed exhibits to highlight the unique aspects of each culture. In the school cafeteria, the intoxicating aroma of various foods greeted visitors, propelling guests to sample dishes they may have never tasted previously.

Raj Dixit, who chaired the Nov. 15 event, worked with the other volunteers to make the celebration of cultures a reality. Dixit said representatives of the ethnic groups in Marlboro expressed excitement as soon as the idea for a multicultural day was mentioned.

"Multicultural Day shows the harmony of the town," Dixit said.

The volunteer committee did not receive funding from the township, but did seek the support of sponsors to make the day a reality. Many sponsors donated funds, food and volunteers.

Councilwoman Randi Marder, who is the Township Council's liaison to the Community Events Committee, said an exhibit of various cultures would usually only be seen in Marlboro's schools as a function of the school district.

Marder said she was excited to see the Nov. 15 event brought to all of Marlboro's residents and to see the positive response the celebration received from the community.

Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik said Marlboro is no longer the small town he grew up in, but said the community has grown in population and diversity. Upon seeing the large number of residents taking part in the event, Hornik said he believes next year's celebration will be even bigger.

Perusing the tables displaying items of cultural significance, visitors of every ethnicity were able to learn about their neighbors' heritages.

Athena Lovett explained mythology to visitors at the Greek table, identifying various gods and goddesses through statues. Tables were lined with bright, beautiful colored clothing significant to Islamic cultures.

Toys, jewelry, statues and art at all tables drew crowds to hear about the items' significance. At the Italian table, a book of a family's immigration history complete with photos, passports and tickets to America was displayed.

Traditional instruments were displayed by each culture and some residents gathered together to play an impromptu concert.

Guests then gathered in the high school's auditorium to view the multicultural performance. Children from the Kimisis Tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church of Holmdel performed Greek folk dances for the crowd, dressed in traditional costume.

Traditional Indian dances were performed, along with a traditional Egyptian belly dance, and Chinese yoga and fan dances. The dance numbers captured the attention of children in the audience who mimicked the dancers.

A fashion show dazzled audience members as costumes from Islamic countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia were exhibited. Young women and men wore sashes to display which country the represented.

Visitors were amazed by the sight of young men working with the Chinese yo-yo, a much larger item than the toy some people may be familiar with. A Korean taekwondo demonstration also captivated the audience as two young women brandished swords.

Representatives of other cultures sang for the audience, captivating all with the melodic tones of the foreign languages and instruments. Some audience members noted they had never before heard an Egyptian oud (which resembles a European lute) played, but enjoyed hearing it for the first time.

The voices of children could be heard singing traditional Vietnamese pieces, Russian friendship songs and familiar childhood favorites in Italian. Bringing tears to the eyes of some audience members was the performance of Italian opera by Joseph S. Burruano and Rosalisa Lucci.

The Multicultural Day was deemed a success by its organizers. Visitors leaving the high school could be heard saying that they could not wait to see what next year's cultural celebration would bring.

According to Monmouth County At a Glance, a publication produced by the Monmouth County Planning Board, Marlboro's population increased from 17,560 people in 1980, to 27,974 people in 1990, to an estimated 41,535 residents in 2007.

The 2000 racial composition indicated that 83.8 percent of Marlboro residents were white, 14.2 percent of residents were Asian and other, 2.9 percent of residents were persons of Hispanic origin and 2.1 percent of residents were black.