Saturday, April 9, students and community members alike rejoiced as they celebrated Holi Festival of Colors, the sequel to the Holi Night celebration of the previous weekend. An annual event orchestrated by the Indian Students’ Association and celebrated all over India and Nepal, the Festival of Colors, also known as the Festival of Love, celebrates the arrival of spring and the passing of winter. Originally an ancient Hindu religious festival, Holi has been gaining popularity worldwide and is renowned for the bright and playful spirit of the festivities which accompany it. In a tradition which is known for its idyllic, gleeful mood, participants are covered head to toe by friends, family and strangers alike in brightly colored powders. The atmosphere Saturday was one of friendship, acceptance, and delight, the perfect end to the traditionally 16-day-long festival.
The outreach of the Indian Students’ Association in bringing the celebration to fruition at Michigan Tech has been remarkable this year, with members both inside and outside the community getting involved and enjoying the festivities. Kate Woodford, a senior at Houghton High School, was seen at both the Holi Night, where she participated in the music and dance performances, as well as at the event on Saturday. “I learned a great deal about [Festival of Colors] traditions during Holi,” she said, clearly pleased to have been a part of the annual event. “After attending the 2016 Parade of Nations in Houghton last year,” Kate elaborated, “I saw people of the Indian Student Association dancing and singing…and it consumed me. I fell in love with their performances.” She continued, “…I started to get in touch with the dancers, who helped me meet a lot of people from ISA, and they very quickly made me feel welcome. [Members of ISA] have become as close as family to me. I am, in a sense, their ‘little sister,’ and I love every second we all spend together. They have been extremely kind and accepting.” Her story speaks to how genuine the spirit of Holi is at Michigan Tech, and how deeply rooted it is in members of the ISA.
For more information about events hosted by the Indian Students’ Association, and to prepare to attend their Diwali celebration in the fall, be sure to check out their page on the Michigan Tech Involvement Link. The Parade of Nations, additionally, is an annual event hosted by International Programs and Services, which occurs in the early fall. You can learn more about the Parade of Nations, as well as other opportunities for entertainment, enrichment and involvement by visiting http://www. mtu.edu/international.
