Lotus Festival By Maryann Talia Pau

As I witnessed Lotus festival I experienced music as politics in an impactful way. One theme remained prevalent throughout the festival and which was the stars to end world violence. Maryann Talia Pau, who I heard tell her inspiring story about her idea to weave one million stars to support the end world violence. This mission was taken wholeheartedly at the festival where people of all ages helped construct these stars in support and hung them up on-stage at Buskirk-Chumley Theater. These stars are meant to bring people together as the human race to stand up against violence. As I listened to her talk I felt inspired to make one myself. Each star represents, “Someone saying I believe. Stop violence. Support one another,” as Pau put it herself,

This event was made for families of Bloomington to come together and enjoy good music and other festivities. Much like cultures we have discussed in class such as the Roma or Gypsy culture, music is a big part of social life. Although, Lotus Festival is not as big to Bloomington as festivals like the Southern Serbian Brass event is popular in Serbia among their Romani people. However, it is still a part of the community’s social life. There was instance where I watched Anna and Elizabeth began playing their Appalachian music and crowd gathered, with their families listening and having picnics. Kids were playing at the playground and running all over the festival and into the craft tents. Music brings people together as a social entity. Anna and Elizabeth were two of the humblest and kind artists I have seen as they invited fans to sit behind them on stage to avoid the weather. They were there to spread their old-time and mountain music and seem to me like they are not in music for the popularity or

The festival is put on by the community and for the enjoyment of the community and I consider it to be a local music industry in itself. Just at Tango not-for-export is part of the local industry in the Rio de la Plata region of Argentina. They are comparable because the performances of authentic tango are what Lotus Festival attempts to do within Bloomington. Although, we did not create much of the music heard at the festival as opposed to tango in Argentina, the festival is supposed to be authentic. The realization that Lotus is a part of Bloomington’s local music industry came to me when I heard the introduction of the World Spirt Concert at Buskirk Chumley Theater. To help put on this event 470 volunteers from the local area helped run the event as well as local donors and sponsors. This festival contains some of the most celebrated bands globally in the world music genre. The artists themselves are a part of the global industry as they perform across the globe. Bloomington is fortunate enough to have these artists come and perform for our local music industry. Bands like My Bubba who performed at the World Spirit Concert, who brought their talents and unique sound from Iceland and