Photos courtesy of Sunfest. Russian dancers, Japanese Taiko drummers and Peruvian musicians.

Sunfest: A Celebration of the World's Cultures.
A Celebration of the Sun.

by Joaquin Breedlove, from the Summer 1997 issue

Across the continents and seas, throughout ragged tundra, hypnotic deserts, and twisted jungles, in whispering villages, humming towns and screeching cities, among women and men, young and old, rich and poor, all people respond to the sun. The sun brings us life. The sun nourishes the crops which strengthen our bodies. The sun feeds our hunger for warmth, and satisfies the vanity of those "needing color". The sun brings us light and energy. The sun beckons the blossoms whose colors and scents brighten our spirits.

For millennia, people across the planet have recognized and praised the sun. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans gazed sunward and made sacrifices in gratitude for its life-giving presence. For the past three years modern Ontarians have also paid thankful homage to the sun and its unifying gifts. In a three-day July festival dedicated solely to the celebration of life, artists, musicians, craftspeople, dancers and drummers gather to attend London, Ontario's international music and dance festival, SUNFEST.

"The sun is special in all cultures as a symbol of celebration, life, brotherhood and energy," says festival Chairperson and Artistic Director Alfredo Caxaj (pronounced KA-SHAHH in the Mayan language). SUNFEST is the result of efforts by Caxaj, partner Herb Bayley, London's Cross Cultural Arts Committee and a fleet of volunteers who prepare year-round for the festival. This festival in the sun features three electrifying days of live music and dance, complemented by artisans and crafters offering a patchwork of goods alongside foods from around the world.

Begun in 1995, SUNFEST aims to foster cultural exchange and racial awareness and to provide artists and revelers opportunities to connect with those to whom they may otherwise have limited or no access. This year the festival attracted an estimated 100,000 people, up from last year's 75,000 and 1995s 25,000. The majority of attendees come from London and other Ontario cities, however as with the artists, many are known to travel from farther away to attend this special event.

Caxaj proudly asserts that SUNFEST's greatest asset lies definitively in its broad inclusiveness. "Because we are so inclusive in our view of diversity, we are very unique. Everyone can feel like this is their festival. Many of the other festivals are very specialized to one community or one art form. We are really presenting a wide range of cultures, which few others can offer," adds Caxaj. He also points out that the festival and its organizing body, the Cross Cultural Arts Committee, actually try to avoid using the word 'multicultural' when describing their activities; "Unfortunately this word has come to be associated with only 'people of color', and we want our audience to be bigger than that. We are an 'international' festival. We want to share art forms and artists from all of the world's cultures."

Caxaj and Bayley have drawn performers with roots in Spain, Greece, Japan, Ghana, India, and parts of Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the First Nations of North America to SUNFEST. "My most favorite moment at the festival," says Caxaj, "was once when we had a Middle Eastern group performing, and between the group and the audience we had all kinds of people from that region coming together and although they may have differed by saying 'I'm from Jerusalem!' or, 'I'm from Palestine!' they were right there dancing, celebrating, eating, smiling together! It was a very special moment for me, just very beautiful to see all of them as brothers and sisters" despite what might be going on in the homeland.

Although the festival's home, London, Ontario, is said by some to be among the least ethnically diverse and most conservative of Canadian cities, Caxaj asserts that the city's response to the festival has been overwhelmingly positive. The growing number of visitors to SUNFEST certainly supports the assertion. "We want to continue to grow, in reputation, in attendance, in recognition. Our goal is to keep bringing more "people together to share, but without losing the sense that this is for and about the community. We want to keep SUNFEST accessible to people on the community, grassroots level." He continues, "I also feel very strongly that this festival represents what this city is becoming. Just since 1985 when I arrived from Guatemala, London has become much more diverse. We are becoming more and more international and SUNFEST is a symbol of that."

"Caxaj came to London with his wife and son after leaving Guatemala as a political refugee. "I didn't choose London myself, it was suggested by the Canadian government for our relocation. "But after eleven years in this city and in this country, it is a part of me and I am a part of it. Although this isn't where I originated, it is my home now; and Guatemala may have been the place where I came from, but it is no longer my home." Caxaj's commitment to the festival is clearly a labour of love; until this year he has worked with SUNFEST on a purely volunteer basis. His tireless effort and year-round responsibility have only recently resulted in the allocation of a salary for his time and work.

As Alfredo Caxaj works to promote a festival which expresses his global identity and artistic open-mindedness, making his adopted home more reflective of its continually evolving population, he is also laying a foundation for the future. Today's SUNFEST is part of the planting of seeds, "the securing of a legacy, for tomorrow's citizens of London who will gather each July to drum, sing, eat, dance, rejoice, celebrate the unity of mankind and offer praises to the sun.

© 2000 Studio Q Int'l Inc./Urban Mozaik Magazine™ All rights reserved. The images and text on this website cannot be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from Urban Mozaik Magazine.

For millennia, people across the planet have recognized and praised the sun. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans gazed sunward and made sacrifices in gratitude for its life-giving presence.

Just since 1985 when I arrived from Guatemala, London (Ontario) has become much more diverse. We are becoming more and more international and SUNFEST is a symbol of that."






