Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th. The month is set aside as a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. As many of you may know, Hispanic heritage and culture is something near and dear to my heart. I spent a year and a half-living in Spain, am married to a man from Colombia, and have traveled to (even told stories in!) a number of Hispanic countries!
So when the Toledo Libraries contacted me about doing a storytelling program for Hispanic Heritage Month, I jumped at the chance! This new program will be comprised of folktales and legends from various Hispanic countries with the aim of giving audiences a taste of the Spanish-speaking world by introducing them to some of the traditions and symbols that make each culture unique. The program can be performed in English, Spanish or bilingually, and will be available starting in September.
Here I am in my Guatemalan skirt and huipil (brocaded blouse) along with my llama puppet (the llama being a symbol of Peru). Behind me is a woven tapestry from Colombia and a sombrero from Mexico.
Book now to get your preferred date, especially if you are hoping to do it during September or October! The program will be offered year-round, so if Hispanic Heritage Month doesn’t work for you, don’t fear — any time of year is a great time for these wonderful stories.
My own experience in the States has taught me that many people here do not realize just how diverse the Hispanic population is. I have met numerous people who assume that if someone speaks Spanish than they must be from Mexico. While there are certainly a large number of Mexican Americans, there are lots of people from many different parts of the Spanish-speaking world that call the United States home. Where I live in Canton, OH, which is certainly not considered a bastion of cultural diversity, I have friends from Ecuador, Peru, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala just to name a few (not to mention that Colombian husband of mine!) Thus, I believe that this program can be a great starting point to help people recognize the diversity in the Spanish-speaking world!
To learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month, click here.
