Westman Multicultural Festival returns to celebrate growing diversity in Brandon
Festival offered southwestern Manitobans chance to travel the world again after being grounded since 2020
Brandonites were able to trot around the globe in their own city this weekend, with the return of the Westman Multicultural Festival pavilions for the first time since 2020.
The festival's cultural pavilions were once a mainstay in Brandon each February, offering an escape to beach life in Mauritius, the colourful dances of India, the tropical views of El Salvador and glimpses of cultures from other countries to southwestern Manitoba.
Those local trips across the world were grounded due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, though, and this year's edition — the festival's 18th — marks the first time it's able to take flight in four years.
"Our [motto is] here is 'together again.' We are very excited," said Kerselin Fumier, vice-chair of the Westman Multicultural Festival Society.
He also helped organize the Mauritius pavilion at the new Westman Immigrant Services Cultural Centre — one of six pavilions for this year's festival, which started Thursday and wrapped up on Saturday.
"We need this here," Fumier said. "Brandon is becoming more and more multicultural, so it's good for people of Brandon to know a different culture, different food, different music."
The six countries represented in this year's festival — El Salvador, Mexico, Mauritius, India, Philippines and Ukraine — are about half the number of pavilions the festival would typically see.
One of the hardest parts of resurrecting the festival was finding spaces to host pavilions, along with recruiting volunteers and sponsors, he said.
The festival is completely run by volunteers. Fumier is hoping to see more community members and sponsors join in next year, and the group has applied for government grants to help expand it.
The goal is to grow the festival to include at least 15 different countries in 2025, he says.
Gautam Srivastava, the general manager for the Indian pavilion and secretary for the Westman Multicultural Festival, estimates it takes between 600 to 700 volunteers to make the cultural festival possible.
The Indian pavilion alone sees around 60 people volunteering each day during the festival, he said.
The Indian pavilion featured foods from across the country paired with 45-minute performances that included dancing and educational demonstrations, like how to tie a turban.
Srivastava says volunteers wanted to give visitors a taste of how diverse India is and how this multiculturalism is reflected in Brandon.
"Our demographic here in Brandon is changing rapidly.… People are being introduced to new cultures and there's no better way to take it in than the pavilions to know you're neighbours," Srivastava said.
"I think the main thing for me is to open up conversations.… People who come to the pavilions can learn a little bit about cultures."
Brandon welcomed 3,560 immigrants from 2017 to 2021, including 780 in 2021 alone, Economic Development Brandon says on its website.
In 2022, the non-profit Westman Immigrant Services, which offers support services for newcomers in the region, saw more than 2,000 permanent residents come to the southwestern Manitoba area — its highest-ever number.
Graciela Tobar, the master of ceremonies for the El Salvador pavilion, said the festival is an important opportunity to share her culture with the community and with the next generation.
"We bring our children to be together dancing and sharing about our roots because it's important to keeping the legacy," Tobar said.
El Salvador has been participating in the Westman Multicultural Festival for many years and was glad to return to the stage after COVID-19. She hopes to see the pavilion come back next year bigger and better.
"It's time to be giving a little bit back to the community," Tobar said. "That is important to me … all the ways that I can give my time and share a little bit of my experience with the community."
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