		Photos courtesy of Sunfest. Russian dancers, Japanese Taiko drummers and Peruvian musicians.
	Sunfest: A Celebration of the World's Cultures. A Celebration of the Sun. by Joaquin Breedlove, from the Summer 1997 issue Across the continents and seas, throughout ragged tundra, hypnotic deserts, and twisted jungles, in whispering villages, humming towns and screeching cities, among women and men, young and old, rich and poor, all people respond to the sun. The sun brings us life. The sun nourishes the crops which strengthen our bodies. The sun feeds our hunger for warmth, and satisfies the vanity of those "needing color". The sun brings us light and energy. The sun beckons the blossoms whose colors and scents brighten our spirits. For millennia, people across the planet have recognized and praised the sun. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans gazed sunward and made sacrifices in gratitude for its life-giving presence. For the past three years modern Ontarians have also paid thankful homage to the sun and its unifying gifts. In a three-day July festival dedicated solely to the celebration of life, artists, musicians, craftspeople, dancers and drummers gather to attend London, Ontario's international music and dance festival, SUNFEST. "The sun is special in all cultures as a symbol of celebration, life, brotherhood and energy," says festival Chairperson and Artistic Director Alfredo Caxaj (pronounced KA-SHAHH in the Mayan language). SUNFEST is the result of efforts by Caxaj, partner Herb Bayley, London's Cross Cultural Arts Committee and a fleet of volunteers who prepare year-round for the festival. This festival in the sun features three electrifying days of live music and dance, complemented by artisans and crafters offering a patchwork of goods alongside foods from around the world. Begun in 1995, SUNFEST aims to foster cultural exchange and racial awareness and to provide artists and revelers opportunities to connect with those to whom they may otherwise have limited or no access. This year the festival attracted an estimated 100,000 people, up from last year's 75,000 and 1995s 25,000. The majority of attendees come from London and other Ontario cities, however as with the artists, many are known to travel from farther away to attend this special event. Caxaj proudly asserts that SUNFEST's greatest asset lies definitively in its broad inclusiveness. "Because we are so inclusive in our view of diversity, we are very unique. Everyone can feel like this is their festival. Many of the other festivals are very specialized to one community or one art form. We are really presenting a wide range of cultures, which few others can offer," adds Caxaj. He also points out that the festival and its organizing body, the Cross Cultural Arts Committee, actually try to avoid using the word 'multicultural' when describing their activities; "Unfortunately this word has come to be associated with only 'people of color', and we want our audience to be bigger than that. We are an 'international' festival. We want to share art forms and artists from all of the world's cultures." Caxaj and Bayley have drawn performers with roots in Spain, Greece, Japan, Ghana, India, and parts of Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the First Nations of North America to SUNFEST. "My most favorite moment at the festival," says Caxaj, "was once when we had a Middle Eastern group performing, and between the group and the audience we had all kinds of people from that region coming together and although they may have differed by saying 'I'm from Jerusalem!' or, 'I'm from Palestine!' they were right there dancing, celebrating, eating, smiling together! It was a very special moment for me, just very beautiful to see all of them as brothers and sisters" despite what might be going on in the homeland. Although the festival's home, London, Ontario, is said by some to be among the least ethnically diverse and most conservative of Canadian cities, Caxaj asserts that the city's response to the festival has been overwhelmingly positive. The growing number of visitors to SUNFEST certainly supports the assertion. "We want to continue to grow, in reputation, in attendance, in recognition. Our goal is to keep bringing more "people together to share, but without losing the sense that this is for and about the community. We want to keep SUNFEST accessible to people on the community, grassroots level." He continues, "I also feel very strongly that this festival represents what this city is becoming. Just since 1985 when I arrived from Guatemala, London has become much more diverse. We are becoming more and more international and SUNFEST is a symbol of that." "Caxaj came to London with his wife and son after leaving Guatemala as a political refugee. "I didn't choose London myself, it was suggested by the Canadian government for our relocation. "But after eleven years in this city and in this country, it is a part of me and I am a part of it. Although this isn't where I originated, it is my home now; and Guatemala may have been the place where I came from, but it is no longer my home." Caxaj's commitment to the festival is clearly a labour of love; until this year he has worked with SUNFEST on a purely volunteer basis. His tireless effort and year-round responsibility have only recently resulted in the allocation of a salary for his time and work. As Alfredo Caxaj works to promote a festival which expresses his global identity and artistic open-mindedness, making his adopted home more reflective of its continually evolving population, he is also laying a foundation for the future. Today's SUNFEST is part of the planting of seeds, "the securing of a legacy, for tomorrow's citizens of London who will gather each July to drum, sing, eat, dance, rejoice, celebrate the unity of mankind and offer praises to the sun. © 2000 Studio Q Int'l Inc./Urban Mozaik Magazine™ All rights reserved. The images and text on this website cannot be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from Urban Mozaik Magazine.
For millennia, people across the planet have recognized and praised the sun. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans gazed sunward and made sacrifices in gratitude for its life-giving presence.
Just since 1985 when I arrived from Guatemala, London (Ontario) has become much more diverse. We are becoming more and more international and SUNFEST is a symbol of that."