Southeast Asia Spring Festival 2024

_{Photos by Mara Lavitt, 2024}

Electric energy and a celebratory atmosphere fill the Luce Hall common room. Attendees, holding plates of fragrant dishes, gather around a small, carpeted rectangle, acting as a stage. Organized by Yale’s Southeast Asia language studies program and sponsored by the Yale Macmillan Center’s Council on Southeast Asia Studies, the Spring festival is a celebration and a showcase of the cultural diversity of Southeast Asia through food and performances. The event was held on March 29, 2024, on the second floor of Luce Hall.

The Luce Hall Common room was met with high turnout –– attendees filled every available chair, and some even sat on the floor to view the performances. The festival kicked off with a buffet featuring Vietnamese, Thai, and Indonesian dishes and traditional Filipino and Burmese desserts provided by local restaurants, Council’s staff, and families.

After the buffet, Professor Erik Harms, Chair of Council on Southeast Asia Studies (CSEAS), delivered welcoming remarks, and the performances began. Professor Dinny Risri Aletheiani (Yale CSEAS) and Elisa Cruz (‘26) emceed the performances.

The first highlight was the Moni Mekhala & Ream Eyso Dance performed by The Angkor Dance Troupe. “Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso” is a Cambodian myth of thunder and lightning.

Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso, the storm demon, were students of the same teacher, and both competed to be his favorite. In the end, the teacher favored Moni Mekhala and she was rewarded with a beautiful and powerful crystal made from the morning dew. A confrontation ensues. Both performers used precise hand gestures to portray story beats and character mood. This is one of the most sacred classical dances in Cambodia and is still performed today in ceremonies to pray for rain.

Next was a presentation by Kasama, the Filipinx Club at Yale, about the Tagalog Initiative at Yale. Tagalog is the fourth most spoken language in the United States –– yet there are no formal Tagalog courses offered at Yale. Members of Kasama requested a Tagalog program via a cultural table with information about the Tagalog initiative and a petition and interest form. Members of Kasama also presented information about Kasama and language in the Philippines in several Filipino languages, showcasing the diversity of the Philippines.

Performances continued with the Srikandis who held a Balinese martial arts demonstration. Members were Indonesian language students - Emmery Korfmacher (‘25), Emma DeCorby (‘25), Ella Michael (‘25), Mia Wendell (‘25), Anna Bargman (‘25) instructed by Dinny Risri Aletheiani (Yale CSEAS). The Srikandis walked through a set series of moves before breaking out into choreographed spars. Other highlights include a group of Laotian performers, Nathaniel Cunningham (Lanat Instrument Player), Nina Sayarath (Dancer), Jasmine Vannasouk (Singer), Amy Khondy (Chheng Instrument Player), and Ann Cunningham (Dance Instructor), performing Som Seng Arou, and the musical duo, Senar Berirama, consisting of Nicholas Boettcher (‘25) and Joonhee Park (‘25) who played a classical rendition of Indonesian song titled Andaikan Kau Datang.

The event wrapped up after the performances and everyone left in high spirits. Several people lingered to take pictures and hand out bouquets of flowers and thank yous.

Author: Ella Michael

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